Every year on the day of "insects awakening" (one of the 24 solar terms of China), many Hong Kong people gather under the Or Gan Bridge to "beat the petty person". This activity has become a unique folk tradition Hong Kong.
Legend has it that on the day when insects and hibernating animals are awakening and the demon white tiger starts to seek its prey, the petty person would also start to offend others by making rude remarks. Therefore it is advisable to honor the white tiger with sacrifices and beat the petty person on this day.
More than 20 "professional beaters of the petty person" (also known as witches) were seen holding worn-out shoes and mercilessly beating the paper slips on the brick on behalf of their clients.
Such paper slips are symbols of the petty person. Such beatings are said to be able to keep disasters and evils away while bring in good fortune. Some people even brought their own tools to beat up the "petty person" with their own hands.
On both sides of a wide sidewalk under the Or Gan Bridge, there are usually only two or three old ladies (witches) have their stalls open for the beating business. With the day of "insects awakening" drawing near, more and more stalls are being opened and the business peaks on the big day.
On other days it usually takes about 30 to 40 HK dollars for each beating while on the day of the "insects awakening" the price rises up to 50 HK dollars. The relative high price doesn't seem to be detering customers.
Most petty-person-beating customers are woman, some even brought their husbands. Some residents living near the bridge told the reporter that today the scene of "beating the petty person" at Or Gan Bridge was far less crowded than what it used to be. Maybe it is because people are more polite to each other when the Hong Kong economy is recovering.
(Chinanews.com March 8, 2005)
