As Hong Kong’s skyscrapers glow beneath the autumn moon, the historic streets of Tai Hang come alive with a century-old ritual that transforms smoke and fire into pure magic. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, this once-sleepy Hakka village (now part of bustling Causeway Bay) hosts the legendary Fire Dragon Dance—a 67-meter-long beast woven from pearl straw and rattan, thrusting through the night with 20,000 smouldering incense sticks lighting its path.
The Birth of a Legend
Picture Tai Hang in 1880: a plague strikes, typhoons rage, and a python devours livestock. Desperate villagers heed a divine dream: create a fire dragon to banish evil. They dance for three nights, beating drums and lighting firecrackers—and the plague vanishes! Since then, the dragon returns annually to guard the community’s luck.
Crafting the Dragon: Where Art Meets Muscle
No ordinary puppet, this dragon is reborn yearly by masters who twist rattan frames into a serpent’s form. Its body stretches 67 meters, head weighing 48 kg—so heavy, 10 people rotate to lift it! Banyan roots become flowing “beards,” steel plates form a crimson tongue, and pomelos studded with incense turn into mystical “dragon pearls”.
Nights of Fire & Unity
For three nights, Tai Hang thrums to drumbeats as 300 performers guide the dragon through lanes like Ormsby Street and Wun Sha Street. It weaves, coils, and “climbs pyramids” in clouds of incense, while children parade star-shaped lanterns.
Why It Matters: More than a show, this dance is Hakka heritage in motion. Inscribed as China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (2011), it thrives thanks to locals and newcomers who carry its flame—literally. Youth teams train for months to wield “Little Dragons,” ensuring tradition burns bright.
Mark Your Calendar:
5-7 October 2025
7:30 PM–10:00 PM (until 11:30PM on Oct 6)
Wun Sha Street and Tung Lo Wan Road
From our Serviced Apartment in Mid-levels, Tai Hang is just minutes away—your front-row seat to Hong Kong’s most fiery tradition awaits. See the dragon roar! 
Hanlun Habitats: Your home for culture, comfort, and the heartbeat of Hong Kong.
