Implements Crowd Control Measures During Master Wong Tai Sin Festival

Religious charity organization Sik Sik Yuen (the “Yuen”), which manages Wong Tai Sin Temple, is encouraging followers to offer just joss-sticks for the eighth lunar month celebrations to help bring about a green Hong Kong.

Mr Lee Yiu-fai, Chairman of Sik Sik Yuen said: “According to Taoism, everything on earth will return to nature eventually. Since the 1980s, the Yuen has been encouraging followers to use joss-sticks only in worship, abstaining from bringing oil, ingots and candles in an attempt to reduce the impact on the environment. This will also simplify and modernise the practice of paying homage.”

Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is internationally renowned with a great number of followers crowding the temple during festivals. The Yuen is currently carrying out a large-scale renovation project within the premises, with less space for rites of worship as a result for the time being. From September 20 (Saturday) to September 22 (Monday), crowd control measures are being implemented with designated worship routes to ensure public safety.

Followers are being urged to merely use joss-sticks for worship, and not to kneeling down to pray or placing offerings on the ground. The Yuen also encourages followers “to be tolerant” during worship.

“The whole Lunar August is an auspicious time for celebrating the Master Wong Tai Sin Festival. As drawing fortune-telling stick and praying require more time, we hope that followers will bring small joss-sticks or fresh flowers only to avoid blocking traffic inside the temple,” said Mr Lee.

According to Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple’s crowd control arrangements between 20-22 September, followers will proceed in one single direction, passing Yue Heung Shrine (盂香亭), the Three Saints Hall (三聖堂) and Confucian Hall (麟閣) before praying in front of the Main Altar to worship. For interpretation of fortune-telling stick, followers will have to take the route through Good Wish Garden (從心苑) to the Fortune-Telling and Oblation Arcade (簽品中心).

The traditional Taoist ceremony celebrating Master Wong Tai Sin Festival this year takes place at noon on 22 September 2008 at the Main Altar of Fung Ming House.

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About Master Wong Tai Sin Festival
Master Wong Tai Sin was born as Wong Cho Ping in AD 338 during the Jin Dynasty of ancient China. Followers started to celebrate his birthday on 23 of the eighth lunar month since Qing Dynasty, and this tradition continues in Hong Kong. Between 20 and 26 of the eighth lunar month, there will be prayers saying and performance.

The spread of the worship of Master Wong Tai Sin to Hong Kong can be traced back to 1897, where people in Pushan (菩山) of Punyu (番禺) in Guangdong Province of China worshipped Master Wong Tai Sin. In 1921 the current location in Chuk Yuen was selected, and “Sik Sik Yuen” was established, becoming a private shrine for worship at the beginning. In 1956, the Yuen was open to public worship. To date, Master Wong Tai Sin is widely worshipped both locally and in other parts of the world.

About Sik Sik Yuen
Sik Sik Yuen, the religious charity organization practicing Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, was established in 1921 to manage the Wong Tai Sin Temple, one of Hong Kong’s most famous place of worship as well as a major tourism site in Hong Kong. Adhering to the benevolent philosophy of Wong Tai Sin himself, “To act benevolently and to teach benevolence,” Sik Sik Yuen has been ministering to the needy for more than 80 years through education, medical assistance and care for the elderly. In education, Sik Sik Yuen has set up three primary schools, four secondary schools and one through-train school as well as seven kindergartens and child care centres. The Yuen offers diversified medical services through its Herbal Clinic, General Clinic, Dental Clinic and Physiotherapy Centre. For the elderly, Sik Sik Yuen runs 17 senior citizens’ service units.

Issued on behalf of Sik Sik Yuen by Upstream Asia.
For further information, please contact:

Map download: http://media.upstreamasia.com/pr/SSY/SSY_Birthday_Map.pdf

Dorothy Fung/Joyce Mok
Upstream Asia
Tel：+852 2973 0222
Email：dorothy.fung@upstreamasia.com / joyce.mok@upstreamasia.com

Emily Chu/Jennifer Hui
Sik Sik Yuen
Tel：+852 2327 8141
Email：jenniferhui@siksikyuen.org.hk / emilychu@siksikyuen.org.hk