(Hong Kong, November 20, 2016) The Hang Lung As One volunteer team and a group of 20 primary school students had the opportunity to attend the decennial Da Jiu Festival in Tuen Mun yesterday.

In addition to observing the traditional rituals, the participants were also amazed to see the dozens of large-scale bamboo flower stands and bamboo theatres. Volunteers and students were even more impressed after they received an introduction into the techniques of this age-old craft during an on-site demonstration. The scaffolding master skilfully constructed a bamboo theatre with his bare hands, without using a single screw or nail.

Mr. Peter Leung, Assistant Director (Project Construction) of Hang Lung Properties, who is also a registered architect, participated in the activity. Possessing over 30 years of experience in construction sites of various scales in Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas, Mr. Leung is more than familiar with scaffolding. He said, “Erecting scaffolding is not just an important procedure in a construction site, it also reflects the ingenuity and detail of architectural aesthetics. The scaffolding master is actually an architect who can construct a bamboo theatre by hand just based on terrain, venue size, and the number of people in the audience. It is hoped that this traditional craft can be sustained with more understanding by the younger generation.”

In order to promote the importance of preserving our cultural heritage and conserving traditional arts, the Hang Lung As One volunteer team launched the “Cultural Heritage Series” this year. In the past four months, Hang Lung volunteers have brought about a hundred primary school students to experience different traditional arts and crafts including the Cantonese Opera, the Fire Dragon Dance, Moveable Type Printing, and the Bamboo Theatre, giving the younger generation an opportunity to have a taste of our rich heritage.