Is there really a wishing tree in the world?

The Wishing Tree is located in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is a famous wishing resort in Hong Kong. It is located next to the Tin Hau Temple built in the village during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.

The wishing trees are two large banyan trees. The two trees are regarded as gods by local villagers, who light incense and candles at their roots to pray for blessings and make wishes. Later, people also made ultimatums, wrote their wishes, tied them with heavy objects (stones were used in the early years, but oranges have been used in recent years), and then after making sincere wishes to the tree, they threw them up the trunk. Wish can come true. This custom has spread widely, attracting many Hong Kong residents and even foreign tourists to come to the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree to make wishes. The flow of people is the busiest during the Lunar New Year.

Because the wishing tree is often entangled with treasures, it becomes quite fragile. On February 12, 2005, one of the wishing trees was finally overwhelmed and one of its main trunks collapsed, causing many injuries. Later, the authorities banned the throwing of ultimatums on the tree trunks, and instead installed wooden wishing racks for visitors to hang ultimatums so that the wishing tree could rest and recuperate. However, there are still a small number of tourists who ignore this advice and still throw the ultimatum on the wishing tree.

The government has made a lot of efforts to save the wishing tree, but due to the serious damage to the wishing tree, there is still no sign of recovery despite all efforts to conserve it. Experts had inspected the tree and found out that the wishing tree had no new aerial roots and that the green leaves were rarely seen. They concluded that the wishing tree could no longer regain its former shadow and deep roots, and had entered the senescence stage and would soon be reborn. It dies within 5 to 10 years.

The legend of the wishing tree:

During the late Qing Dynasty, in a small village at the foot of the Western Mountains of Conghua Toujia, there was a young man and woman who were deeply in love and childhood sweethearts. The man was named Ajun. The woman's name is Feng'er. When Ajun was 18 years old, he wanted to represent the village in the distant South China Sea to participate in the Sea Wishing Tree War. The two were reluctant to leave and made a private vow under the kapok tree at the head of the village, promising to grow old together.

After Ajun left, Feng'er went to the kapok tree at the head of the village every day, wrapped a strip of yellow cloth around the tree, and silently made a wish, every day and every month.

Whenever people in the village pass by, they will ask her curiously: "Feng'er, what wish did you make today?"

Every time Feng'er just smiled shyly. , bowed his head and said nothing.

In fact, Kapok Tree knows that she only has one wish - that her beloved Ajun can come back and grow old with her as soon as possible.

Five years have passed and the naval battle has ended, but there is still no news about Ajun. It’s just that the kapok at the head of the village is covered with yellow cloth strips. When the kapok blooms every year, the red kapok and the yellow cloth strips look particularly bright and eye-catching. Over time, the people in the village have become accustomed to and like this unique tree. Kapok. However, in Feng'er's eyes, every additional strip of yellow cloth was like an extra needle in her heart. The more dazzling the kapok tree was, the more painful her heart became. She most likes to stand under the kapok tree on windy days, looking up at the yellow cloth strips fluttering in the wind, and quietly feeling the wind carrying her thoughts to her beloved Ajun.

Five more years later, there are different reports about Ajun’s whereabouts. Some said that he left for another country after being promoted, some said that he was disabled and did not want to inconvenience Feng’er and lived in a foreign country. He said that he died in the naval battle... The people in the village advised Feng'er not to wait and find someone to marry as soon as possible. Many people from nearby villages and towns came to propose marriage, but Feng'er refused.

During the long wait and longing, the beautiful and kind-hearted Feng'er became haggard day by day. Her parents were anxious and heartbroken. They asked people everywhere to propose marriage for her, but Feng'er ignored them and still went to the kapok tree every day. Wrapping a strip of yellow cloth around them, they silently made a wish and cried silently...

Finally, Feng'er's parents took matters into their own hands and promised Feng'er to a family in a neighboring village. Feng'er didn't resist, but she often sat quietly under the kapok tree at the head of the village, looking into the distance... The night before the wedding, Feng'er put on the outfit that her parents had carefully prepared for her. The dress, which all women admired and envied, came to the kapok tree alone.

On the day of the wedding, the whole village gathered at the foot of Toujia Mountain, waiting to see off the bride. However, everyone was shocked. The kapok trees at the head of the village were all covered with yellow cloth strips. Feng'er, wearing a bright wedding dress, was lying quietly under the tree, her eyes closed gently, and her face was smiling. Fell asleep forever. While people were watching this scene in surprise, the yellow cloth strips of the kapok tree suddenly rose into the sky and rushed into the sky. At this time, the villagers watched the yellow cloth strips flying in the wind turn into Feng'er and Ajun. They held hands and flew to the sky intimately...

From that day on, Toujiaxi There is a legend about the kapok tree at the foot of the mountain: regardless of men or women, as long as they hang yellow cloth strips with their wishes written on the tree and pray devoutly, their wishes will come true. Over time, people came to the kapok tree and hung the yellow cloth strips prepared in advance on the tree to pray for blessings and make wishes. Later, it became a custom.

Every year when the kapok blooms, interested people at home and abroad who travel to Conghua Hot Spring always go to this wishing tree to throw colors and make wishes, and hang up yellow cloth strips with their own hands, hoping that their wishes will come true.