“Back in the day, Shau Kei Wan was a hub of martial arts establishments, set up mostly on rooftops where loads of space were available for use rent-free,” recalls Hui. Despite being raised in a martial arts family and surrounded by antennas, sandbags and plum blossom piles as a child, Hui did not get passionate about martial arts. Instead, he was fascinated with lion dancing. He would often run through the streets to watch lion dance performances outside the neighbourhood welfare association. Noticing his fascination, the master invited him to join the lion dance troupe.

“As a kid, I used to get so excited about Tam Kung’s Birthday that I couldn’t sleep for the entire month before it.” Back then, he did not know that Tam Kung was the God of stonemasons. All he knew was that on the day of the festival, he would be able to touch the beautiful lion head and see all the masters at work. “There are many martial arts schools in the district, and a lion dance team was dispatched by each establishment. The whole of Shau Kei Wan was filled with lion dancers and sometimes onlookers lined up all the way to Sai Wan Ho.” Many shops hung lettuce high up as a symbol of wealth and good business for a lion dancer to pick up on a shoulder ride, which never failed to bring a smile to the shopkeepers’ faces.

The highlight of Tam Kung’s Birthday celebration was “Going under the Dragon’s Belly.” The dragon dance that took place on the streets of Shau Kei Wan was a sight to behold. Dozens of people worked together to control the dragon’s movement, watched in awe by neighbours lining both sides of the street. Grandmothers held their grandchildren and mothers held their daughters as everyone eagerly awaited the special moment when the dragon stopped and the neighbours rushed out to go under its belly. It was like a game where people have to weave in and out between dancers. Grandmothers hoped for their grandchildren to grow up quickly, while mothers hoped for their daughters to get married soon. Hui vividly recalls the spectacular moment when hundreds of neighbours were all going under the dragon’s belly at once. Many would even pull out the dragon’s beard as a good luck charm on a day full of positive vibes across Shau Kei Wan.