A Very Quiet Year of the Ox

Victoria Park used to be packed for Lunar New Year fairs

 The upcoming Year of the Ox is going to be duller and duller.

In a not-so-surprising announcement today, the government said the annual Lunar New Year fireworks would be cancelled, the second year in the row because of the coronavirus pandemic; last year it was because of the anti-government protests.

People can't make wishes this year in Tai Po

Not only will there be no fireworks to light up the sky and scare off the evil spirits, but also the traditional new year fairs held in places like Victoria Park will not be organized this year, as well as the night parade and the Well-Wishing Festival in Lam Tsuen, where people throw a wish tied to a mandarin orange and hope it hands on a branch of the wishing tree in Tai Po. 

However, there is still no clarification on whether events will go ahead at Wong Tai Sin Temple and Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin. Usually diehards will be in the front of the line to rush to the alter to make the first offerings of the new year at midnight (this year February 12) at Wong Tai Sin Temple, or the following day at Che Kung Temple. 

What is there left to do really except stay at home and eat radish cake and new year puddings? 

In more uplifting news, lawyer and district councillor Daniel Wong Kwok-tung was finally released on bail after 40 hours in police custody. The 72-year old spoke to reporters, saying: 

Lawyer Daniel Wong free after 40 hours detained

"I will continue to use my professional knowledge and work on what I profoundly believe should be done. A lawyer will never break the law so I don't know why they come after me," he said.

Wong said no evidence was taken, and will continue his work tomorrow morning of visiting those detained. 

A man on a mission.