Tung Wah Charity Show

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A banner hanged in an estate asking for monetary support.
A banner hanged in an estate asking for monetary support.

Tung Wah Charity Show (Chinese: 歡樂滿東華) is a long-run charity television show raising funds for Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in Hong Kong. It is held in Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) annually at a Saturday in December. It started from a charity show in an entertainment show Enjoy Yourself Tonight (EYT).

Unlike other charity show on television, it runs from prime time until 12am (because evening news broadcast at this time). Immediately after the evening news, this show resumes until 3 or 4 in the morning next day. The total amount of time on air is 7 to 8 hours. Cantonese opera is the core of the show. The master San Ma Shi Tsang was the famous one performed a section of Cantonese opera every years until his decease and crowned as the king of charity singer (慈善伶王). Other performance like acrobats and singing has been seen on the show.[citation needed]

Many stunts performed in the charity show are record holder of Guinness World Records.

Various English translation of the show name:

  • Tung Wah Charity Gala
  • Tung Wah Charity Show
  • Tung Wah Hostpital Annual Charity Show
  • Tung Wah Hospitals Charity Evening
  • Tung Wah Night
  • Tung Wah Show

The Chinese name means joy fills Tung Wah. In 1986, the former Hong Kong Governor Edward Youde died from a heart attack in his office in Beijing. The Chinese name changed to 愛心滿東華 (lit. love fills Tung Wah) since it was hardly any joy at that moment.

Although there are many TV charity shows following Tung Wah, they are hardly comparable to its influence on Hong Kong culture. Its name and its theme song is often deemed as the symbol of charity.

[edit] Program info

Date Master of Ceremony Amount raised (HKD)
December 13, 2003 - $73,888,888
December 11, 2004 - $76,288,888
December 10, 2005 Liza WangLydia ShumNancy Sit、Mui Siu Wai、Eric TsangPatrick Dunn、Vinci Wong、Stephen Au $81,878,333
December 9, 2006 Liza WangNancy Sit、Mui Siu Wai、Anna Yau Hoi Man、Eric TsangPatrick Dunn、Vinci Wong、Jerry Lamb $82,388,888
December 8, 2007 Liza WangNatalis ChanNancy Sit、Mui Siu Wai、Patrick Dunn、Anna Yau Hoi Man、Lee Ho Lam、王貽興 $83,388,888
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