Hong Kong Photo Gallery - Kam Tin Jiao Festival

Once every 10 years, Kam Tin's villagers put on an elaborate show for a festival with Taoist rituals and performances. Its history goes back to 1685 to commemorate 2 government officials from the Qing Dynasty that assisted the Tang clan to return to Kam Tin after coastal regions were evacuated by force amidst war with Ming loyalists based in Taiwan.
The 2025 edition took place in December and attracted huge crowds. It gained particular attention thanks to a massive bamboo scaffolding hall, which set a Guinness World Record as the world's largest temporary bamboo altar. It was made with over 25,000 bamboo poles, 3500 fir logs, and zinc sheets, taking more than 2 months to complete.
The use of bamboo has been thrown into the spotlight during this time as it was initially blamed for the massive fire at Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court. Even before the tragedy, the government had proposed to phase out bamboo scaffolding in favour of metal, a fairly controversial topic.
Bamboo theatres started appearing in Hong Kong in the late 19th century and were initially covered with palm leaves and canvas. The fire-prone materials were replaced with zinc sheets in the 1970s.
Outside, over 100 flower boards decorate the festival grounds. Believed to originate from Chinese archway or palace decorations, flower boards are widely used in traditional festivals and inaugurations. They are crafted with bamboo, coloured paper, and plastic, although in the past fresh flowers were used.

Inside, there is a huge space with a lot of exhibitions about their clan, culture, and history.

There is a huge diorama display showing what happens to people who commit various vices and their punishments in hell.


Once every 10 years, Kam Tin's villagers put on an elaborate show for a festival with Taoist rituals and performances. Its history goes back to 1685 to commemorate 2 government officials from the Qing Dynasty that assisted the Tang clan to return to Kam Tin after coastal regions were evacuated by force amidst war with Ming loyalists based in Taiwan. The 2025 edition took place in December and attracted huge crowds. It gained particular attention thanks to a massive bamboo scaffolding hall, which set a Guinness World Record as the world's largest temporary bamboo altar. It was made with over 25,000 bamboo poles, 3500 fir logs, and zinc sheets, taking more than 2 months to complete. The use of bamboo has been thrown into the spotlight during this time as it was initially blamed for the massive fire at Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court. Even before the tragedy, the government had proposed to phase out bamboo scaffolding in favour of metal, a fairly controversial topic. Bamboo theatres started appearing in Hong Kong in the late 19th century and were initially covered with palm leaves and canvas. The fire-prone materials were replaced with zinc sheets in the 1970s. Outside, over 100 flower boards decorate the festival grounds. Believed to originate from Chinese archway or palace decorations, flower boards are widely used in traditional festivals and inaugurations. They are crafted with bamboo, coloured paper, and plastic, although in the past fresh flowers were used. Inside, there is a huge space with a lot of exhibitions about their clan, culture, and history. There is a huge diorama display showing what happens to people who commit various vices and their punishments in hell.

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