'Villain Hitting': Hong Kong's Bizarre Ritual That Lets You Beat Your Enemies With A Shoe

An unusual but centuries-old Chinese folk ritual known as "villain hitting" continues to attract curious visitors in Hong Kong, especially during certain times of the year. The custom, called da siu yan in Cantonese, involves symbolically beating a paper effigy with a shoe to drive away bad luck and negative energy.

Practised mainly in Hong Kong and Guangdong province, villain hitting allows people to channel their frustrations in a symbolic way. Participants create a paper figure representing a "villain", this could be a troublesome colleague, a former partner, or anyone believed to be bringing misfortune.

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"Villain hitting" ritual in Hong Kong and Guangdong province pic.twitter.com/udwyO3fBwl

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A ritual practitioner then beats the paper effigy with a shoe while chanting prayers meant to drive away harmful spirits. The effigy is later burned, symbolising the destruction of one's problems.

To make their adversaries miserable, people in Hong Kong seek help from experts to put a curse on them by a special ritual: Villain-hitting.#hongkong #ritual #tradition #onthisday #Cantonese #hkeye pic.twitter.com/55mvyllmvW

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The ritual is especially popular during Jingzhe, one of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, usually falling in early March. Known as the "Awakening of Insects", Jingzhe is associated with driving away pests and evil influences. On this day, some devotees also make offerings to the White Tiger, a symbolic guardian believed to ward off bad luck.

In Hong Kong, professional practitioners can often be found under the Canal Road Flyover in Causeway Bay, where the ritual has become both a spiritual practice and a cultural attraction.