Kat O, a quiet island located within the UNESCO Global Geopark in Hong Kong’s northeastern New Territories, is experiencing heightened activity as it hosts its Dajiao Festival for the first time in a decade. Running through Thursday, the event draws visitors for its blend of traditional religious rites, cultural performances, and contemporary art installations, a significant moment for the island’s small community.
The festival includes Cantonese opera staged in a temporary bamboo theatre, colorful parades featuring traditional dances such as the Chaozhou Yingge, as well as the Unicorn and Fish Lantern dances from Sam A village in Sha Tau Kok. These troupes represent national-level intangible cultural heritage. Visitors can also partake in sacred rituals and sample Key Lo Bicky, a traditional vegetarian biscuit linked to the festival.
Dajiao, also called Da Chiu, is a Taoist sacrificial custom dating back to the Qing dynasty that evolved from imperial court practices into village-level folk traditions. Typically, communities perform the festival to express gratitude to deities—most notably Tin Hau, the sea goddess—for past harvests and to seek ongoing protection.
Kat O’s celebration differs from others in the region by its name and focus. While many villages call their festival Tai Ping Ching Chiu, meaning a ritual for peace, Kat O’s is known as On Lung Ching Chiu, or the ritual for settling the dragon. According to Desmond Wong, senior conservation manager at The Conservancy Association, villagers believe their location develops a “lung mak” (dragon vein) every ten years. The ritual involves priests and villagers climbing a mountain to replace a jar of “dragon water” drawn from an ancient well in Sai O village, rejuvenating the dragon vein’s vitality and securing communal safety.
Dajiao ceremonies in Hong Kong vary widely in frequency. Some, like the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, occur annually, while others take place once every several years or decades. The Liu clan’s Tai Ping Ching Chiu in Sheung Shui is held every 60 years, with the next not scheduled until 2066. Ritual cycles are traditionally determined by divination, where deities are consulted to decide the timing.
Beyond its religious significance, the festival serves to reconnect Kat O’s dispersed community, many of whom now live elsewhere in Hong Kong or overseas. The event regularly draws returnees from distant locations, including the United Kingdom.
Support for the festival’s revival comes from organizations such as The Conservancy Association and Fragrant Village, a music NGO led by performing arts graduate Sze Ka-yan. Concerned about passing traditions to younger generations, Sze has helped integrate contemporary art projects into the festival. The Kat O Dajiao Arts Festival, running through October 25, features site-specific works by eight artists inspired by local customs. Among them is Karlie Wu, a Kat O descendant from Glasgow, whose video installation includes footage from past Dajiao events. Mainland folk singer Xiao He also performs Hakka folk songs, fishermen’s chants, and the Kat O Public School anthem in the bamboo opera shed.
Wong emphasizes that Dajiao encompasses a broad ecosystem of intangible heritage including operatic arts, bamboo scaffolding craftsmanship, culinary practices, and paper artistry. The contemporary artistic programming aims to attract younger and international audiences, fostering new heritage advocates. Efforts are also underway to secure intangible cultural heritage funding for Kat O’s festival.
Both Wong and Sze underscore the importance of sustained community engagement and cultural transmission. They hope the festival’s revitalization serves as a model for other regional Dajiao celebrations and encourages more young descendants to reconnect with their roots on Kat O.