Ng Pok Kong believed himself to be an “urban walled villager” who had departed from the traditional customs of his spiritual home. He had never performed the lantern lighting ritual to mark the birth of his son, preferring to just add his boy’s name to the clan genealogies. His grandfather and father rarely took an interest in village affairs. That said, as the manager of the third branch, his father would return to Nga Tsin Wai on both the Birthday of Tin Hau and Jiao Festival. The old man did not take his children to attend the former celebration, only letting them back to the village to pay respects to their ancestors and visit various Festival. Ng Pok Kong has no memories of the Tin Hau Festivals of his younger years. As a child, Ng Pok Kong did not really comprehend the meaning of the Jiao rituals, but adored the festive trappings such as the wooden doll puppet shows, parades and tasty vegetarian meals. As all his family members were Catholics, Ng Pok Kong had been baptised when he was born. While his mother and younger brothers and sisters were all devout Catholics, Ng Pok Kong considered himself to be the “black sheep” of the family when it came to religious matters. As the representative of the third branch, he had to burn incense to worship the Goddess of the Sea during the Tin Hau Festival. Such practices were in direct contravention of Catholic doctrines. He thought that as grave sweeping was a show of respects to one’s ancestors it could not really contravene the Catholic faith.