Lunar New Year prophecy reveals ‘Hong Kong is trapped in forest’, fortune-teller says as rural leader draws ‘neutral’ stick in annual ritual
- Kenneth Lau, head of city’s rural leaders, draws fortune stick which reads ‘holding an axe and entering a forest, looking for something not yet obtained’
- Fortune-teller Chan Tin-yan outside the Che Kung Temple says prophecy means Hong Kong has lost its way
The “neutral” No 15 fortune stick, drawn by Heung Yee Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung on Sunday, the second day of the Year of the Dragon, said: “Holding an axe and entering a forest, looking for something not yet obtained. Wasting good material and losing one’s strength, offering oneself and waiting for the arrival of spring.”
The omen came with a brief explanation which said “financial endeavours might not be successful”.
Lau made four unsuccessful attempts at drawing the prophecy, with multiple sticks falling out of the cylinder, until he bowed once again before a statue of Song dynasty commander Che Kung and finally took out fortune stick No 15.
After the ceremony at the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin, Lau said he interpreted the prophecy as meaning the government should outline more targeted and precise policies to boost the city’s economy.
“When you’re in the forest with an axe, there are many trees to chop down. This is exactly what the government has to do, to choose appropriate policies,” he told a press briefing after the ritual.
“Spring will come but the government should not waste time and resources.”
Lau warned authorities against waiting for the US to lower interest rates before implementing policies. “We need to be more precise and timely,” he said.