Audio guide introduction: 1 minute 55 seconds
Walking back from the boundary monument in the north of the island and going down the mountain, you will see the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on the far right. A small round mound nearby is the "Baozhu Lake", so named because it is shaped like a pearl. There are many mountains in Tai O, including Elephant Mountain, Shishan Mountain, Hushan Mountain and Fengshan Mountain. Because this orb is located at the junction of Lion Mountain and Tiger Mountain on Lantau Island, it has become a battle between lions and tigers. Feng Shui experts believe that it is necessary to build a Hou Wang Temple in front of this orb to suppress it, so as to avoid injuries caused by the fight between lions and tigers. and the villagers. In addition, Hou Wong Temple also plays another important role. During the Dragon Boat Festival every year, three traditional fishing guilds in Tai O - including Hop Sum Tong, Boat Shop and Fresh Fish Shop jointly hold the "Dragon Boat Parade" event. This activity originated in the 19th century, when a plague occurred in Tai O. The plague was eliminated after the ceremony, and it became an annual custom. This custom is also called "Wandering God" by the locals. A small boat carrying the statue of the god is dragged by a dragon boat and parades through various waterways. Along the way, the ghosts in the water are transformed into clothes, that is, gold and silver clothes and paper are burned. At the same time, the shack residents also The parading dragon boats burn incense and pray for peace. After the parade, the three dragon boats belonging to the three fish houses perform a racing performance in front of the Houwang Temple in Baozhutan to entertain the gods. Therefore, if you come to visit Youyong on the Dragon Boat Festival, this is an excellent viewing spot. This Tai O dragon boat parade was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2011, and the Hou Wang Temple was also listed as a statutory monument in 2017.
