Lunar New Year 2011: Porn Movie Toys On Sale at Flower Market

Hong Kong — It’s that time of year again. The Lunar New Year Flower Market welcomed thousands of shoppers preparing to celebrate the dawning of the Year of the Rabbit. But in among the stalls selling flowers, plants and curiosities, one stall stood out. It used this annual event to promote Hong Kong’s first 3-D porn film.

The film 3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, produced by the owner of online radio station www.hkreporter.com, is due for release on April 14. In a bid to drum up interest, promoters peddled souvenirs such as breast-shaped mouse pads and cushions printed with images of porn stars.

Customers who spent over $100 were allowed to watch a five-minute trailer of the film despite attempts by government officials from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) to halt viewings. Stall keepers ignored the verbal warnings and the shows went on.

Stall holder Oi Ming, a reporter at hkreporter.com, urged supporters to visit the fair on the station’s online forum. She uploaded a video on  Youtube demonstrating, she said, how she had “embarrassed” government officials. She called on listeners to join the battle against the FEHD’s threats to shut them down.

The annual Flower Market is held at Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park and is best known for selling a variety of flowers, plants, auspicious delicacies and trinkets. Hundreds of stalls set up shop each year in the countdown to the Lunar New Year holiday, which starts this year on February 3.

Take a tour of the market:

US Bank Note Napkins

With the depreciation of the US dollar, the buying power of the Hong Kong dollar, which is pegged to its American counterpart, is also weakening.

One stall-owner hooked into the angst of many financially-savvy Hong Kongers by hawking napkins bearing prints of US bank notes.

A poster in front of the stall stated: “How great is the US dollar? Use it to clean your mouth, remove your sweat, and clean your bum!”

Fortune Telling

This fortune-telling stall (below right) was one of the busiest ones in the market.

Students of well-known Hong Kong fortune-teller Peter So offered palm and face readings, Fung Shui and fortune-telling services.

So’s Fung Shui books were also on sale.

More people sought advice this year compared with last year, one fortune-teller said.

They were so busy that they had no time to talk to non-paying visitors!

New Year Greetings from the Elderly

It is a tradition for many Chinese families to hang Fai Chun, or new year charm scrolls, on their walls to celebrate the New Year.

Students from STFA Lee Shau Kee College designed a set of Fai Chun with greetings written by a group of elderly people.

The design of these new year scrolls may not have been extraordinary and the greetings on it may not be written perfectly; however, it is the meaning behind them that was important.

The students planned to donate their profits to the Salvation Army.

Air-inflated iPhone Case

Many stalls aimed to attract tech-savvy visitors.

This year’s fair featured a number of iPhone-related products were on sale, including iPhone cases, and toys based on the popular smartphone game, Angry Birds.

The iPhone case shown right was said to be a shock-proof model.

Little Rabbit Candy Cushions

White Rabbit Creamy Candy is adored by many in Hong Kong.

With the Year of the Rabbit coming up, it’s no surprise that many toys and cushions featured this beloved snack.