Heung Yee Kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat shook a tube full of fortune sticks with steady hands at a Sha Tin temple yesterday, apparently unfazed by his unlucky draw for the city last year.
And this time, things looked a lot better. By drawing No53 stick, Hong Kong's prospects for the Year of the Tiger are apparently promising.
The No53 stick means there is hope for 2010 and the economy should continue to improve, according to fortune teller Mr Law, who was with Lau to interpret his selection.
Last year, the chairman of the rural affairs body drew No27, the unluckiest stick. A fortune teller at the Che Kung Temple said at the time that the city could not isolate itself from the global economic crisis. That night, a barge used for the Lunar New Year fireworks display went up in flames, damaging five boats.
This year's message, according to Law, who declined to give his full name, tells the story of an ancestor who left his hometown to work and missed his family. One night, he dreamt about the family and the next day he learned that they were safe.
The stick suggested our hopes and dreams would eventually come true, Law said.