In India, we’re quick to whisper about “black magic” and blame it on someone, usually without proof but with plenty of conviction. In Hong Kong, though, there’s a place where frustration meets ritual in the most unusual way. Known locally as “villain hitting” or da siu yan, it’s a centuries-old folk practice where elderly women take your simmering anger, at a cheating partner, a bad boss, a meddling relative, or just plain bad luck, and symbolically whack it away with a slipper. (Also read: Step inside Cola King’s daughter Devyani Jaipuria’s massive farmhouse that looks straight out of a Hollywood movie )
What exactly is the villain hitting ritual
Travel blogger Akanksha Monga recently shared her hands-on experience with one of Hong Kong’s most curious traditions in a February 16 Instagram post. “So I got my enemy cursed with a SHOE in Hong Kong. No, I’m serious,” she wrote.
Known as the villain hitting ritual, it’s a centuries-old practice where women sit under a bridge and literally hit bad vibes out of your life with a shoe. Akanksha explains how it works: 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, whatever. They write it down on paper, light incense, pray to their god, and then repeatedly slap the paper with a shoe while chanting spells to banish your troubles. Some people even bring their own shoes for extra impact (stilettos if you’re feeling extra petty, apparently).
For Akanksha, it wasn’t about revenge, she wrote down “bad luck” instead. “Sometimes you just need to release the energy that’s been weighing you down,” she says. “It’s actually a form of cleansing, a way to let go and start fresh. And honestly, I think that’s beautiful.”
The ritual takes place in full view under the Canal Road Flyover in Causeway Bay, where incense smoke fills the air and queues form at bustling stalls, offering a fascinating glimpse into a unique corner of Hong Kong life.
How much does it cost?
According to lifestyle blogger Karen Louie, who shared her experience in a February 13 Instagram post, you can curse your enemies in Hong Kong for just $5 USD (around ₹450) through a curious practice called Villain Hitting. She writes, “FYI: I didn’t do it because I believe in karma too much.”
Karen also notes that for those curious to try it out, the ritual takes place at 1 Canal Road East, Bowrington, Hong Kong, offering a hands-on glimpse into one of the city’s most unusual folk traditions.
Why do locals perform it and when?
According to the South China Morning Post, Chinese superstitions include practices like feng shui, fortunetelling, and the curious ritual of da siu yan, or “villain hitting,” which involves writing names and dates on paper, striking it with a shoe, and burning it. Though it may sound sinister, the ritual is largely symbolic. The term siu yan, meaning “little person,” is used to represent a “villain,” though the label is more figurative than literal.
Villain hitting is traditionally performed around Jingzhe, the third solar term in the Chinese lunisolar calendar, known as the “awakening of insects,” which falls about a month after spring begins. Historically, Jingzhe marked an important period for farmers, as old sayings note that “once the awakening of insects comes, spring ploughing never rests.” Feng shui master Tong Pik-ha, also known as Master Tong, provides guidance on these cultural practices.
