The 2024 Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival comes back after several years’ suspension due to the pandemic. This annual event is one of the most iconic celebrations during Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. It is considered the most representative ritual in Hong Kong for making wishes. Throwing placards on the wishing tree has been featured in many movies and local TV plays. From Feb 10 till Feb 24, 2024, you will supposed to have chances to enjoy this CNY tradition with locals.
Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival in Chinese New Year
Guide to 2024 Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing celebration
In case you are interested in other 2024 Hong Kong Chinese New Year celebrations as well as what else Hongkongners do, you can check the following article:
More to Know
Kung Hei Fat Choi – Top things to do during 2024 Chinese New Year in Hong Kong
Chinese New Year is THE most important festival in Hong Kong. The 2024 Hong Kong Chinese New Year Celebrations are much more than international carnival and Lunar New Year fair…
When and where is 2024 Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival?
In 2024, the Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival will last from February 10 till February 24th, 2024 (Chinese New Year till Lantern Festival) held in Lam Tsuen Wishing Square. The Wishing Square opens at various time on different date: 9:00am – 8:00pm (Feb 10 – 13), 11:00am – 8:00pm (Feb 4), 11:00am – 6:00pm (Feb 15 – 16), 9:00am – 6:00pm (Feb 17 – 18) and 11:00am – 6:00pm (Feb 19 – 24).
Entrance of Lam Tsuen
Traditional celebrations of Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival – What to do
Lam Tsuen has over 700 years history. “Tseun” in Cantonese means “village” and “Lam” is a popular Chinese family name. During the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), it was already a residential area.
There are many traditions involved into the Well-wishing ritual, including throwing placard to the Wishing Tree, releasing the lotus lantern, hanging golden mandarin, etc..
You can now order the Wishing Set online to get extra discount.
2024 Lam Tsuen Well-wishing Festival Wishing Set Discount
Package: full set for making wish
Price: HK$ 250
Wishing Set for Lam Tsuen Well-wishing Festival
1. Traditional Placard Throwing – Highlight of Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival
Tossing the joss-paper as high as possible onto the Wishing Tree is the top priority to most of the visitors. People believe the peace and long history of this village is due to the protection from Wishing Trees and Tin Hau Temple. Every year whenever there is a festival, villagers will toss the joss paper (placard) on the wishing tree to make a wish. The higher it hangs, the better chance that wish comes true.
Wishing Tree in Lam Tsuen with Joss paper
Other ways of making wish have been introduced to prevent the weight of joss paper on wishing trees. People can write down their names and wishes on joss paper. After praying underneath the wishing trees, they can hang the joss paper on the wooden rack next to the wishing tree.
Make a wish in Lam Tsuen
2. Making wishes with lotus lanterns
You also can put your wish on the lotus flower and let it flow along the water.
Release your wish on lotus
3. Making wishes with golden mandarins
The Cantonese pronunciation of “golden mandarin” is very similar to “good luck”. So during Chinese New Year, locals love to tie their wishes together with a golden mandarin and pray for good luck in the coming year.
Hang your wish with golden mandarins
4. Take some lucky decoration home
There are lots of Chinese New Year decorations as well as some traditional snacks on 2024 Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival.
Blow the Wind Chime to bring you good luck
Traditional Lucky Decorations
You also can check out their official site for more details. Unfortunately, the site is only written in Chinese.
Other local tradition and rituals around CNY
The time around Chinese New Year is full of seasonal traditions and rituals. Locals love to prepare and eat auspicious food or flock into temples to give thanks for the past 12 months and pray for good fortune for the New Year.
Besides Lam Tsuen Well-Wishing Festival, visitors have great opportunity to experience and engage into different cultural activities. Simply visit e.g. the Che Kung Temple to spin the Fortune Wheel for some good luck, shake out a fortune stick for a New Year Prediction at the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple or simple burn some incense in one of the many temples in Hong Kong.
The most popular ritual for CNY is in Wong Tai Sin Temple. On the Chinese New Year’s Eve, thousands of locals will rush into the temple in order to offer the very first stick incense as early as possible. It is believed that earlier offering brings better luck to their new year.
Did You Know
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“In case you are pressed for time and don’t want to travel to far, we highly recommend taking a closer look at the Man Mo Temple on Hong Kong Island or Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple on the Kowloon side to experience some local Chinese New Year customs, rituals and traditions.”
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“Like any event during the Chinese New Year period, be prepared that it will be very crowded. Admission to the temples are free of charge, but we recommend to give a small donation to maintain the beautiful temples and art works.”
General Info and Details
Date: 10 Feb – 24 Feb 2024
Time: 9:00am – 8:00pm (Feb 10 – 13) / 11:00am – 8:00pm (Feb 4) / 11:00am – 6:00pm (Feb 15 – 16) / 9:00am – 6:00pm (Feb 17 – 18) / 11:00am – 6:00pm (Feb 19 – 24)
Venue: Lam Tsuen Wishing Square, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po
Ticket: Free Admission
Official Site: http://www.lamtsuen.com/
How to get to Lam Tseun ?
By subway: The most convenient way is to take the MTR to Tai Po station and take KMB bus No. 64K to Fong Ma Po station.
Alternatively, you can take taxi from Tai Po station which will cost around HK$ 30.
Other Major 2024 Hong Kong Chinese New Year Celebrations and Events
Lunar New Year Fair
(Feb 4 - 10, 2024)
Chinese New Year Night Parade
(Feb 10, 2024)
Lunar New Year Fireworks
(Feb 11, 2024)
Chinese New Year Raceday
(Feb 12, 2024)
2024 Lunar New Year Lantern Carnivals
(Feb 20 - 25, 2024)
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