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South China Morning Post
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Cheung Chau's bun king and queen triumph in thrilling Hong Kong contest
A resident of Cheung Chau and a female ice climber won an annual bun scrambling competition in Hong Kong. It was the former's 10th victory since 2005. Newly crowned 'bun king' Kwok Ka-ming clinched victory against eight men by earning 1,131 points. 'Bun queen' Janet Kung beat two competitors by securing 446 points. Kung is a registered nurse and ice climber. This year marked her third victory after past triumphs in 2019 and 2024, netting her the prestigious title of 'queen of bun queens'. Kung said she felt more nervous about the bun-scrambling race than when she competed internationally as a climber. For Kwok, his latest victory made him a 10-time bun king. But the island local said he had not expected to win this time. The Cheung Chau resident, now in his early forties, earned the title of 'king of bun kings' in 2019, after winning the championship three times since the title was introduced in 2016. Kwok was 23 when he became the first bun king in 2005. The competition has roots dating back to the 19th century. It involves scaling a 14-metre (46-foot) tower covered with 9,000 plastic buns. Points are earned based on how high up the buns are on the structure. Quiz time Who won the annual bun scrambling competition in Hong Kong this year? How many points did Kwok Ka-ming score to win the competition? What title did Janet Kung earn with her victory this year? How does the bun scrambling competition work? The bun-scrambling competition is the highlight of the annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival, with crowds gathering in the evening of the festival's fourth day before the contest begins at midnight. Photo: Eugene Lee Suggested answers Kwok Ka-ming and Janet Kung 1,131 the title of 'queen of bun queens' participants need to scale a 14-metre tower covered with 9,000 plastic buns
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Rich city traditions help attract tourists
Hong Kong is playing host to numerous new events as it seeks to broaden its appeal and adapt to the tastes of today's tourists. But traditional cultural attractions retain their value and must be preserved as tourism evolves. The iconic Cheung Chau Bun Festival, dating back to the 18th or 19th century, remains one of the most colourful and creative. More than 22,000 people recently headed to the outlying island for the culmination of the four-day event. Advertisement An enthusiastic reception was given to the children featured in the 'floating parade'. This year, some were dressed as government ministers, famous athletes and a character from the popular mainland film Ne Zha 2. Meanwhile, the traditional 'ping on' steamed buns were very much in demand. People queued for hours for tickets to see the climax of the festival, the breathtaking bun scramble, which resulted in third-time winner Janet Kung Tsz-shan being crowned 'queen of bun queens'. Hong Kong is gearing up for a month of activities showcasing and celebrating intangible cultural heritage in June. The campaign, the first of its kind, will coincide with and support China's Cultural and National Heritage Day. Many events are planned across six districts with the aim of attracting tourists and increasing awareness of the city's traditions. There will be carnivals and fun days, with cultural highlights ranging from a Hakka unicorn dance to Cantonese opera, puppetry, Chinese brush making and dragon boats. Performances, exhibitions, workshops and conferences will be held at plazas, town halls, museums, libraries and schools. There will also be interactive booths. Food is an important element, because Hong Kong is hoping the United Nations will recognise the city's culinary heritage. Techniques for making shrimp paste and rice dumplings are among the activities included. Advertisement It is good to see efforts being made to maintain the city's traditions and present them to a wider audience. They are a vital and distinctive part of the city's history and culture and continue to appeal to visitors. As Hong Kong embraces everything from 'mega-events' to 'selfie tourism', maintaining its rich traditions must be a priority.
RTHK
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTHK
Firefighter, ice climber win bun-scrambling contest
Firefighter, ice climber win bun-scrambling contest Jason Kwok defended his title as "Bun King" and ice climber Janet Kung won the title of "Bun Queen". Photo: RTHK Nine male and three female finalists clambered up a 14-metre tall bun tower at the same time. Photo: RTHK The Cheung Chau bun festival has wrapped up with its main event on Tuesday - the midnight bun-scrambling competition. Ten-time champion Jason Kwok defended his title as "Bun King", and ice climber Janet Kung won the title of "Bun Queen". Nine male and three female finalists clambered up a 14-metre tall bun tower at the same time. Those climbers who filled their bags with the most buns in three minutes won the most points. Kung, 31, also claimed the title "Queen of Bun Queens" after her third victory. "Earning this title is a milestone for me, after participating in this game for nine years," she said. "I will continue joining the bun-scrambling competition. It's a sports event that I have to join every year. It is just like a report card of my fitness and attitude every year, and see whether I've improved. So far I've been improving." Firefighter Kwok said he didn't expect to win as a Bun King again this year. "My opponents are tough. I was worried that they would take the win. At my age, it's the taking part that counts. I'm just happy to be here," he said. He said his winning strategy was to climb fast to the top and snag those nine-point buns before others. Over 100 people queued early to get free tickets for the event. One attendee surnamed Cheung said he arrived at 5 am on Monday. "I want a good spot. I've been watching the contests for more than a decade," he said. "I'm not a Cheung Chau resident, but after all these years, it's just second nature. If I skip watching it, I get this itch. It's like catching up with old friends every year. No matter how long it takes to stand in line to watch the event, I don't care. I can tough it out." The Cheung Chau Bun Festival traces its roots to a ritual for people to pray for safety from a plague.
