Gods join parade to mark Taoist festival

The Taoist god of healing, Wong Tai Sin, made his first appearance outside Wong Tai Sin district yesterday on a carnival float as part of the 11th Taoist festival, which coincides with the temple's 90th anniversary this year.

Wong and fellow gods, including Tin Hau, the Goddess of Heaven, and Che Kung, who is said to bring good luck to gamblers, went on parade for the first time.

'Some people worship the gods without knowing that they are Taoist gods. We want to let the public get to know more about them,' said the organiser, Hong Kong Taoist Association vice-chairman Leung Tak-wah.

Leung Yu-wah, vice-chairman of Sik Sik Yuen, the operator of the Wong Tai Sin temple, said: 'The parade is to wish for peace and stability in Hong Kong.' He said the Wong Tai Sin parade down Nathan Road yesterday was an extension of the body of the god in the temple. It is not normal practice for the god to parade in the streets, and this was only the second time. The first was during a temple festival in Wong Tai Sin two years ago, Leung said.

The Taoist Association hopes the event will help its quest to make the Taoist sage Lao Tzu's birthday a statutory holiday. It would submit a letter to the Labour Department at the end of this month, Leung said. Its application last year was turned down.

'We are a Chinese religion. Even foreign religions have holidays like Christmas. We hope we can have a holiday so that our believers can gather for celebrations,' he said.