HONG KONG:Far away from the teeming thoroughfares and towering skyscrapers that manifest modern-day Hong Kong is a tree shrine that elicits age-old beliefs. Going by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, once every year, in the initial stages of the elaborate Lunar New Year celebrations, the villagers of Lam Tsuen in Tai Po would visit the ‘wishing trees’ in droves to pray for their dreams and wishes to come true.
And so it happened that even as residents from Hong Kong and further afield began thronging its urban neighbourhoods to relish the opulent New Year festivities on the second week of February, so did a steady stream of the faithful flock to the ‘wishing trees’ in Lam Tsuen village to start off the New Year with traditional fervour. The origins of the two banyan trees date back to the days of the Qing dynasty’s reign, in the late 18th century. Those who visit the shrine to make a wish would write it on traditional joss paper, which would then be tied to an orange before being hurled at the branches of the tree. It is believed that if the paper manages to cling on to any of the tree’s branches, the wish would be granted.
However, a few years ago, curbs were imposed on this practice in order to preserve the centuries-old trees.
But as with old habits, sincerely-held beliefs passed down through generations also die hard. The villagers’ unwavering ardour in upholding their traditions prompted the setting up of so-called ‘imitation trees’, which provide an alternative platform for local residents to continue practicing this age-old tradition.