MONKEY GOD FESTIVAL

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In Hong Kong, the Monkey God festival (齊天大聖千秋) is a major Buddhist and Taoist event.

The original Monkey God Temple in Sau Mau Ping district has been demolished following the ongoing construction of huge estates on Anderson Road to provide more private and public flats to the ever growing population of Hong Kong.

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The above Monkey God Temple was photographed in year 2011. It was temporary until the opening of a new Monkey God Temple at the Sau Mau Ping and Po Lam roads intersection in year 2013.

The Monkey God Temple includes the Monkey God (Tai Shing) but also other deities such as Guan Yin, Shing Wong and Tin Hau.

The Monkey God Temple was built in year 1968. Its Chinese name was "Tai Shing Temple". In fact it was part of a complex of four buildings.

Tai Shing Temple was constructed in an area being a former squatter village sheltering many ChiuChow and Hoklo immigrants from Mainland China. This picture is showing Guan Yin deity.

It looks like the former "Tai Shing Temple" was destroyed in year 2008.

Since 50 years, residents of Sau Mau Ping still celebrate the Monkey God's birthday.

This flag banner is going to be used during the colorful parade around Sau Mau Ping area.

As usual during Chinese festivals, people pay respect to the deities, burn incense sticks and make offerings.

During Monkey God Festival, dieties statues are brought out of their regular altar in order to be displayed during the parade.

The temporary Monkey God temple is a bit tight and looks like a big arranged container.

The Monkey God Festival in Sau Mau Ping is famous as the medium is possessed by the god spirit. This lady looks like to be possessed by Tin Hau's spirit.

Old pictures show the medium running barefoot across a bed of hot coals.

The Monkey God Temple medium is called Mr Chan and is now more than eighty years old.

Photograph of some officials involved in Monkey God temple committee.

Monkey God Festival parade is ready to go. It even includes lions and unicorns.

Such parade needs to approved by the police. A few police officers stay around to ensure the parade is under control.

This colorful event is also called "Monkey King" festival. It is happening also in Singapore, India...

The Monkey God Festival parade is stretching over a few hundreds meters.

The Monkey God procession is heading to a playground located inside Sau Ming road park.

Local mediums are carried on sedan chair. A golden umbrella is protecting them against the sun.

The self mortification activities are not as impressive as in Phuket (Thailand) during the Vegetarian Festival. Mr Chan, medium since 40 years, is getting older so he cannot perform similar activities such as before.

This medium is cutting his tongue and putting his blood on the deity.

Local performers are wearing Chinese traditional clothes. Normally it should be performers coming from the Mainland Chinese opera troupe.

Those last years no Chinese opera event was organized. So those above performers are probably some youngsters living in Sau Mau Ping area.

Huge and colorful flags and banners are carried during the Monkey God festival parade.

Self mortification activities are over so Monkey God Festival parade starts again.

Those various people are wearing traditional clothes symbolize Chinese deities.

The parade starts again and the lady symbolizing Tin Hau is carried on her sedan chair.

The parade is now going back to the Monkey God temple under HK Police supervision.

On the way to the Monkey God Temple, the parade goes through Sau Mau Ping, place with a huge number of tall public estates.

Monkey God Temple

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