Hong Kong balloon artist breaks record for longest loong

The balloon artist thought the team could set a record with a loong 10 meters long, but the Guinness officials said it would have to be at least 33 meters in length, and it could not be supported by any additional skeleton, so the team had to start all over again.

The loong project began on Jan 20, with the team working round the clock to finally complete a 41.77-meter balloon loong without skeleton support.

The Guinness certification officer was greatly impressed, saying it was one of the most delicate balloon artworks ever. The team members clapped excitedly upon the announcement of the new record.

Before becoming a balloon artist, Pang was a magician. He became interested in balloons after attending a child's birthday party where he found that balloons gave people a lot of joy. Later, he went around the world to learn from different teachers to improve his skills.

Pang's work has won prizes in the United States and set regional records in places such as Singapore. This time his work set a world record in Hong Kong, which was a dream come true. "This is the most memorable piece I've ever made. It is very meaningful," he says.

The exhibition of the loong drew large crowds of people. "Beautiful", "amazing", "spectacular", and "thanks for bringing us peace", were among the many positive comments Pang received on his social media page.

To thank the audience for their support, Pang printed 5,000 postcards featuring the loong and arranged a meeting with them at the mall.

"To deliver a warm, loving, positive message to the people of Hong Kong is what I always want to do," Pang says.

Two-thirds of the members of the team that produced the loong were students. Pang believes that it is important to give young people opportunities, so he specially invited college and high school students to participate in the project.

"I hope to share what I have learned with young people," Pang says. "I have won championships myself and I hope to inspire a new generation of future champions."

Growing up in Hong Kong, a place where Chinese and Western cultures blend, Pang often thought about how to interpret the beauty of Eastern culture with balloon art, which originated in the West.

The balloon artist hopes that one day he can introduce to the world balloon works that display Chinese culture. "This is my new dream," he says, smiling.