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Local traditions
Praying for good fortune
The police stand by to maintain crowd control outside Kwun Yum Temple. (Angy Tse)
By Angy Tse & Jenny Chen
It was 10:45 p.m. on 26 February. More than 2,700 people gathered along Station Lane where the Kwun Yum Temple in Hung Hom is located.
There were still 15 minutes to go before the start of the Kwun Yum Treasury Opening Festival, a Chinese traditional festival at which people believe that they can borrow money from the goddess.
The long queue crossed over Kwun Yum Street, Gillies Avenue South and reached Fat Kwong Street.
Police crews stood by.
A woman in her 50s, carrying bags of incense and offerings, stood at the front of the queue.
“I have been here waiting for four days,” she said.
When asked how much she would like to borrow from Kwun Yum, she said she was not coming for money.
“I hope Kwun Yum protects my family and people from all over the world. I pray for peace, and no war,” she said.
At 11 p.m., the crowd squeezed through the temple's tiny door.
Worshipping gods and praying for good fortune during festivals are Chinese traditions.
According to the figures released by the Chinese Temple Community, 130,000 people visited Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin from New Year’s Eve to the third day of the first lunar month.
“We believe worshipping ancestors can protect our offspring,” said Hoipo Leung of the Ching Chung Taoist Association.
According to him, the gods worshipped in temples are mainly ancestors, paragons of virtue and people with outstanding achievements.
Historical figures like Yueh Fei, a great general in the Song Dynasty, are worshipped in temples in order to set good examples for later generations.
In the past, worshippers were mostly the elderly. But in recent years, more young people have come to visit temples.
“Students come as well. They usually pray for their studies or true love,” said Mr. Leung.
However, he emphasized that it is useless to ask gods for money.
“Gods don’t give you money,” said he.
Besides, Mr. Leung said that it is irrational of some people to go to Wong Tai Sin Temple to ask for a baby.
Instead, he suggested that people ask gods for instructions rather than for good fortune.
“Gods instruct you what to do. They help improve your situation,” said Mr. Leung.
One of the traditional ways of asking gods for instructions is kauh chim. Kauh means “to request” and chim is a numbered stick. Each number on the chim corresponds to an ancient Chinese poem with gods’ messages embedded in it.
“There are more than 200 chim-interpreter stalls at Wong Tai Sin Temple,” said Chan Tat Sin, 87, who has been a chim-interpreter for 20 years.
“In order to practice here, we have to get an entitlement from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals,” said he.
The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals is in charge of the management of interpreters’ stalls at Wong Tai Sin Temple, and it issues certificates to qualified chim-interpreters. The chim-interpreters have to post their certificates in their stalls.
“We chim-interpreters are pro-fessionals,” asserted Mr. Chan.
Apart from god worshipping and kauh chim, Chinese people also believe in the practices of palm reading, face reading and feng shui.
According to James Lee Shing Chak, a 33-year-old local metaphysician, the origins of palmistry and feng shui can be traced back to the four ancient civilizations of Babylon, Egypt, India, and China.
“There was already astrology in those civilizations by that time,” said Mr. Lee.
Compared with the other three civilizations, the development of astrology in China was rather slow before the Chun Dynasty. It was not until the Tang Dynasty that the study began to prosper.
“China has a large population and a long history. That’s why numerology is well developed here,” said he.
Mr. Lee regards metaphysics and numerology as a matter of science.
“Metaphysics and numerology are studied on the basis of statistics and experience,” said he.
According to him, feng shui is in fact astudy of statistics, astronomy and ecology. Face reading combines statistics and bioecology.
“They are statistics. They are science. But they are not totally true,” he admitted.
These theories require long-term proof.
Mr. Lee, however, said that many theories in palmistry and feng shui have already been proved by evidence.
He also explained why numerology and metaphysical science are still not widely accepted.
“Bias can’t be removed.
“People can’t stop imposing superstitious ideas on these studies,” said Mr. Lee.
Another reason is that Chinese science was less systematic than Western science.
“Westerners theorize through step-by-step reasoning.
“Chinese people theorize by generalization. The step of reasoning is always missing,” said he.
Such difference contributed to people’s belief that metaphysics and numerology are not scientific.
Mr. Lee added that nowadays various methods of augury flourish on the Internet. They tell fortunes by names, flowers, animals and even sushi.
He reminded users not to take them seriously.
“You can treat it as entertainment, but never as a study,” said he.
Gemstones originating from Western countries have become a popular way for Hong Kong people to pray for good fortune, especially among young people over the past few years.
Jinni Chan, 17, a student, bought a pink gemstone bracelet at Silver Ring Jewellery.
“My classmates bought a lot,” said Ms. Chan. “They wear a number of gemstone bracelets on one hand.”
The pink bracelet costs her almost $100. She said it was reasonable.
Kaman Yan is a 21-year-old woman who has been working in gemstone-related businesses since the age of 15.
Her customers are mostly female, but there are also men who buy gemstones.
She said that gemstones have become popular during the past few years.
“Gemstones are scientific,” said Ms. Yan.
She explained that gemstones are a kind of gaseous field which somehow affects a person’s fortune.
She added that this was studied and proved by people in the past.
Besides, Ms. Yan disagreed that gemstones go against religions.
“It’s just a tool. Everybody can use it,” said she.
Gemstones of different colors have different functions. Users can choose according to their needs.
For example,
green represents careers. A piece of green gemstone improves working
skills and techniques. A
yellow one brings good luck in making money.
Ms. Yan bought a green one.
She said it helped her get into the gemstone business. She is now the shopkeeper of a gemstone store.
James Lee, the metaphysician, holds different opinions on gemstones. He doubts the alleged theories about gemstones and regards them as a type of Western superstition.
“Many foreign psychologists study palmistry. Many foreign architects study feng shui.
“Many Western politicians and executives of big firms always consider Chinese metaphysics before investment.
“Westerners are also superstitious,” Mr. Lee said.
Left:
Worshippers squeeze into Kwun Yum Temple through a single door. Right:
People buying incense at Kwun Yum Temple. (Angy Tse)