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SCMP Reporter

The Tai Po Wishing Tree  finally enjoyed a break from answering people's desires  yesterday when community leaders led residents in making  wishes for the dying banyan  on a nearby peach blossom.

A group of legislators from the Democratic Alliance for  Betterment of Hong Kong  asked the public to sign  a banner  urging the government to stop  further damage to the famous tree   in the village of Lam Tsuen.

About 10 children wrote wishes on  green cards asking that the banyan tree be preserved and hung  them on a nearby peach blossom to represent a new way of fulfilling a tradition.

DAB legislator Wong Yung-kan  said he hoped the government could provide an alternative  for the public to make wishes and minimise damage to the tree.

The government has fenced off the Wishing Tree  since a  branch collapsed on January 12, injuring two people. People were advised to hang their wishes on the fences after  experts said the tree was dying.

Ho Wong Sau-chun, who threw her wish into the tree three years ago, said yesterday  she would use another way to make her wish. 'Now the tree is sick,' Mrs Wong said. 'I don't want the tree to be tortured to death. If it dies, there will be no place to make wishes.'

She said she was satisfied with  hanging wishes on the fence near the tree but  it was a pity  the symbolism of the tree was lost because it was no longer draped in oranges and wishing notes.

But Chan See-wun, a vendor  who has been selling the  wishing notes for two years, is  unhappy with the new arrangement. She said her business was suffering.

'I lowered the price from $10 to $2 per pack but there is still no business,' Miss Chan said.

She said last year she sold 10 boxes of oranges at the end of the Lunar New Year holiday but now her stock was stored in her house. She said  business had dropped by 90 per cent.



Peach blossom takes best wishes for tired Wishing Tree to heart