Gods Predict Hong Kong Has A Mixed Year

I thought this was a funny-cool “Hong Kong” story. It happenned on the second, and today is the sixth, but time is irrelevant.

After last year, I am pretty sure the sticks were “fixed.” Which is fine either way, as long as it makes people feel better and keep the spirits up I think playing with the gods is absolutely the way to go.

Fortune stick hints of better year ahead
Dennis Ng

The Year of the Monkey will be better than that of the Goat, according to the fortune stick drawn by Heung Yee Kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat on behalf of the people of Hong Kong.

Following a tradition dating back to 1981, Lau entered the famous Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin following the traditional dragon and lion dances and drew stick number 76 which promises a mixed year of difficulty and opportunity for Hong Kong.

It also means that unity can overcome any problem and pave the way for a better future.

“We all can relax,” the Legislative Council member said with a big smile across his face.

Lau’s stick was certainly much better than the 83 drawn last year by Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho that meant “nothing will be good” and promised a very difficult time for Hong Kong.

Ho did not attend this year’s ceremony and stayed instead with his family.

He gave no reason for his decision though he was strongly blamed for the misfortune the territory suffered after his trip to the temple.

Soon after Ho drew the stick from the bamboo holder, Hong Kong was hit by the Sars epidemic that killed 299 people and infected another 1,755 people.

The epidemic wreaked havoc on the economy and the jobless rate sky-rocketed to almost 9 per cent by the middle of the year, the highest figure for more than 10 years with an estimated 300,000 people out of jobs.
Ho’s boss, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, had his own problems to deal with and was forced to abandon his anti-subversion law when more than 500,000 people took to the streets on July 1 – the sixth anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover.

Two members of Tung’s cabinet – financial secretary Antony Leung and secretary for security Regina Ip – stepped down despite receiving praise from Tung for their performances. There were also upheavals in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry with the death of pop diva and actress Anita Mui from cervical cancer last month and the suicide of singer and actor Leslie Cheung in April.

In line with tradition, tens of thousands of people turned up at the Che Kung Temple yesterday to spin the wheels of fortune and to offer prayers for a better year.

Because of the Sars outbreak and high jobless rate last year, many of those at the temple said they had sought “good health” and “jobs for everyone.”

Also at yesterday’s ceremony was the Sha Tin Rural Committee chairman Mok Kam-kwai. He drew stick number 71, which meant good fortune for the people of Sha Tin.

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Here is A Lantern Riddle My Mom Sent Me.

It is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the
poor has it and the rich doesn’t want it. If you eat
it, you will die. (guess one word)

Any ideas?

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PS. I am so confused coz I keep thinking the dates by Chinese days now. Like I keep thinking we’re at the beginning of the month when it’s actually the end… argh..