Tin Hau

People in China alawys celebrate Tin Hau.
The Tin Hau festival is celebrated on the 23rd day of the Third Moon (late April, early May). The day is set aside to honour a young girl named Mo Niang. She was re-named Tin Hau, the "Queen of Heaven", and is the "Mother" of boat people and sailors.
Tin Hau was born in Fukien in the year 1093. Legend tells a story that she bid her father and brothers farewell as they went off fishing. She went to sleep and had a dream they were drowning. She flew over the waters on clouds and rescued her family just as they were about to drown.
Tin Hau is also said to have been able to predict storms and sea traveller's fortunes. She died at the age of twenty and received her title shortly afterwards.
There are numerous shrines and temples dedicated to her spirit. On her birthday, the boat people, sailors and those who live on the waterfront, sail to Da Miao (the Great Temple) in Joss HoUse Bay and pay their respects to the goddess, praying for safety in the coming year.
alaways celebrate Tin Hau.

	Hundreds of people rush to light up the first joss sticks and offer up them to the goddess Tin Hau.
Light up joss sticks

To protect fishermen and seafarers, local people offer up joss sticks, small sums of money and oranges to the goddess Tin Hau.

Oranges, suggestive of immortality and good fortune, are piled high. Roast suckling pigs protect against ill health and bad luck. Persimmons represent joy. Pomegranates, with their endless seeds, denote fecundity.
	Offering to Tin Hau

During Tin Hau festival, joss sticks, suckling pigs and white wine are usual offerings.

	These villagers are carrying a 6-meter high "Fa Pau", floral paper offerings, for celebration of Tin Hau festival.
Carrying Fa Pau

Tin Hau can forecast the weather and save people from shipwrecks. However, since the decline of the local fishing industry and advances in meteorology, the goddess has expanded her role to watching over families. Hong Kong parents often offload the responsibility of raising their own children to the goddess by making her their godmother.

The beating of drums is the background music for the fearsome dancers. Two people wear a colourful paper-mache lion head. With full coordination they move through graceful gestures, expressing the feelings of the lion. The lion may be bashful, playful or even angry and the steps of the performers convey this mood to the audience.
	Lion dance

Local people buy paper spinning wheels which will bring good luck to their home.

	This lion comes to worship Tin Hau. The lion shall not show its bottom to the goddess so it has to walk backwards.
Lion dance

On the festive day, believers perform lion dance and drums, carry other items and offer them to Tin Hau deity at Tin Hau Temple.

Spectacular parade of lion and dragon dancers goes to the local Tin Hau Temple. There the village teams collect the "Fa Pau", floral paper offerings, and perform in the temple yard.
	Dragon dance

The most famous festivities for Tin Hau birthday happen in Yuen Long Town with a spectacular parade through the streets. 25 teams of performers, including lion dancers, dragon dancers and other artists formed a procession. From the stadium the teams march back to the Tin Hau Temple at Tai Shue Ha, where tribute is paid to the statue of Tin Hau. This is followed by drawing lots for the right to carry the most prestigious "Fa Pau" next year.

	Beautiful dragon dance worshipping Tin Hau performed on Tsing Yi island. In the background, a series of "Pai Lau" or traditional decorative billboards have been erected.
Dragon dance

The Yuen Long parade, in the New Territories, include colourful floats and lion dances. The procession of parade through the streets takes about two hours.

When two communities meet, their lions bow to each other's Tin Hau statues. Sometimes the lions greet each other and have a dance together before they move on.
	Lions

The Tin Hau birthday festival culminates in a procession and is characterised by floral paper offerings known as "Fa Pau".

	A grand procession features golden dragons, colorful lions and unicorns, and participating teams from local villages and organisations.
Dragon dance

Tin Hau birthday events are organised by local Celebration Committees and local Rural Committees.

Tin Hau is worshipped in more than 70 temples in Hong Kong. Famous temples include the Tin Hau Temple in Stanley, which was restored in year 2000.