Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees and Tin Hau Temple
A visit to the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees is a great way to take part in a local Chinese tradition!
This place is popular with locals who come to worship, hoping their wishes come true. During Chinese New Year, many Hong Kong people make a pilgrimage to this spot to make their Chinese New Year wishes by tying wish-making papers onto the wooden racks beside the trees. Participate in this tradition and your wish may come true.
Previously, they burnt joss sticks, tied joss paper (on which wrote their name, birth of date and wishes) to an orange then threw them up to hang in the trees. This was originally a custom of Taoist. It was said that your wish will become true if they do not fall down. The higher they are, the more possible your wish will become true. The two trees perform their own functions: the big one is related to study, business, residence, wealth and health while the small one is relevant to children and marriage (It is a custom in China to pray for good fortune. The blessing is mainly held around festivals by a single person or in a group. They mainly pray for good luck for their families, health, marriage, business, etc…).
Focus switched to another tree nearby, which became the new arboreal oracle while the original was left to recover. However this practice soon was stopped too. In the name of conservation, wish makers can now only tie their wishing papers to Chinese-style wooden racks. You can still buy the wishing papers from vendors but you’re unlikely to find any oranges for sale.
The nearby Tin Hau Temple was built around the time of Emperor Qian Long of the Qing dynasty (1736 – 1796) and is the largest temple of its kind in Tai Po. The temple’s main hall is dedicated to Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Sea, while on either side of the main hall stand, respectively, Man Mo Hall, dedicated to both the God of Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo) and the Temple for Justice, built in honour of 12 noble-hearted men who protected the Lam Tsuen villages in the past.
Courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board
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