The fourth gallery entitled ¡§Folk Culture in Hong Kong¡¨ stands apart from the rest of ¡§The Hong Kong Story¡¨ exhibition galleries in that it does not explore any significant historical events. Rather, it pauses the story momentarily to explore Hong Kong¡¦s ethnography, allowing visitors the opportunity to observe various features in the traditional Chinese society of the four main ethnic groups in Hong Kong and southern China. The gallery is divided into five distinct sections: four covering the most prominent aspects of the local ethnics groups and a fifth exploring a selection of activities from the Taiping Qingjiao ceremony, an annual traditional Chinese festival.

Upon entry into this gallery¡¦s area of

The fourth ethnic group residing in Hong Kong and Southern China is the Hoklo, who originated in Guangdong. The main exhibit for the Hakka is a display of two women performing the dragon boat dance. The dragon boat dance originated from the traditional custom that required ten male relatives of the groom to ferry row boats to deliver the groom to the temple on the day of the wedding ceremony and received the bride from her home. Since such customs are no longer practiced, the custom has evolved into a traditional dance now performed by women during the wedding ceremony. Lights, music, and cheering again accompany the exhibit. Next to this exhibit is a display presenting some of the traditional garments worn by the performers of the dragon boat dance. Colorful collars, aprons, and other such articles can be observed in addition to a decorated set of small drums and sticks used in arrangement of music for the ceremony. A selection of children¡¦s clothing is also observed. An additional exhibit the in Hoklo section of the gallery presents a visualization of various methods of making salt, a trade associated with the Hoklo.

Continuing through the Punti ancestral hall, visitors can observe several displays explaining different features of a traditional Chinese wedding. The first of these include a collection of red papers containing the three letters and six rites involved in the process of preparing for a traditional marriage. The three letters act as written confirmations of the successive stages of formalities for the wedding and the six rites are the successive procedures between the two families necessary to bring the son and daughter together from the proposal to the actual wedding ceremony. The next exhibit in the ancestral hall shows a typical bridal sedan being carried by a group of men. Aligned as though in a parade, the male statues in front of those transporting the colorful sedan are seen playing musical instruments and dancing. Others surrounding the bridal sedan are seen throwing grain, which is thought to distract malicious spirits from approaching the bride. Music and cheering accompany the exhibit, again adding to the reality of the display. The last exhibit for the traditional Chinese wedding area is a collection of wedding ceremony objects. These include a colorful display of traditional wedding costumes worn by the bride and groom; a large collection of dowry contains and baskets; and a wooden tray for presenting the roast pig at the wedding banquet. These exhibits allow visitors insight into the time-honored traditions involved in conducting the perfect wedding ceremony.

Immediately after leaving the ancestral hall, visitors will find themselves standing next to a life-size house. This structure is a replica of a traditional dwelling of the Hakka (¡§guest people¡¨), another local ethnic group. The house itself is very small, only standing one story tall and containing a few necessary rooms. Visitors to the museum can walk into the house to observe the living conditions of the Hakka people. There are no signs inside the residence indicating

Some topics in this essay:
Taiping Qingjiao, Continuing Punti, Hong Kong, Southern China, China Hoklo, Hong Kong¡¨, Kong Story¡¨, Hong Kong¡¦s, hong kong, Museum History, traditional chinese, taiping qingjiao, Republic China, ancestral hall, boat dwellers, chinese society, wedding ceremony, traditional chinese society, hong kong southern, boat dance, dragon boat, dragon boat dance, boat dweller, hong kong story¡¨, ethnic hong kong,