Hong Kong, China
As one of the most festive cities in Asia to celebrate Chinese New Year, Hong Kong boasts a vibrant range of celebrations around every corner. In recent years, a lot of traditional customs have been modernised with novel interpretations, blending cultural heritage and innovation for an unparalleled festive experience. Among the highlights is the myriad of fortune-enhancing activities that attract travellers to various temples, where they can immerse themselves in refreshing spiritual traditions like never before.
Clockwise: Hong Kong Well-Wishing Festival, Man Mo Temple, Prayer Request inside the Taisui Yuenchen Hall, LED Wishing Wall
Wong Tai Sin Temple: Fortune-Seeking Meets Interactive Technology
Visit the Wong Tai Sin Temple to seek blessings for the year ahead, where it is best known for its reputation of making most wishes come true. Every Chinese New Year, droves of worshippers flock to the temple on the night of New Year’s Eve (i.e. 28 January 2025), racing to offer the sacred “first incense” to the deity at midnight on the first day of the year, symbolising a propitious beginning and a good omen.
If you miss the midnight rush, visiting Wong Tai Sin during the first lunar month is also considered an auspicious way to kick off the new year. Many people who wish for a year of smooth sailing like to pay respect to their respective Taisui (the 60 deities in charge of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs combined with the five elements of Chinese astrology) at the beginning of the year, making the Taisui Yuenchen Hall one of the most popular spots at Wong Tai Sin Temple. The magnificent hall features a starry LED sky dome with constellations that create an otherworldly atmosphere. Worshippers standing beneath the dome can hear their own voices echo as they pray, creating a sense of divine connection. When placing the petition document into the cabinet in front of the Tai Sui shrine, worshippers will be greeted by a misty special effect with glowing red light, symbolising the deities’ acceptance of the devotee’s intentions.
What’s more, the temple offers an interactive LED wishing wall at its Cultural Centre for Wong Tai Sin Belief and Customs. Upon entering their name and wishes digitally via a QR code, visitors can see them displayed instantly on the wall that stretches from the centre exterior to the interior, across the ceiling, witnessing their wishes “ascend to heaven”.
Opening Hours during Chinese New Year
Taisui Yuenchen Hall will be closed on 28 and 29 January 2025. It will be open to the public from 30 January 2025 onwards,
Timings: 30 January 2025: 12:00-17:00, 31 January to 12 February 2025: 8:00-17:00 and 13 February 2025 onwards: 8:00-16:30
Note: During the Chinese New Year period, visitors born in a specific zodiac year can access the Taisui Yuenchen Hall for free.
The Cultural Centre for Wong Tai Sin Belief and Customs will be closed between 28 January and 12 February 2025. The Centre will be open to the public from 14 February 2025 onwards (closed on Thursdays).
For detailed opening hours of other buildings and halls in Wong Tai Sin Temple, please visit their website: www.wongtaisintemple.org.hk.
Encounter Digital Fortune-enhancing Experiences at Ease
Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan and Tin Hau Temple in Yau Ma Tei are two other popular temples adored by believers. Visitors to Man Mo Temple often pray for academic and career success, while Tin Hau Temple is a hotspot wishing for blessings, and is well-received by local worshippers and intrigued tourists alike.
These historical temples, which are both declared monuments, have been keeping up with the times by digitalising the worshipping experience. The introduction of self-service kiosks allows visitors from around the world to effortlessly purchase incense and offerings. To commemorate the experience, a blessing seal will be stamped on the shopping receipts, and you will get a unique keepsake to carry the good fortune around.
For those praying for prosperity, the “Kwun Yum Treasury Opening” on the 26th day of the first lunar month (i.e. 23 February 2025) is a noteworthy occasion. Eager devotees queue up outside Kwun Yum Temples on this auspicious day, all hoping to symbolically “borrow” wealth from Kwun Yum (the Goddess of Mercy) for the year ahead. Don’t worry if you miss this auspicious event, a number of temples in Hong Kong have got you covered by bringing the activity online. All you need to do is to register in advance, and you can “borrow” virtually on the day of treasury opening. Fortune tokens can then be collected from a selected temple during your next visit to Hong Kong within a designated period to complete the metaphoric “loan” with the Goddess.
For detailed opening hours of Sheung Wan Man Mo Temple, Yau Ma Tei Tin Hau Temple, and arrangements for online “Kwun Yum Treasury Opening”, please visit their website: temples.tungwahcsd.org.
The Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival: Tradition Illuminated with a Modern Twist
The Wishing Trees in Tai Po’s Lam Tsuen has long been a revered spot for wish-making. Every Chinese New Year, fortune seekers of all ages gather at the Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival, ready to test their luck by throwing the iconic wishing placards. According to tradition, visitors write their wishes on a piece of joss paper attached to an orange and toss it up to the tree. If it clings to the branches, it is believed the wishes will come true. The higher the placard hangs, the greater the chance of the wish coming true.
Moving with the times, the wishing trees have been enhanced with shimmering luminosity and glowing wishing placards, adding a magical touch to this amusing ritual. Visitors can also try the upgraded new rituals such as blessing lotus lanterns and love locks, alongside a series of exclusive activities in this joyous carnival. Nevertheless, from 30 January until 13 February, the Festival will be embellished with more photo-worthy moments created by floats from the International Chinese New Year Night Parade on display at Lam Tsuen.
Hong Kong Well-wishing Festival
Date: 29 January – 12 February 2025
Transportation: Take bus 63R from Tai Po Market and Tai Wo Railway Station,
*Lam Tsuen New Year Night Market will be held between 29 January and 4 February 2025. For details, please visit: www.instagram.com/hkwellwishingfestival.
Hong Kong’s Chinese New Year festivities are a symphony of tradition and innovation, from riveting temple hopping to timeless wishing rituals, the city is bursting with festive surprises. Get ready for your Chinese New Year trip to Hong Kong now and embrace a year filled with blessings and good fortune!
About Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is a government-subvented body tasked to market and promote Hong Kong as a travel destination worldwide and enhance visitors experience once they arrive. These include making recommendations to the Government and other relevant bodies on the range and quality of visitor facilities.
The HKTB’s missions are to maximise the social and economic contribution made by tourism to the community of Hong Kong and to consolidate Hong Kong’s position as a unique, world-class, and most desired destination.