【明報專訊】Lam Tsuen in Tai Po is famous for its two wishing trees. The two Banyan trees (榕樹) have been treated as spirits for many years. The villagers believe that they are auspicious and bring good luck to the village.
Every Lunar New Year, people write their names, dates of birth and wishes on a ritual offering (貢品) called joss paper (寳牒). They attach the joss paper to other paper offerings like taoist talisman (道符) and other shamanic (巫術的) writings, which will then be tied with an orange (a rock is used in the past). In the past, villagers threw it onto the trees and made wishes. The higher the joss paper was hung, the luckier the person who threw it would be. However, in order to protect the trees, the village adopted a new way of making wishes a few years ago—using wooden racks or man-made trees instead.
Do not worry if you do not have a keen sense of tradition. There will also be many food stalls in the venue offering delicacies from all over the world.
(Source: www.lamtsuen.com)
◆Hong Kong Well Wishing Festival
Date: 16 February - 4 March
Time: 9am - 9pm (1st to 4th day; 16th to 17th day of Lunar New Year)
9am - 7pm (other days)
Transport: Take the 25K minibus near Tai Wo MTR station; two minutes of walking
■English highway﹕attach something to something
It means "to join one thing to another" in the passage. It can also mean "to consider something important".
e.g. Peter attached a memo to his textbook.
Mary attached great importance to this ceremony.
■Game １
Find a word in the passage which means "promising" or "hopeful". Its letters are scattered on the plastic mandarins on the wishing tree. Circle them.
■Game ２
This year I want a new start.
I don't want to eat too many tarts.
I'm not only smart,
but also have a good heart.
I have no interest in art,
but I want to drive a kart.
Above is Dr Panda's new year wish written in the form of a riddle. Guess the new year resolution that he made.
A. motor racing
C. eating tarts
B. drawing
D. be smarter
(Answers on next text)
■Glossary
ritual (adj) 儀式的
rack (n) 支架
scattered (adj) 分散的
resolution (n) 決心
[Smarties' Power English 第208期]
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