Every year for more than three decades, Chan Tak-fai has taken part in constructing the fire dragon for the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and he never deviates from its original design.
'The design never changes, except for the lanterns, as another master makes them and he likes to innovate. We also used to light fire crackers but during the riots in 1967 the government banned it and we haven't been able to burn them since,' said Mr Chan, who is the chief fire dragon supervisor for the Tai Hang Residents' Welfare Association.
'By tradition we have to wait until the 14th day of the seventh lunar month before we collect the materials to make the dragon. About 1,000kg of pearl grass is imported from Guangdong to make the dragon, which is 67 metres long. We then cover it with 24,000 sticks of slow-burning incense.'
The tradition is strongest among older residents like Mr Chan, who carried the fire dragon through Tai Hang when it was still a small Hakka fishing village, but new residents are encouraged to participate. 'Newcomers become apprentices to the masters, learning how to choose the grass to make the dragon and how to tie it together. If they are successful, we give them an award to show they have graduated and we invite them back to help next year.'
Mr Chan said carrying the fire dragon through the streets is no stroll in the park. It requires more than 100 bearers taking turns to help with the back-breaking work.
'It weighs much more than it looks. The bearers of the dragon have to rotate. The strongest carry the head, the heaviest part, and each bearer moves five paces then passes it along to the next bearer - if they are strong enough.'