What I wish for Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is a time for making wishes. But unlike in the West, the tradition in China seems to have grown increasingly charged with superstition as more Chinese turn to a myriad of deities to grant them better times ahead.

On the first day of the lunar calendar last year, Lama Temple (or Yonghegong) in Beijing drew a crowd of nearly 80,000 who burned joss sticks to seek the blessings of their gods; the figure for the previous Lunar New Year was about 67,000. The turnout could be much higher in a couple of weeks when the nation celebrates Spring Festival.

While explanations abound, I tend to believe feelings of uncertainty or sometimes helplessness, or both, have driven many to deities that are believed to possess magical powers. When I think about my wishes for the nation and myself in the Year of the Horse, I realize some of them look set to happen, but most would require luck and a touch of miracle. Here are my five top hopes.