Time Out Talks: Cheung Kwok-ho carries the weight of dragons on his shoulders

Fondly nicknamed Brother Ho, Cheung had an early start in the art of fiery serpentine dances and has been involved in the troupe for over 40 years. “I was born and raised in Tai Hang,” he smiled, “I joined the Fire Dragon activities when I was about 10 years old, and I’m now over 50.” Cheung first started as a lantern bearer before fully joining the Fire Dragon dancers at the age of 11. It wasn’t until 20 years ago that he began helping to organise the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance.

“The previous troupe commander Brother Fai basically watched me grow up. He wanted to pass this tradition onto someone from my generation, so he recruited me to join.” Chan Dak-fai, the ex-troupe commander, passed away two years ago so Cheung took over to lead the troupe instead of letting this historical part of Hong Kong culture fade into the realm of memory.

The origins of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance can be traced back approximately 140 years, when this neighbourhood was a Hakka settlement where people either fished or farmed for a living. Legend has it that when a plague ravaged Tai Hang in 1880, Buddha appeared in dreams to tell the villagers that they needed to craft a fire dragon before the Mid-Autumn Festival and parade it through the village while setting off firecrackers to ward off the plague. It must have worked, since the Fire Dragon Dance has become a Mid-Autumn mainstay in the Tai Hang area since. After more than 100 years of history, this performance became inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, firmly cementing its place in Hong Kong history.

The Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) gathers to handcraft a brand-new fire dragon and dragon pearls each year, in a painstaking process that takes between one and two months. The frame of the dragon head and tail is shaped using rattan, while the body mainly consists of thick ropes. The whole dragon is then wrapped in chamberbitter weeds, and during the ceremony is pierced full of thick incense sticks. “After all the incense is in place, the dragon head itself weighs about 120 pounds – though they used to be even heavier in the past,” Cheung stated. The dragon’s pupils were once two large flashlights that contained five sizable batteries, so just the eyes alone would weigh over 10 pounds. Nowadays, they have been replaced by LED lights.

Wielding the dragon’s head is more than a one-man job; it usually requires more than 30 people continually taking turns. Cheung shared, “In fact, each person who holds the dragon head only takes nine steps. Just nine steps before passing it on.” It is essential for team members to be in sync with each other, understanding when exactly to step in and take over, which requires incredible coordination. As Cheung put it, it is not enough to rely on brute strength when wielding the dragon head – a sense of balance is equally important. “This is why only masters or above can take on the dragon head, as only they can control its dance and movements properly.”

As the years went on, some customs for the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance have changed with the times, despite the romantic notion of clinging to all that is traditional. “There have actually been times when we didn’t have enough people to properly do the dance,” Cheung admitted. In the past, only residents of Tai Hang could take part in the Fire Dragon Dance, but as the city developed, numerous old tenement buildings have been demolished and scores of original residents have moved out of the neighbourhood.

“I moved back here partially because there was a lack of people to do the job.” Cheung hopes experiencing the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance will attract a new generation to join this historic performance. “We’re already more open now!” he exclaimed. The Tai Hang RWA now welcomes Hongkongers from all across the city to join their troupe, and has even drawn in some foreigners as well. Cheung added proudly, “Luckily, the turnout these few years has been fantastic, full house, so we don’t have to worry about not having audiences.”

To bring in more fresh blood, the RWA has created the youth division of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance troupe, which aims to nurture a new generation of talents. “Why create a miniature version for children? So the craft can be passed on, of course,” Cheung explained. It’s his wish that children can be exposed to this Hong Kong tradition at an early age, generate an interest in the performance, and grow up to be fully trained Fire Dragon dancers. “I want to pass on this flame from generation to generation,” he remarked in closing.