‘Ang Pao Borrowing’ Activity Will Resume At Waterloo Street Temple After Hiatus Of 2 Years
Since Covid-19 hit our shores, the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple has changed many of its Chinese New Year (CNY) traditions.
The normally bustling temple along Waterloo Street had to cancel the annual CNY Eve incense offering event for 2 consecutive years.
However, this year there’s a small ray of hope: Its popular 开库借红包 or “ang pao borrowing” activity will resume after a 2-year hiatus.
The usual entry restrictions will still apply for the safety of worshippers, though.
‘Ang Pao borrowing’ resumes at Waterloo Street Temple from 16 Feb
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple will let visitors borrow ang pao from Wednesday (16 Feb), according to Lianhe Zaobao.
This comes after the activity, which usually takes place on the 26th day of the Lunar New Year, was cancelled for 2 years.
This time around, the temple announced that it would be done differently—worshippers may receive the ang paos from 16 Feb onwards till they’re all given out.
A temple spokesman said they decided to continue this activity in this way because devotees may want to ask for blessings after being deprived of them for 2 CNYs.
Odd-even entry restrictions in place
To avoid crowds and protect everyone’s health and safety, not all worshippers may enter at the same time to ask for the ang pao.
Odd/even date entry restrictions will still be in place during the activity period, depending on the last digit of one’s NRIC or Work Permit number.
- odd numbers: entry on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
- even numbers: entry on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays
- Sunday & public holidays: closed
Since the temple reopened in Nov 2021, they’ve also capped the capacity at 50 worshippers on the premises at any one time.
The temple will also be closed for disinfection every day around lunchtime.
All entrants to the temple must also be fully vaccinated.
Open Treasury Day
For the uninitiated, this activity is called “Open Treasury Day”.
On the 26th day of the 1st lunar month, the Goddess of Mercy is said to open her treasury to help those in need.
They can thus borrow an ang pao from her and be blessed for the year. Usually, there’s a small coin inside.
Upon receiving it, devotees would keep it inside their wallets so good luck would follow them.
There’s 1 last step: Those who borrow an ang pao must return it next year before they can borrow another one.
A sign of better times ahead?
Devotees who’ve missed the “ang pao borrowing” tradition for 2 years will be glad to be able to do it again, even if it’s in a slightly different form.
Hopefully, its comeback signals not just blessings for the year but that our lives are slowly but surely going back to normal.
May the powers that be shower us with better times ahead from now.
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Featured image by MS News and Leong Leong on Facebook.
