Tuesday, 27 December 2016

Spanking the Devil in Hong Kong

On my walk today I came across one of Hong Kong's strange relics, a piece of Guandong folk sorcery called 'Da Siu Yan,' otherwise known as 'beating the petty little people' or demon exorcism. Guandong is one of China's 23 provinces, the one abutting Hong Kong.


At first, I thought it was just one of these media jamborees that Hong Kong folk enjoy; under the Canal Road Flyover between Causeway Bay and Wan Chai there seemed to be quite a fuss going on, bright TV lights, two cameramen with shoulder-held video cameras and several passers-by excitedly snapping the scene on their cellphones.


As I got closer it was clear that three TV channel celebrities - a well-know actress and two younger TV presenters - were doing a piece on Da Siu Yan.




Under the flyover were several altars with statues, food offerings and bowls of incense, each attended by an elderly lady. Apparently, these ladies specialise in ritually expelling demons by using a shoe to hit a person-shaped piece of paper bearing the name and details of the demon (someone you dislike) or group of demons (a group of people that you dislike...maybe parking enforcement attendants or people who talk loudly on mobile phones on public transport...).


Anyway, as the client, you give the details to one of these nice old ladies, hand over your money and then the beating starts.


Whack, whack, whack.

Actually, it's little more complicated...there are prayers, blessing, incense burning and candles, and, during Jingzhe in early Spring, you've got to feed the paper tigers...


 I've seen this ceremony several times, usually from a distance, but today I had to walk right by the women. And no, I didn't place an order; turning the other cheek is a much better approach.

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