New custom under wishing tree |
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http://www.qhnews.com ¡¡
2006-02-05 11:23
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Hong Kong people like to seek good luck from the Tai Po wishing tree during the Lunar New Year. This year, something different happened to the century-old tradition.
Instead of throwing offerings to the wishing tree as they had done for many years, people were tying wishing placards on the man-made wooden structures under the tree.
Banners could be seen here and there, on which were written "To protect the tree and to avoid harming the passers-by, do not hurl wish ing placards onto the Wish-making Tree."
Some inspectors from the Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, as well as some volunteers, were patrolling around, urging visitors not to throw offerings at the tree.
Why did the custom change? It should be traced back to the beginning of last year.
According to the legend, people throw placards tied with things such as oranges to the wishing tree, a big banyan in Tai Po's Lam Tsuen. If the placards can hang on the tree without falling down, the wishes on the placards will become true.
The legend attracts millions of people flocking to the wishing tree. Lam Tsuen has become a hot tourist site in Hong Kong. In 2002, a local environmental protection organization awarded the wishing tree as "tree with the greatest cultural value in Hong Kong."
However, there followed disasters. Those offerings became the unbearable burden for the tree. During last year's Spring Festival holidays, a huge branch suddenly broke off under the weight of offerings, injuring two tourists who were making wishes under the tree.
After the accident, some experts made a group consultation, finding that the wishing tree was in a dangerous condition: the roots could hardly take water because of the cement covered over the soil and the barks were in deep cuts by the ropes tied to the trunk. Together with the old scars caused by fire and flood in thehistory, the tree would not live long, experts warned.
The destiny of the tree drew great concern of the public. A large number of proposals on protecting the wishing tree while keeping the good luck seeking tradition were pooled to related authorities, therefore becoming the new custom today.
To let more people know and understand the new custom, Tai Po district council held a wishing placard design competition before the Spring Festival, or the Lunar New Year. They made the championwork into placards and handed around to wish-makers, urging them to place the placards on the wooden structure. Part of the fallen branch is now on display nearby to remind the public to protect the tree.
Tai Po district commander Steve Li Wing-hong warned that although those who continued to throw offerings might not be arrested for littering, they could be prosecuted if their actions disturbed the public order or hurt others.
Mr. Zhao, who came from the Chinese mainland, said he was a bitdisappointed when he knew that he could not carry out the ritual. "But I understand and support the government's decision," he said.
"When you catch the sight of the ailing tree which needs to be fixed and supported by many ropes and brackets, will you be hardhearted enough to throw offerings to it?"
Most Hong Kong residents did not mind placing placards on the wooden structure. Mrs. Chen, who came to make wishes with her children, said ritual was not important. "The wooden structure canbring equally good luck to me as long as I am in all sincerity," she said. Editem (February 1, 2006)
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