Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree

We meet at Tai Wo station at 9:20. First, we will go to the bus stop to take the bus. You can take the bus or mini bus from Tai Wo station. The bus number is 64K or 65K and mini bus is 25K. You will see many people wish under the tree.

Lam Tsuen Wishing tree

Do you know what the wising tree is? The wishing tree is Hong Kong’s one of the most famous tourist attractions. It is usually crowded during Chinese New Year holidays.

Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree was built during the era of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The tree has thousands of wishes written on bright red paper.

There are, in fact, two Wishing Trees. However, the bigger tree nearer to the road is more famous. Also called the Spirit Tree, the one near the road was originally used to make wishes related to our personal life, like career, academics, health and wealth.

The smaller one, nearer to the temple, was used for wishes related to marriage and children. However,

over the years, the rule has changed and people now

simply go to, Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree that is the bigger tree for all their wishes.

How to wish?

There are a few ways to make a wish.

One of them is needed to first buy a "bao die." A "bao die" will have a large yellow paper on which you would need to write your wish. The paper is then rolled and tied to an orange. It is then tossed up the tree with hopes of it clinging on to its branches. If it doesn't hang in three tries, it is said that the wish made is too greedy.

The other way, they burnt joss sticks wrote their wishes on joss paper tied to an orange then threw them up to hang in these trees. It was believed that if the paper successfully hung onto one of the tree branches, their wishes will come true.

The conservation of the tree

However, this practice was discouraged by the authorities after 12 February 2005, when one of the branches gave way and injured two people. Instead, wooden racks are set up in place for the joss papers to be hung while a period of conservation is imposed to help these trees recover and flourish.

Hong Kong Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree was originally a camphor tree and was the site of a shrine of "Pak Kung." As time went on its leaves and branches withered and it became a hollow tree - the way it now stands. Today, it not only attracts people from all around Hong Kong, but it is also popular with foreign visitors.