Shops cash in near Tam Kung temple while thousands flock to Buddha ceremony
Tam Kung, Taoist god of the sea, brought a wave of good fortune to shops and vendors at Shau Kei Wan on his birthday yesterday, attracting more than 20,000 visitors to the district with lion dances and street parades.
Roads leading to the Tam Kung Temple, built in 1905, were sealed to make way for the troops of drummers, lion and dragon dancers and children dressed in costumes to emulate Chinese gods.
The festival was heavily publicised for the first time this year under a campaign by the Tourism Board to promote Hong Kong's cultural heritage.
The flock of visitors, including tourists and people from various districts of Hong Kong, was welcomed by business people, who cashed in on the occasion.
The Tam Kung Temple charged visitors for hitting its drums and gongs, symbols of good luck.
Donation boxes or basins were placed at virtually every point at which worshippers would stop while lining up to burn incense.
