“Bun-snatching” is a traditional custom in Cheung Chau, Hong Kong. Story has it that Bun Snatching in Cheung Chau began early during the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century. During the Bun Festival, three Bun Towers, covered with buns, will be erected in front of the Pak Tai Temple. About 13-meter tall and built only with bamboo, each Bun Tower carries about 16000 buns. The buns, called “You Bao” or “Ping’an Bao” , are lotus-seed-paste buns being stamped the character “寿” in red that used to be offered to deities. Bun Snatching is usually held on the last night of the Bun Festival. At an order of the village head, several hundred men will race up the tower to get hold of the buns. According to traditions, the more buns they snatch, the better fortune they will bring to their family, hence the chaotic scene of pushing, shoving, and even pyramid building from time to time, which is fraught with perils. In just a few minutes, the Bun Towers will be empted, and the snatched buns will be allocated to other residents.

Unfortunately, during a race in 1978, one of the towers collapsed because of the overload, injuring 24 people. Then, this activity was banned by the Hong Kong government, and replaced by a bun distributing activity for the sake of safety. In 2005, residents of Cheung Chau compromised to the government’s conditions, and the Bun Snatching activity was resumed again.