Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance Lights Up Mid-Autumn Night in Hong Kong

2026-09-26 13:26 Last Updated At：13:26

The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, lit up the streets in Causeway Bay on the evening of September 25 to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The fire dragon, carried by nearly 300 performers, wound its way through the streets and alleys. Children were delighted to see the dragon, while residents noted a noticeable increase in visitors in recent years, saying such events help drive local consumption. Mainland tourists praised the spectacle as a fine example of inheriting Chinese culture, describing the crowd and atmosphere as excellent.

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The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, Photo source: FB image

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The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, Photo source: FB image

The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance is a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The dragon, about 67 metres long, is made up of 31 sections. Its body is built around a thick hemp rope, while the head and tail are woven from rattan and covered with pearl grass. The entire dragon can hold more than 12,000 longevity incense sticks, symbolising the driving away of plagues and prayers for the safety of residents.

DH Holds Meeting with New Head of Secretariat of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

DH holds meeting with new Head of Secretariat of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to deepen collaboration and exchanges on tobacco control

The Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, yesterday (September 25) met with the new Head of the Secretariat of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Mr Andrew Black, for an in-depth exchange on tobacco control work.

Mr Black assumed office as the Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC on August 1 this year. Dr Lam welcomed Mr Black and expressed appreciation for his taking time out of a busy schedule to visit the Department of Health (DH) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to exchange views on the latest progress and strategies in tobacco control work.

Dr Lam said, "We are very honoured to receive Mr Black and representatives of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA). The HKSAR Government has been advancing tobacco control through a science-based, public-oriented, multi-pronged and progressive approach. The HKSAR Government's strategy in tackling alternative smoking products (ASPs), including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes, is to nip the problem in the bud, by preventing ASPs from taking root in Hong Kong, and tackling at source the use of ASPs for drug inhalation. To this end, the HKSAR Government banned the import, manufacture, promotion and sale of ASPs, as well as the possession of ASPs for commercial purposes, more than four years ago. To further strengthen the control of ASPs, the Government has, since April 30 this year, prohibited the possession of ASPs in public places to prevent their local circulation in any form and to further prevent the younger generation from becoming addicted to smoking."

"Hong Kong's tobacco control journey is the culmination of decades of concerted efforts to build a comprehensive tobacco control strategy through multi-pronged measures. Adopting a whole-of-society approach, the Government has successfully lowered our smoking prevalence to 8.5 per cent in 2025, which is among the lowest in the world. The HKSAR Government will continue to implement the '10 measures for tobacco control'. The full implementation of plain packaging requirement and the duty stamp system for conventional smoking products will be completed by the end of next year. The relevant subsidiary legislation was gazetted on September 11. Following the implementation of these two measures, the Government will proceed with implementation of a ban on flavoured smoking products," Dr Lam added.

Mr Black noted that Hong Kong's tobacco control policies have long been closely aligned with the FCTC, and gave high recognition to Hong Kong's efforts and achievements in tobacco control. He specifically pointed out that Hong Kong's experience is highly valuable as a reference for other jurisdictions. He expressed strong support for Hong Kong's forthcoming measures, including plain packaging requirement for conventional smoking products, the duty stamp system and a ban on flavoured smoking products.

In addition, Mr Black commended the contribution made by the DH as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence. The DH has, since 2012, regularly provided training for tobacco control personnel in the Western Pacific Region. It also regularly organises training on smoking cessation treatment and Chinese medicine acupuncture for smoking cessation services for the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, serving as a regional hub in tobacco control and smoking cessation.

The Executive Director of SEATCA, Dr Ulysses Dorotheo; Programme Manager of SEATCA, Ms Irene Reyes; Professor and Director of the Primary Health Care Academy of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Sophia Chan; the Controller of Regulatory Affairs of the DH, Dr Fung Ying; and the Head of the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the DH, Dr Manny Lam, also attended the meeting.

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance Lights Up Mid-Autumn Night in Hong Kong

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