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Agatha Ngai

SCMP, February 3, 2003

By Verna Yu and Ambrose Leung

Attempts by senior officials to talk up Hong Kong's prospects for the Year of the Goat suffered an unexpected blow yesterday when the Secretary for Home Affairs drew a fortune stick that signified 'everything will be bad'.

Fulfilling the annual ritual at a temple in Sha Tin, Patrick Ho Chi-ping, dressed in a traditional Chinese jacket, drew the unlucky bamboo stick while praying for prosperity for Hong Kong.

Bearing the number 83 - the luckiest is the number one - the stick signified waves, turbulence and a hard time ahead, according to the fortune teller at the Taoist temple who gave Dr Ho his reading.

The bad omen came as senior officials including Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa urged Hong Kong people to be positive. In his new year address on Friday, Mr Tung said Hong Kong's situation would improve this year.

'Hong Kong has a promising future because it has a clear direction forward, a solid foundation built over the years, and irreplaceable strengths. We have every reason to welcome the new year with a well-founded hope,' he said.

Yesterday, Dr Ho gave incense offerings at the crowded Che Kung temple with other government officials.

He tried to put a positive spin on the drawing of the unlucky stick, saying it proved the ceremony was not a fix.

'This is a low chim [stick] - you can see that this is definitely not a set-up,' said Dr Ho, who is a Christian.

The reading of Dr Ho's fortune stick described the scenario of a boat struggling against waves and turbulence. Fortune tellers said that this meant Hong Kong would encounter many difficulties and upheavals in the year ahead.

In previous years, government officials have drawn fortune sticks ranging from middle-ranking to good luck - even though Hong Kong's economic performance had shown no marked improvement.

Last year Shelley Lee Lai-kuen, then director of home affairs, drew a middle-ranking stick, signifying reasonable luck.

Dr Ho said the omen indicated that Hong Kong people should continue to persevere and work hard during the current economic climate.

'This is not necessarily a bad thing,' he said. 'We're already at the low ebb, things just can't get any worse. Things can only get better if we work hard together.'

Thousands of worshippers flock to the Che Kung Temple on the second and third day of every Lunar New Year to pray for good fortune and prosperity.

Glossary

talk up (phrasal v) to keep saying how good or positive something is Example: Singapore has talked up its budding economic links with a neighbouring Indonesian province in a bid to blunt the growing competitive threat from China. (SCMP, January 30, 2003)

ritual (n) a ceremony at a place of worship

turbulence (n) violent or unsteady movement

ahead (adv) further forward in time; in the near future

omen (n) an event regarded as a portent of good or evil

promising (adj) showing signs for future success

spin (n) a point of view with an underlying bias

Discussion points

- Did you pick a fortune stick during the Lunar New Year?

- Have you read your horoscope for the new year?

- Do you think such a ritual promotes superstition, or is it just an annual activity?

- Should the rite where government officials pray for Hong Kong's prosperity at a temple continue? Give reasons.



Unlucky stick bodes ill for HK's year ahead