Crowds Flock To Che Kung Temple Despite Covid

People flocked to the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin on Thursday, as tradition calls for them to visit temples instead of their relatives and friends on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

Large crowds arrived at the temple to make offerings, prompting the Chinese Temples Committee to urge people to consider going another day as Che Kung Temple approached peak capacity.

Visitors are required to use the Leave Home Safe app and encouraged to be vaccinated.

But the risk of catching Covid didn’t seem to have affected the mood of many temple-goers.

“I am not worried about the infection risk because we have all been vaccinated. We come here every year. There is a big crowd but everyone is following the rules. We can enter the temple very easily,” a woman told RTHK.

Many visitors also bought pinwheels at the temple, as spinning one is said to bring good fortune.

“The Covid situation is so bad recently, of course I have to buy a big pinwheel. My wish is that we can reopen the borders as soon as possible so Hong Kongers can travel for fun. I am asking for wealth, love and career. I want everything!” said a temple-goer.

Some worshippers also said they only went to the Che Kung Temple because their go-to temple, Wong Tai Sin, was closed during the first three days of this Lunar New Year due to the pandemic.

Drawing fortune sticks is also a big part of the tradition for those visiting Che Kung during the Lunar New Year.

On Wednesday, Heung Yee Kuk chairman, Kenneth Lau, drew a neutral fortune stick for Hong Kong at the Shatin temple, with the prophecy warning against “playing the hero” and urging the city to “stick to its old ways”.

While Lau interpreted the fortune as a call for Hong Kong to keep its approach in fighting Covid-19, a fortune-teller at the temple said the prophecy also shed light on next month’s Chief Executive race.

The results from the fortune stick drawing have been taken seriously, especially since 2003.

Bad luck was predicted for Hong Kong that year, and the city subsequently experienced the SARS outbreak, an economic downturn and a massive protest against Article 23 national security legislation.