By MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin
Travel enthusiasts who love experiencing festivals around the world should not miss Macau in May. This month, the city is buzzing with non-stop events. In addition to the “Feast of Our Lady of Fatima Procession” held on May 13 to honor the Virgin Mary, the most revered saint among the Portuguese, the uniquely head-and-tail-only “Drunken Dragon Festival” will take place on May 17. Also, the oldest lighthouse on China’s coastline, Guia Lighthouse, will open to the public as part of the annual “Harbour Master’s Day” series—adding a rich cultural touch to your Macau trip. Among them, the Macau Fishermen's Drunken Dragon Festival features the “Drunken Dragon Dance,” where performers move as if tipsy while carrying the dragon’s head and tail through various districts of Macau, a rare and unique traditional event seldom seen elsewhere in China.
The “Macau Fishermen's Drunken Dragon Festival,” already a rare traditional celebration across China, will take place on May 17. Visitors to Macau can witness the unique “Drunken Dragon Dance,” performed only with the dragon’s head and tail and no body—definitely a spectacle to look forward to. (Image provided by Macao Government Tourism Office)
The Macau Fishermen's Drunken Dragon Festival, inscribed on China’s National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011, will be held on May 17. This is a unique folk festival exclusive to Macau’s fishmongers, also known as the Macau Fishermen's Drunken Dragon & Lion Dance Assembly. Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, during an epidemic in Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), villagers walking by a river saw a giant snake leap out of the water. When locals chopped the snake, its blood dyed the river red. After drinking the water, the villagers recovered, and they believed the snake was a dragon in disguise. Thus, the Drunken Dragon Dance was created in its honor.
Unlike the widespread lion and dragon dances in China, the Drunken Dragon consists only of a head and tail, crafted from solid wood, with no body. Two performers hold either end and dance while drinking alcohol, moving in a delightfully tipsy fashion. Every year on the evening of the seventh day of the fourth lunar month, Macau’s fish wholesale and retail workers gather in markets, sitting on the ground around tables for a communal meal known as the “Dragon Boat Head Longevity Banquet.” During the feast, members perform blessings with a wooden dragon placed on the altar. On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, all guild members gather at the Sam Kai Vui Kun Temple to hold the Drunken Dragon & Lion Dance Festival, featuring rituals such as worship, performances, a street parade, and distributing Dragon Boat Head Rice.
The Drunken Dragon Festival, jointly organized by Macau’s local fish industry, is a highly regarded event among local fishermen. (Image provided by Macao Government Tourism Office)
To celebrate Macau’s “Harbour Master’s Day” on May 20, the Macau Harbour Master’s Office holds various celebratory events every year. This year’s program kicks off on May 11. In addition to the shipyard opening its doors on May 19 to display ship models and various shipbuilding equipment, the Guia Lighthouse—the oldest on China’s coast and the most ancient in the Far East—will be open to visitors from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on May 11, 12, 18, and 19. Before radar became common, Guia Lighthouse served as a crucial navigational aid for ships entering the Pearl River Estuary. Along with the Ruins of St. Paul’s and the Macau Tower, it is counted among the Eight Scenic Spots of Macau. On the open days, visitors can climb the spiral staircase to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy panoramic views of Macau and the vast expanse of the Pearl River Estuary.
● Read More: Experience Hong Kong’s Stunning Nightlife – Round-Trip Flights Start from Just 4,300 Yuan
http://goo.gl/uN3Bb
Macao’s oldest Guia Lighthouse, open to the public only four days a year, offers visitors a chance to admire sweeping views of Macau and the Pearl River Estuary—don’t miss this rare opportunity. (Image provided by Macao Government Tourism Office)