Beat the crush, visit HK temple online

Beat the crush, visit HK temple online
February 01, 2009

WANT to pray at a temple but wish to avoid the crowd?


THRONG OF THE FAITHFUL: Worshippers at a temple in Hong Kong's New Territories trying to light their joss sticks on Wednesday, the third day of Chinese New Year. --PICTURE: AFP --

How about making a virtual prayer instead?

That's what Sik Sik Yuen, a Taoist organisation that runs the hugely-popular Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong, has enabled devotees to do.

Since December, the group has provided a live temple Webcast and virtual prayer submissions (right).

And it's proving to be a big hit.

While 80,000 worshippers thronged the temple to celebrate the first full day of the Year of the Ox, another 20,000 devotees logged on to participate via their computers, reported the International Herald Tribune.

The online project was partly motivated by a refurbishment that has temporarily cut down on physical prayer space at the temple.

But Mr Or Wai-Shun, the director of Sik Sik Yuen, said the group was also trying to update itself and make it more convenient.

He is an occasional online worshipper himself.

'I always prefer to go to the temple, but if I have no time, then I think it is the best way,' he said.

The site is not the only one that provides virtual prayer - a site based in California and called GodTube boasts more than three million unique users a month.

But the Taoist site does stand apart for its intimate ties to the temple that created it.

There are Cantonese, Mandarin and English language options.

The options for prayers - or wishes, as the site calls them - include 'good health,' 'good career prospect,' 'happy family,' and 'personal message.'

After a prayer is submitted, an animation shows two hands placing incense into a sand-filled altar at the temple.

A banner then reads, 'Our Taoist priests will carry out a ceremony, delivering your prayer to Master Wong Tai Sin.'

And they mean it.

Virtual worshippers can watch a weekly ceremony in which their prayers are taken by a priest to the temple and placed on the altar.

The temple estimates that more than 70,000 worshippers have visited its website since it was set up.

Said Mr Or: 'The Internet will help some people who can't come or don't want to at that moment, but I think they will come to the temple in the future when their wishes come true.'

Source: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,191463,00.html?