As the 2024 Chinese New Year is approaching, the Well-wishing Festival at Lam Tsuen is making a long-awaited return after being suspended in the past few years due to the pandemic.

The Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree was originally a camphor tree and later a redbud tree. The present Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree refers to an at least 200 years old banyan tree at the entrance of Lam Tsuen, where villagers write their wishes, along with their names and dates of birth, onto a placard. They then tie the placard to a mandarin which is considered an auspicious fruit, it is “bao die” and toss it high up onto the tree, aiming for it not to fall back down.

Every year, wish-makers flood to Lam Tsuen for good fortune. The Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree is said to have the magic power to make a wish real and thus becomes a famous shrine in Hong Kong. If you can successfully throw the “bao die” and it hangs up on the tree or its branches, the myth said your wishes can come true. The belief is that the higher the mandarin hangs, the greater the likelihood that the wishes will come true.

In addition to the well-wishing ritual, the festival will feature local food vendors selling traditional cuisine and snacks, as well as daily cultural performances such as singing and lion dances.

Date and Time: 

February 10-14 (9am-10pm), February 15-24 (9am-6pm)

Location: 

Lam Tsuen, Tai Po New Town, in the east of the New Territories, Hong Kong.

Travel:

-Take bus No.64K or 64P at the MTR Tai Po Market Station Exit A3 and debus at Fong Ma Po (Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree).

-Take green minibus No. 25K at MTR Tai Wo Station Exit A and debus at Lam Tsuen Wishing tree.

-Take a taxi at MTR Tai Wo Station Exit A.

https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/lam-tsuen-well-wishing-festival

https://thehkhub.com/lam-tsuen-well-wishing-festival-returns-for-2024-chinese-new-year-celebrations-from-february-10-25/