Dear readers, if you were born in 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986 or 1998 (the Year of the Tiger), read carefully. If you're looking forward to a rosy year ahead, you might be in for a major disappointment. Because 2016 is out to get you. If you scrape your car against a tree, get bitten by a dog, get pooped on the head by a pigeon, or end up on a delayed flight, remember that it might not be a pure coincidence. This year, for you, is filled with predestined mishaps.
At least, this reading is a belief based on the Chinese zodiac, a cycle of 12 years that systematically connects each year to an animal sign and its attributes. It is estimated that the number of people of Chinese descent in Thailand is 10 million, but Chinese beliefs have long infused with Thai ones, and the jinx of pee chong -- the cursed year -- is believed fervently by a large number of people in Thailand.
Each Chinese New Year, the new sign kicks in, and each year it is believed that four zodiacs are astrologically susceptible to bad luck. For 2016, the Year of the Monkey, the hardest hit are those born in the Year of the Tiger, whose fate is believed to directly clash with Tai Sui, the Chinese deity in charge of cosmic destiny. Besides the Tiger, those born in the years of the Pig, Snake and Monkey itself also fall pray to this "jinx", and they will shoulder misfortune with different levels of intensity.
However, there is a way that this can be fixed. The process, known as kae chong (fixing the clash), includes a number of steps for people to pay homage to gods and can be done at many Chinese temples and shrines, and every Chinese New Year we hear of more and more people doing the kae chong rites. The most renowned place where people travel to in order to have their bad luck reversed is Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, or Wat Leng Noei Yi, a Chinese Buddhist temple of Mahayana tradition located in the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown.
Built in 1846 during the reign of King Rama V, the temple served as a place for Chinese emigrants to ensconce themselves in their faith and worship their gods. Now, despite being a favourite spot for foreign tourists as well as a prestigious school that houses more than 300 monks, the temple's most raved about aspect is its fate-fixing service, which accounts for 80% of its visitors, according to the temple.
An afternoon at the temple sees a number of people arriving to perform kae chong. The temple has issued guidelines: the five steps include writing your name and date of birth on a piece of red paper, praying to Tai Sui, lighting three joss sticks, making a brushing gesture, and putting red paper on the wall. The offering costs 100 baht.
One of the busiest days of the year is the day after Chinese New Year's Day, Feb 9. A throng of people are expected to file into the temple to have their fate fixed for the rest of the month. But while most people prefer to pursue the ritual after the shouts of "Happy Chinese New Year", some people opt for going earlier to avoid the crowds. One of them is Punnapa Satienthanakorn, a 64-year-old woman who was born in 1953, the Year of the Snake. She chose Wat Mangkon Kamalawat as her to-go place to do zodiac fixing for herself and her family members.
"I have come to this temple for the past 40 years," said Punnapa. "This temple is a time-honoured place. I have come every year since my mum first brought me here 40 years ago. It's sacred."
One of the factors that brings Wat Mangkon Kamalawat its superior status is the fact that it is the oldest temple in Thailand with the presence of Tai Sui. In the past, however, the temple didn't offer such a convenient service, with two types of specially-created paper and joss sticks in a package and detailed information of each step in the fate-fixing practice provided. Visitors, instead, had their own ways to pay homage to the god by themselves. Time passed, and more and more people started to hear good words about the temple and thus dropped by, only to be at a loss as to what to do.
This being so, in 1992 the temple responded to the demand for it to run a fully-fledged service.
Pisitchanon Niwattanakul, a man who was ordained at the temple but left the monkhood in 1992 and has been sitting on the temple's board of directors, thinks of the service as a well-intended strategy that helps remind people to live their lives carefully.
"We call it a dhamma strategy in handling people who are feeling uncomfortable so they will have something to hold on to," said Pisitchanon. "Once they are at ease, they become knowledgable and level-headed. This results in them being more mindful of their actions."
However, some people indicate such a belief is not part of Buddhism and some say that the belief is no different to a superstition.
While being well-aware of such claims, Pisitchanon thinks it's different from other over-the-top superstitions that the country has seen. "Of course, there is no such teaching in Buddhism," said Pisitchanon. "But I think it dovetails with Buddhism. Don't forget that Thailand's Buddhism has more or less been tinged with a number of influences. China's has also been influenced by Taoism and Confucianism too. Buddhism also doesn't have the process of sprinkling holy water on heads. That is Brahmanism but we also do it here. You see, Thai people have taken many beliefs and made them their own version.
"Even kings in the past had to look at astrology. This thing can't be denied. It's impossible for one not to believe in anything. Some people may be afraid to show that they believe in something like this because other people would think of them as superstitious.
"But I believe that deep down everyone can be worried once it's their turn. So for them to set out to search for a way that they can be comforted is very normal."
But to some, the brouhaha over pee chong and kae chong is just another form of superstition. Phra Payom Kalayano, a well-known monk, said in an interview that Buddhists only seek peace of mind, but not understanding.
"Is there any guarantee that if you perform the rite you'll be safe and sound? Can anyone give you that guarantee?" he said.
After all, comfort and peace of mind are the only things that seem to matter to these people, who no longer want to wallow in the motto "ignorance is bliss". Life asked many at the temple if they thought they would be able to get past the entire year without being worried if they didn't have their "fate fixed"; all of them answered that they would feel uncomfortable.
One of the people interviewed was Kassaraporn Lertudompiya, a 57-year-old woman, who was born in 1959, the Year of the Pig. She said whenever it's her unlucky year again, she can always be found at the temple.
"It's like I'm buying myself comfort," said Kassaraporn. "That's it."
People make a brushing gesture, the final step of the process to ward off misfortunes.
