Hong Kong Government Lunar New year kau cim tradition

In each year's Chinese New Year celebrations in Hong Kong, a member of the Hong Kong Government represents the city in a divination ritual called kau cim. The event takes place on the second day of Lunar New Year in Che Kung temple, Sha Tin where a fortune stick is drawn. The luck of the city for that upcoming Lunar year will be foretold by the fate of the message corresponding to that fortune stick. The message is written in the form of classical Chinese poetry and then interpreted by Feng shui sifu and fortune tellers.

Tradition

Usually one stick is drawn for the fortune of the city by a main representative person. Other sticks maybe drawn for smaller community divinations. There are five categories of stick fortunes, from good (上), mid (中), to bad (下). Each level also has a varying degree within. For example stick #27 is unlucky. It relates to the story of Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of Qin dynasty who built the Great Wall of China and sparked widespread opposition among his people.[1]

Results

Year of the Time
frame		 Stick
drawer		 Stick
number		 Result
Goat 15 Feb 1991
3 Feb 1992
Monkey 4 Feb 1992
22 Jan 1993 		27 Bad[1]
Rooster 23 Jan 1993
9 Feb 1994
Dog 10 Feb 1994
30 Jan 1995
Pig 31 Jan 1995
18 Feb 1996
Rat 19 Feb 1996
6 Feb 1997
Ox 7 Feb 1997
27 Jan 1998
Tiger 28 Jan 1998
15 Feb 1999
Rabbit 16 Feb 1999
4 Feb 2000
Dragon 5 Feb 2000
23 Jan 2001
Snake 24 Jan 2001
11 Feb 2002 		Patrick Ho Chi-ping
Horse 12 Feb 2002
31 Jan 2003 		Patrick Ho Chi-ping
Goat 1 Feb 2003
21 Jan 2004 		Patrick Ho Chi-ping 83 Bad[1][2]
Monkey 22 Jan 2004
8 Feb 2005 		Lau Wong-fat 76 Mid[3]
Rooster 9 Feb 2005
28 Jan 2006 		Lau Wong-fat 53 Mid[4]
Dog 29 Jan 2006
17 Feb 2007 		Lau Wong-fat 75 Good[5][6]
Pig 18 Feb 2007
6 Feb 2008 		Lau Wong-fat 36 Mid[7]
Rat 7 Feb 2008
25 Jan 2009 		Lau Wong-fat 60 Good[8]
Ox 26 Jan 2009
13 Feb 2010 		Lau Wong-fat 27 Bad[9][10]
Tiger 14 Feb 2010
2 Feb 2011 		Lau Wong-fat 53 Mid[11]
Rabbit 3 Feb 2011
22 Jan 2012 		Lau Wong-fat 11 Mid[12]
Dragon 23 Jan 2012
09 Feb 2013 		Lau Wong-fat 29 Mid[13][14]
Snake 10 Feb 2013
30 Jan 2014 		Lau Wong-fat 95 Bad

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 South China Morning Post. "SCMP archive." City urged to unite despite fortune stick's bad omen Sha Tin temple ceremony predicts year of disharmony. Retrieved on 2009-01-28.
  2. ↑ South China Morning Post. "SCMP archive." Kuk chief vows to continue tradition. Retrieved on 2009-01-28.
  3. ↑ Sun.on.cc. "Sun.on.cc." 求籤何需講手氣. Retrieved on 2010-02-16.
  4. ↑ Singpao.com. "Singpao.com." 籤解先難後易　還看市民努力. Retrieved on 2010-02-16.
  5. ↑ RTHK.org.hk. "RTHK." 劉皇發為香港求得上籤感到開心. Retrieved on 2010-02-16.
  6. ↑ RTHK.org.hk. "RTHK." 劉皇發與官員到車公廟為香港求得上籤. Retrieved on 2010-02-16.
  7. ↑ on.cc "The Sun." 劉皇發為港祈福 須齊心創新景象 車公中籤暗喻防股海揚波. Retrieved on 2013-02-11.
  8. ↑ Sina.com. "Sina.com." 港求得上籤今年繼續旺 2008年2月9日. Retrieved on 2010-02-16.
  9. ↑ South China Morning Post. "SCMP." Life looking better for Year of the Tiger. Retrieved on 2010-02-16.
  10. ↑ South China Morning Post. "SCMP archive." Short straw dims New Year glow. Fortune stick predicts worst luck for HK, and hours later fireworks barge catches fire.. Retrieved on 2009-01-28.
  11. ↑ HKheadline.com. "HKheadline.com." 劉皇發為港求得「有求必應」中籤. Retrieved on 2010-02-15.
  12. ↑ HKheadline.com. "HKheadline.com." 劉皇發求中籤經濟有好有壞. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
  13. ↑ HKheadline.com. "HK Standard." Retrieved on 2012-01-26.
  14. ↑