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The monkey is in. Actress Lana Wong Ha-wai was appropriately dressed at Wong Tai Sin temple as thousands thronged to seek favour from the deity. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong heralds Year of the Monkey as tens of thousands throng city’s biggest temple

Money and family to the fore as 50,000-plus flock to Wong Tai Sin shrine

Thousands of New Year worshipers battled crowds and choking incense smoke to make their first offerings of the Year of the Monkey at Hong Kong’s largest and busiest temple.

Crowds thronged Wong Tai Sin temple, navigating crowd control barriers in search of good fortune and the granting of wishes.

At the sound of a gong, temple-goers jostled one another to place the first joss sticks of the Year of the Monkey at the altar.

The rush to be first was too much for the plastic chain at Wong Tai Sin temple. Photo: Nora Tam
Visitors were gifted a card, blessed by priests on behalf of Wong Tai Sin, to bring fortune and safety. A total of 50,000 cards were handed out, a show of the volume of people estimated to have visited last night.

Traditionally, crowds of Hongkongers wait for hours in line to make their wishes – but those at the front of the queue rushed to the altar seeking to have their blessings heard first – in a bid for better luck.

Among the first to make incense offerings, former actress Lana Wong Ha-wai, donned the mask of the monkey and entertained the crowds.

On worshippers’ minds was the impact of the economy and family matters.

Karmen Cheung Ka-man, 37, who works in merchandising, said she felt less upbeat for the year ahead with economic uncertainty affecting her business.

LGBT activists make their wishes known. Photo: Nora Tam
“Actually this year, I feel things are becoming a little bit unstable because of the economy,” she said. “It doesn’t affect me too much right now, but you hear on the news about the slowdown in China.”

“But we should all make good wishes and get over all the difficulties for the next year. We should think positive.”

But Sonia Chan Wong-ying, 40, stay-at-home mum who brought her two daughters to give blessings, said she felt “positive and optimistic for this year and I hope we fulfill all our wishes.”

“We all need to be healthy and happy for the coming year. But my hopes and wishes are for everything to be good for my daughters because whatever happens is good for my whole family,” she said. “This is the most important ceremony of the year and in certain circumstances our wishes come true.”

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