Wong Tai Sin vs Che Kung Temple: Which Fortune Sticks Should You Draw?
Wong Tai Sin uses a set of 100 fortune sticks; Che Kung uses a different set of 96. If you already have a temple slip, use the temple name and its number together. Stick 22 at Che Kung is not stick 22 at Wong Tai Sin.
For a Che Kung slip, start with the English number lookup. Five translations are available: 22, 27, 38, 72, and 93. The complete 96-stick collection is available in Traditional Chinese. For a Wong Tai Sin slip, use the Wong Tai Sin index.
What differs between the two sets
| Detail | Wong Tai Sin | Che Kung |
|---|---|---|
| Number of sticks | 100 | 96 |
| Main Hong Kong temple | Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon | Sha Tin, New Territories |
| Grades in this collection | Five grades | Upper, middle, lower |
| How to begin reading | Poem, grade, and associated story | Four-line poem, grade, and any references within the lines |
| English coverage on kaucim.ai | All 100 sticks | Sticks 22, 27, 38, 72, and 93 |
The poems belong to separate traditions. Their tone also varies from stick to stick, so it is too broad to call one whole set philosophical and the other a yes-or-no system. Both need to be read in relation to the question you asked. The kau cim guide introduces the drawing and reading process.
Reading a Wong Tai Sin stick
Wong Tai Sin readings often draw on a named historical or literary story. Recognising the situation in that story can help you understand why a poem advises patience, restraint, or action. Our guide to fortune-stick grades explains how the grade and the poem work together.
A favourable grade does not promise that every area of life will go well. A difficult grade does not establish that something bad will happen. Read the lines, consider the story, and look at the choices that are actually available to you.
Reading a Che Kung stick
Che Kung has 96 four-line poems. Start with their wording and the connections between the lines. Some use direct advice; others use an image or a classical reference that needs explanation.
For example, Che Kung stick 22 asks you to judge people by what they do and to keep your principles when profit is involved. It can prompt you to examine a promise or agreement. It cannot prove what another person intends.
Stick 38 contrasts reaching high with gathering useful food below. Its stove-and-inner-corner line echoes a saying in the Analects. Che Kung poems can contain allusions even though our collection does not attach a separate named story to every stick.
The Chinese Temples Committee's Che Kung collection is a source for checking the original Chinese text. Our English translations and explanations are independently written by kaucim.ai, with no official temple affiliation or authorization.
Visiting around Lunar New Year
The Chinese Temples Committee identifies the second day of the first lunar month as Che Kung's birthday, when local representatives draw a stick for Hong Kong. It also notes the custom of visiting on the third day to avoid the arguments associated with that day's folk calendar meaning.
The public draw for Hong Kong is separate from a personal reading. Sticks drawn for Sha Tin may also be reported that day; the place represented matters as well as the number. A news headline about the city's stick is not a reading for every individual resident.
For an ordinary visit, the Committee lists Sha Tin Che Kung Temple's hours as 08:00–18:00. It estimates about ten minutes on foot from either Tai Wai station or Che Kung Temple station Exit B. Check the current temple information for holiday arrangements. These details were checked on 5 September 2026.
Our visitor guide to Chinese temple fortune sticks explains what to check when you arrive, how to frame a question, and how to find the right poem afterwards.
Choosing a temple or an online reading
If you want to visit, choose a temple you can reach comfortably and allow time to follow its current arrangements. You can visit both. Each temple's staff can explain its own procedures; a general online guide should not be treated as a rule for every temple.
If you already have a stick, stay with that set. Match the Chinese opening line as well as the number, especially if a slip or translation has reached you without its original context.
On kaucim.ai, all 96 Che Kung poems and topic readings are available in Traditional Chinese. The five English translations are free, with no account required. Che Kung online drawing, question-specific previews, and paid personalized readings currently use Traditional Chinese. English translation pages do not imply an English paid service.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Wong Tai Sin and Che Kung fortune sticks?
Wong Tai Sin has 100 sticks and Che Kung has 96, with different poems and grading systems. Always match the temple name and the number. The same number does not identify the same poem across both sets.
Can I read Che Kung fortune sticks in English?
kaucim.ai provides independent English translations and explanations for sticks 22, 27, 38, 72, and 93. All 96 are available in Traditional Chinese. The English pages are free; personalized Che Kung readings currently use Traditional Chinese.
Does a Che Kung stick give a yes-or-no answer?
It gives a four-line poem and a grade. The wording may suggest caution or encouragement, but a stick does not reliably establish a yes-or-no outcome. Read the whole poem and consider the actual circumstances.
When do people visit Che Kung Temple at Lunar New Year?
The Chinese Temples Committee identifies Lunar New Year Day 2 as Che Kung's birthday and the day of the public draw for Hong Kong. It also describes the custom of visiting on Day 3. Check the temple's current holiday arrangements before travelling.
Can you visit both Wong Tai Sin and Che Kung temples?
Yes. Follow the arrangements at each temple and keep any slips with their temple names. A stick from one set should be interpreted using that same set.