Sik Sik Yuen Hosts Lantern Festival Celebrating 75 Years of the People’s Republic of China

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture

​To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Sik Sik Yuen is hosting the Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival between September 15 and October 6. The Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and Wong Tai Sin District Office collaborated with Sik Sik Yuen to organise an exhibition to introduce 12 ICH items inscribed on the National List of ICH from Hong Kong. ICH bearer organisations from Hong Kong and the Mainland are also invited to showcase their unique ICH items through performances, showcasing and promoting the excellence of Chinese culture.

The exhibition will take place from today until October 6 at the Fung Ming Hall of Wong Tai Sin Temple, introducing Hong Kong's items inscribed on the National List of ICH, which include Cantonese opera, Wong Tai Sin belief and customs, Mid-Autumn Festival - the Tai Hang fire dragon dance, Hakka unicorn dance in Hang Hau, Sai Kung, Quanzhen Temples Taoist ritual music, Tai O dragon boat water parade, Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, the arts of the guqin (the craft of qin making), Yu Lan Festival of Hong Kong Chiu Chow community, herbal tea, Hong Kong cheongsam making technique and Tin Hau Festival in Hong Kong. Members of the public can learn more about traditional Chinese culture through the exhibition.

In addition to the exhibition, over 20 ICH bearer organisations from Hong Kong and the Mainland will deliver nearly 100 performances at the Wong Tai Sin Temple Square, showcasing unique and invaluable ICH performing arts to the public. They include Cantonese opera, face-changing of Sichuanese opera, fire dragon dance, lion and dragon dance, unicorn dance, pixiu dance, Hong Kong martial arts, puppet shows, Nanyin and more.

Other Lantern Festival programmes include lectures on intangible cultural heritage with different themes, exploring topics related to the display of ICH, the origins and changes of Wong Tai Sin belief and customs, and the analysis of Cantonese opera drama script. Moreover, there will be workshops and demonstrations hosted by different ICH bearers from Hong Kong and the Mainland, including Wudang martial arts, puppet shows and Cantonese opera movements. They will also demonstrate the technique on sugar-blowing, Hong Kong-style milk tea making, heritage restoration and birdcage craftsmanship. Together with a drone show, and an open day at Wong Tai Sin Temple, the festival allows the public to experience the unique charm of Chinese culture.

Pre-registration is not required for any events, and admission is free. For more event details, please visitwww.icho.hk/en/web/icho/sik_sik_yuen_ich_lantern_festival.html.

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ICHO to hold ICH exhibition and activities in Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - Sik Sik Yuen Intangible Cultural Heritage Lantern Festival to promote Chinese culture Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Kai Tak today

The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Kai Tak this afternoon (January 12). While a male worker was detaching the lifting gear connected to the top of a water tank, the water tank displaced suddenly, trapping the worker between the water tank and a bored pile casing nearby. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.

The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the use of mobile cranes for lifting operation at site concerned. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."

The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."

To prevent workers from being struck or trapped by loads when engaged in unrigging process, the LD reminds employers to (i) ensure that the place supporting the loads is secure; and (ii) formulate proper unrigging methods for detaching lifting gear so as to prevent displacement of the objects in the course of unrigging operations.

The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.

In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

Source: AI-found images