Year of the Horse fortune guide: four key CNY customs - first incense, Che Kung Temple windmill and more

In just a day, we will bid farewell to the Year of the Snake and welcome the Year of the Horse.

From worshippers gathering at Wong Tai Sin Temple on New Year’s Eve to offer the first incense, to visitors spinning the fan-bladed wheels of fortune at Che Kung Temple on the third day of the Lunar New Year, Hong Kong is rich with cherished Chinese New Year traditions.

In this article, we will explore the origins and symbolic meanings behind these beloved festive customs.

Wong Tai Sin Temple — A Century-Old Tradition of Offering the First Incense

Every New Year’s Eve, large crowds of worshippers queue outside Wong Tai Sin Temple starting in the afternoon, hoping to be among the first to offer incense at midnight on Lunar New Year's Day. A notable figure is artist Lana Wong Wai-lin, who dresses up as the year’s Chinese zodiac animal, becoming a popular subject for photographers.

Officially known as Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, it primarily honors Wong Cho-ping, a famous Taoist hermit from the Eastern Jin dynasty. It also features deities from Confucianism and Buddhism, such as Confucius and Kwun Yum, showcasing the temple’s unique blend of these three philosophies.

In 1921, Sik Sik Yuen chose a site in Chuk Yuen Village at the foot of Lion Rock to build Cisong Seen Koon, which was later renamed Wong Tai Sin Temple in 1925. Believed to grant all wishes, the temple’s fortune and medical sticks are highly revered, drawing countless worshippers.

According to Sik Sik Yuen, the tradition of offering the first incense dates back to the 1920s. Due to the Chinese Temples Ordinance, Wong Tai Sin Temple was temporarily closed to worshippers, but many continued to pray outside. After sustained efforts, it reopened for the Lunar New Year and officially became permanent in the first month of 1956, solidifying the cherished custom of offering the first incense.

The first incense is the initial offering to the gods in the new year, believed to carry the greatest merit and symbolize a propitious start for luck, peace, and fortune. However, some believe that lighting it precisely at midnight on New Year’s Eve is not essential; any initial visit to the temple during the Lunar New Year is considered acceptable.

Che Kung Temple – Praying for Good Fortune on the Third Day of the Lunar New Year

Visiting Sha Tin Che Kung Temple on the third day of the Lunar New Year to pray for good fortune is another significant tradition in Hong Kong. The exact year of the temple's construction is unknown, but it is believed to date back to the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty.

There are two legends surrounding the temple’s origin. One is linked to stopping a plague during the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty. Villagers discovered that General Che Kung had not only suppressed rebels but also halted plagues wherever he went. Consequently, they brought his statue for worship, and the epidemic quickly ended, leading to the temple’s construction in gratitude.

The other legend involves feng shui. A feng shui master determined that the confluence of three rivers near Tin Sam Tsuen and the surrounding mountains created an ideal location for a temple to protect water resources and promote prosperity, which prompted villagers to fund the construction of the temple.

Inside the temple stands a copper windmill that is said to improve luck when spun. Che Kung’s birthday falls on the second day of the Lunar New Year, while the third day, known as Chi Kou, is considered unsuitable for socializing. As a result, thousands gather annually to spin the windmill and pray for good fortune on that day.

Traditionally, government representatives or the Heung Yee Kuk would draw a fortune stick for Hong Kong, with British officials performing this ritual from the 1980s to the 1990s. In 2003, then Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping drew an unfavorable stick, leading the government to discontinue its participation, and the Chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk assumed the ritual.

New Year’s Customs — The Origin of ‘Sip Tai Sui’ Is Difficult to Trace

According to New Year tradition, after the start of spring, people whose Chinese zodiac signs clash with Tai Sui, the Guardian God of the Year, are advised to ‘sip tai sui’ (pray to Tai Sui) to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune.

The Tai Sui belief is based on Chinese heavenly stems, earthly branches, zodiac signs, and personal destiny stars, with 60 celestial generals presiding over each year and overseeing fortunes and misfortunes.

The exact origin of praying to Tai Sui is unclear, but legend has it that after Emperor Zhangzong of the Jin dynasty ascended the throne, a Taoist priest advised that his ailing mother was offending Tai Sui. This led to the construction of the Hall of Yuanchen at White Cloud Temple in Beijing to worship Doumu, the goddess in Taoism, thus establishing the tradition of praying to Tai Sui.

Many now pray to Tai Sui after the third day of the Lunar New Year. Over 10 temples in Hong Kong hold Sip Tai Sui ceremonies, with the largest taking place at Yuen Yuen Institute in Tsuen Wan.