A Special Day in Shek O

 

I went home on Friday evening after work with hardly a plan but to relax over the weekend. With my dad and sister arriving so soon, it seemed sensible to lay low and just chill out. But, as is often the case in my life here, Hong Kong had other plans.

Scrolling through Facebook that night, I stumbled upon an article about a once-in-a-decade festival in the sleepy beach haven of Shek O, on the south side of Hong Kong Island. Villagers long since relocated to Europe or Australia or North America, the article explained, always make their way home for this special event. Saturday was meant to be the culmination of the festival, and so before going to sleep that night, I made up my mind to go.

So, on Saturday afternoon around 3pm, Fredric and I were in a taxi en route to the stunning natural headland giving way to the South China Sea. And it was immediately clear that something special was in the air.

Huge bamboo structures were set up in the main parking lot abutting the beach. Two or three temples, in addition to an enormous Cantonese opera stage, were spread over the spaces, and the crowds were pouring in. As the twangs of the opera singers filled the air, people mingled about taking photos, sipping on beers and chatting.

One of the charms of Shek O is simply wandering its web of tiny streets, with the colorful buildings, outdoor restaurants always full of patrons, temples and friendly locals. Whichever path you choose, you can count on winding up at the water's edge.

Walking up Shek O Headland Road, you come to the dramatic, rocky point at which Hong Kong Island crashes into the sea below, a beautiful spot that, shockingly, I had never visited before. I'd heard friends talk about the headland, but I never quite realized what an amazing view was to be had from there. But I'm glad I discovered it that day! 

Fredric and I spent some time just chilling on the beach. There was all sorts of action taking place around us, and some traditionally-dressed men were parading around taking part in some religious ceremony I didn't quite understand. 

Back at the main festival ground, the Cantonese opera was in full swing. While the sounds of Cantonese opera can be perplexing to one who grew up accustomed to the sounds of Western music, the costumes and make-up are undeniably arresting. And although I couldn't really follow too much of the story, I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at the opera. 

Another thing that's so cool about these performances is the blurred line between the front and backstage areas. The dressing room doors, so to speak, are completely open, allowing curious onlookers to peak inside. Between scenes, actors can often be spotted poking their heads out of the doors, and the wardrobe mistresses can we watched as they go about their business. 

After the show ended, the ghost king, a huge statue made out of papier-mache or some other similar material, was brought out to the bamboo temple that had housed him thus far into the festival. He was brought for a parade all around Shek O. 

I followed the parade for a little while, then grabbed some vegetarian Thai food (the whole village abstains from eating meat throughout the festival, and the restaurants don't serve it, either), and met up with my friends Joel and Sarah, who live in Shek O. We grabbed a few beers and awaited the day's grand finale, which would see the ghost king burned on the sandy beach. 

Smoke filled the air, and a group of musicians played for what seemed like hours, as incense sticks were lit all around the festival grounds. Fires were ignited, and then slowly burned out, and at last the statue was brought from the parking lot to the beach itself, where, just after 11:30pm, he, too, was set alight, burning to the sand in a matter of seconds, with the embers lingering for quite a long while. 

It's too bad I'll have to wait another ten years to experience this incredible festival again, but I know one thing's for certain. I love living in a place like Hong Kong, where events like this can come out of nowhere and turn an ordinary weekend into an unforgettable one.