Hong Kong temple ritual predicts lunar new year's fortune

Crowds gared for a tritional Lunar New Year temple ceremony and fortune-telling ritual in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Officials and nuns lit incense sticks inside Che Kung Temple, before taking part in annual ritual.

Local community leer Kenneth Lau was among those who shook a cup of sticks and withdrew one, which contained a prediction for Hong Kong in new year.

piece of paper inside h 28 Chinese characters, setting out a "neutral progsis," indicating re would be b fortune.

Yet, last year's forecast at same ceremony was also considered to be neutral.

Since n, Hong Kong has endured months of violent anti-government protests and an outbreak of China's new virus.

After finding out his prediction for New Year, Lau said he hoped "people in Hong Kong could be united" in 2020.

newly started Year of Rat marks beginning of a new 12-year cycle in Chinese Zodiac.