薄扶林村的舞火龍活動，是在中秋節當晚舉行。村民在龍身和龍頭插上燃點的香準備舞火龍的儀式。其後由近幾十位壯丁撐起龍身，隨著香球舞動。　他們先在薄扶林村村口起步，之後會沿著村內大街小巷到達伯公塔和李靈仙姐塔前進行拜祭，最後火龍會舞到華富邨附近的瀑布灣，將火龍沉入海中，喻意「龍歸滄海」, 祈求為村民帶來好運。

*Video was directed and edited by Noble Yuen

The Fire Dragon Dance in Pokfulam Village takes place at the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, that is 15th of August of every lunar year. The fire dragon dance gets ready at the front of Pokfulam Village for spectators tucking the incense sticks on the dragon for luck. After the worship to Li Ling Divine and the Earth God, the dance begins on the Pokfulam Road, with the traffic stopped during the night. The fire dragon dances and swirls on the road for several times. After the climaxing on the Pokfulam Road, it goes to the narrow streets and lanes in Wai Chai and Lung An Tau to send the blessings family by family.

The dance is indispensable to the identity, pride and social cohesion of the community in the district where it takes place. The participants are mainly villagers with roots in Pokfulam Village, as well as with some local volunteers. Currently, residents from the adjoining residential developments also join the fire dragon dancing. It is financed by local donators. Being a dancer is considered lucky and prestigious, especially the leader with the “Dragon Pearl”, the fireball, which is a shaddock with incenses sticks and the dancer for the fire dragon head. With community ties loosening as the younger generation move away from Pokfulam Village, the dance is an event that brings families back together, even if only for 1 night.

After the climaxing beginning on the temporary closed Pokfulam Village section of Pokfulam Road, the fire dragon twists across the streets in Wai Chai to send its greeting to villagers and worship to other earth-god inside the village.

Then, it will return to the frontage of the village again for a break when most of the incenses are burnt. By then, the re-sticking moment attracts the villagers and spectators from adjoining areas, as well as some tourists, to the street again, as there will be another dancing and swirling on the road. In the past days, the climax was in the last moment when the fire dragon swirled as a circle with the dragon head raised with fire works shooting off. This ritual is no longer available due to the restrictions of local laws.

If the greeting sending to the villagers is not completed, the fire dragon will continue its twisting and goes in the village again. Otherwise, the fire dragon will perform the last ritual by sinking the fire dragon in the offshore of Waterfall Bay (瀑布灣). The villagers bring the fire dragon to Waterfall via Pokfulam Road and Wah Fu Road. On the beach of Waterfall Bay, villagers will tuck incenses on the fire dragon body again before they send the fire dragon to the sea. Villagers who are good swimmers will be chosen as the participants of the final ritual to sink the fire dragon body. This ritual is known as “龍歸滄海” which means the fire dragon returning to the sea. This final ritual is sacred and spectacular. Particular, the final moment of the ritual is striking when one sees the fire dragon sinks to the water with the lit incenses disappeared gradually in the dark. However, this intangible heritage may be threatened by the current regulation in prohibiting sinking or throwing items to the sea.

*以上資料來源: 1996 南區風物志 及 維基百科
*Above Source: Southern District Heritage Journal 1996 & http://zh.wikipedia.org