In India, we’re quick to whisper about “black magic” and conveniently pin it on Bengalis or Assamese — usually without evidence, but with plenty of conviction.
In Hong Kong, there’s actually a place where you can take your simmering frustration, hand over about $6 (Rs 600 approximately), and watch someone ritually whack it away with a slipper.
Bad boss? Office rival? Ex who still owes you closure — or money? All can be symbolically taken to task, at least, that’s the belief.
“Villain hitting,” or da siu yan, is one of Hong Kong’s most curious, enduring and surprisingly popular folk rituals.
And no, it’s not a TikTok trend. It’s over a century old.
What is “villain hitting”?
“Villain hitting” is a traditional Cantonese folk practice where specialist practitioners, usually elderly women known locally as “villain hitters” — perform ritual curses on behalf of clients.
For a small fee, you provide the name (and sometimes a photo or birth details) of a person who has wronged you. It could be a cheating partner, a workplace bully, a meddling relative — or simply “general bad luck.”
The ritual is part revenge fantasy, part stress relief, part spiritual theatre.
And it happens in plain sight.
Travel vlogger Aakanksha Monga, who visited Hong Kong and participated in the ritual, says, “It’s one of the most unique things I’ve ever experienced. You tell them who or what’s been causing problems in your life..could be a person, could be bad luck, health issues, money stress. They write it down on paper, light some incense, pray to their god, and then SLAP that paper with a shoe over and over while chanting spells to curse it away. Some people even bring their own shoes for extra impact.”
Where does it happen?
The epicentre of this ritual is under the Canal Road Flyover in Hong Kong, particularly in the bustling district of Causeway Bay.
Every year, especially around Jing Zhe (the “Awakening of Insects” solar term in the Chinese calendar, traditionally associated with stirring negative forces), hundreds line up beneath the overpass.
Incense smoke hangs heavy in the air. Roughly 15 to 20 small roadside stalls buzz with activity. At peak hours, queues snake around pillars — sometimes more than 50 people deep at the most popular stalls.
Yes, people queue — even for curses.
The social media resurgence
So why are we talking about it now?
Because the internet is.
Videos of the ritual regularly surface on Instagram, TikTok and Chinese social platforms, drawing curious tourists from across the world. Some visit purely out of fascination; others participate, documenting the entire process online.
While the ritual itself isn’t new, social media has amplified its visibility, turning a hyper-local folk practice into a global curiosity.
Ancient roots
It has its roots in southern Chinese folk religion and ritual practices. It blends Taoist elements, local superstition and symbolic acts of warding off misfortune. Comparisons to voodoo are common in popular writing, though culturally inaccurate.
Over time, it has evolved into something uniquely Hong Kong, part superstition, part emotional outlet.
Today, it’s not just locals participating. Mainland Chinese tourists and international visitors queue up during peak ritual days. Some even book remote sessions via messaging apps, receiving video recordings of the ritual being performed on their behalf.
Yes, villain hitting has gone digital.
Harmless revenge or cultural catharsis?
It’s important to note: most participants don’t genuinely expect supernatural doom to befall their ex or boss.
For many, it’s catharsis.
Hong Kong is dense, competitive and high-pressure. Office politics can be intense. Relationships complicated. Stress constant.
Spending HK$50 (Rs 600 approx) to symbolically beat your problems with a shoe? That’s cheaper than therapy.
The ritual offers:
- Emotional release
- A sense of control
- Cultural continuity
- A dash of theatre
It thrives because it blends belief with performance, serious enough to feel meaningful, light enough to remain socially acceptable.
