MANY pilgrims travelled under the full moon to Lantau for the largest Buddhist religious event Hong Kong had ever seen.
It was a 20th-century pilgrimage, Hong Kong-style. Instead of sackcloth and ashes, they wore scarves and colourful down-filled jackets to keep off the chill of the December night.
There were the old believers - that, everyone had expected. But there were many, many young people too, all eager to be there for the inauguration of the statue.
Some clutched huge bunches of flowers to offer at Po Lin Monastery; others carried enormous plastic bottles of distilled water and supermarket bags full of food.
They were herded from the ferries to the buses by stewards with loud-hailers who called up the bus drivers on mobile phones to make sure they were clear of Mui Wo pier before the next boatload arrived.
But, with the inauguration service not due to start until 9 am, why would anyone want to arrive at Mui Wo at 1.30 am? ''I'll start worshipping as soon as I get to the monastery,'' said 17-year-old Mok Yau-ting, a passenger in the first specially laid on overnight ferry.
''I have to be there for the service today. It would not be the same if I came some other time,'' he said.
