Global-Mariner

                                     HONG KONG

                          - The Great Hong Kong Street "Medicine Show" -

Page added:  2022-01-28

Often when you walk in the streets of Hong Kong, you will have a great chance to experience different events or happenings from "another world"!

Like for example the "show" performed in 1973 as seen in the following series of pictures. 

I love the beauty of the Hong Kong environment, - the many interesting islands, the  countryside and the mountains where you can walk "forever" along old paths through a magnifiscent nature and interesting traditional villages and temples - and not to forget - the coast and the beaches - - -

However - sometimes I also took long walks in the city just to absorbe the city life and admire the often very daring architecture of Hong Kong - -

This series is from such a walk, - where I - fully loaded with cameras - just wanted to walk along Nathan Road - and north towards China, but with no particular plan in mind - -

I knew from experience, that there would always be something interesting.   And indeed there was - - -

I had decided to take a walk without any special destination - - - just a walk along Nathan Road, - see picture above -, to Yau Ma Tei, where I would enjoy and explore the back streets - -

I started at the "Golden Mile" - a stretch of Nathan Road stuffed with shops selling designer goods from Paris, Rome and London - as well as gold, silver, jade, diamonds, pearls and top  cameras, watches and art objects - enough value to buy all of Manhattan - - 

Tax free of course - -

In Yau Ma Tei, - just a few steps away from hustling bustling Nathan Road -, you are already in another world.

Here you will find the Tin Hau temple - - - -

At the square in front of the temple to the honour of Tin Hau, - a crowd was assembled - - - -

Obviously something unusual was going on, since people gathered like that.

A man, - obviously some sort of doctor -, was telling the audience about his wonder medicine, - and he must have done well, since the surrounding people seemed to be just as fascinated and spellbound by the show as I was.

This was obviously something special, - and well suited for my camera -, but for some reason I did NOT bring any, which for me is a highly unusual situation, because I rarely go anywhere without a camera.

But it looked so exiting, that I decided to go back home again to get a camera, and then hurry back, in the hope that the "show" was still on when I returned.

Luckily enough I lived in nearby Tsimshatsui, which enabled me quickly to be back at the Tin Hau temple, - and fortunately enough, the doctor was still there, - and my camera was put to work - - - -

Apparently the doctor demonstrated some sort of medicine that could kill pain,- because in the most impressive of his demonstrations, he beat himself with bricks and with sticks,- and tried to smash his arm and leg with iron bars!

He might not be a particular good doctor,- but he was for sure a great entertainer, who in no time managed to get full control over his audience!

Please have a look,- and take note of the expression in the faces of the audience!

They take it VERY serious,- and are VERY concentrated!

On the picture above, - please take note of the doctors gear: Wooden sticks, - iron bars and bricks, - all used for hurting himself.