Every Mid-Autumn Festival, Hong Kong’s Tai Hang district in Causeway Bay comes alive with the ancient “Fire Dragon Dance.” Originating in the late 19th century, this captivating tradition was born out of the villagers’ effort to ward off a plague that had struck the city. Our team had the opportunity to interview the late Chan Tak Fai, the event’s former chief coordinator, who shared his lifelong connection to this storied practice. Chan, who passed away in 2022, achieved his final wish of establishing a Fire Dragon Cultural Museum to preserve this unique tradition for future generations.
A Living Legacy: Chan Tak Fai
Chan was born in Tai Hang Village in 1946 and was the eldest among five siblings. At that time, Tai Hang was a tranquil hamlet centered around a large pond, with streams that fed the surrounding paddy fields. The community, known for its unity, would come together during festivals, setting up canvases, lighting, and communal tables loaded with homemade dishes for shared meals.
Chan Tak Fai, the successor of Tai Hang Fire Dragon, accepted an exclusive interview with this newspaper in 2019. Zeng Lian/The Epoch Times
