On March 31, 2025, Dr. Jianing Chen and Ms. Claire Cui led 16 students from "Religion and Arts: Eastern Traditions" class and 5 students from CCGC program to observe and participate in the birthday celebration of Pak Tai on Wailingding Island and conduct related research activities.

The Pak Tai Birthday Celebration is the most representative traditional festival on Wailingding Island. The deity Pak Tai, also known as Emperor Zhenwu, is the god of water in Taoism and plays an important role in the folk beliefs of the Pearl River Delta region around his ancestral temple in Fo Shan. Wailingding Island is located south of Hong Kong and far from the mainland, and the islanders have been fishing for generations. They are particularly devout in their belief in Pak Tai, who commands all aquatic creatures and affairs. Every year, on the third day of the third lunar month, a grand Pak Tai worship ceremony is held on the island to pray for good weather, a bountiful fishing harvest, and the safety of the family.

At 10:30 a.m. the Pak Tai birthday celebration officially began. The ceremony began with a lion dance. Local celebrities were invited to give the finishing touch to the four dancing lions, symbolizing happiness and smoothness. After the finishing touches, the lion dancers jumped and danced with the ritual of sacrifice to the sea, welcoming visitors from all directions.

After the sea-sacrifice ceremony, red-clad staff members framed and carried the offerings up to Pak Tai Temple on the mountain to pray for blessings. The BNBU team followed up the stairs, occasionally taking on the burden, immersed in the deep respect the islanders have for the deity.

When the procession arrived at Pak Tai Temple at noon, the most important ritual of the Beidi Birthday Celebration, the blessing ceremony, officially began. Staff members reverently placed offerings such as fresh flowers, fruits, seafood, and roasted pork on the altar, and then invited distinguished guests to light the first incense.

Amidst the curling smoke and solemn recitation of prayers by the priest, members of the BNBU team joined the local residents in a devout service, praying for peace, prosperity and bountiful harvests.

After the blessing ceremony, the staff struck the famous "Pak Tai Morning Bell" to mark the official start of the procession. Guided by the ringing of the bell, the Lion Dance resumed its spirited performance and the ceremonial procession set off once again. Carrying the statue of Pak Tai and the ritual offerings, they paraded through the streets of Wailingding Town, bestowing the deity's blessings on every shop and household along the way.

During this event, BNBU team observed and actively participated in the Pak Tai Birthday Celebration, meticulously documenting each ritual procedure while engaging in in-depth communication with the officiating guests and presiding Taoist priests.

The visit to Wailingding Island served as both an immersive cultural experience-allowing participants to engage firsthand with Lingnan's traditional folk customs and beliefs, thereby deepening their understanding of intangible cultural heritage-and a valuable opportunity to witness the cultural cohesion and historical roots of island communities. In addition to broadening students' historical and geographical knowledge, it fostered cultural identity, effectively extending traditional cultural education from the classroom to real-life contexts, making it an initiative of profound educational significance.

Reporter: Guo Kexin, Yang Tianyu, and Liang Guangrui

Photographer: Zhang Shuhao and Wang Yi

Editor: Chen Jianing and Cui Mianqu