PUBLISHED ONFebruary 16, 2026 9:20 AMBYSean LerScenes of devotees rushing to be among the first to plant incense offerings at temples — a custom known as tou xiang ("first joss sticks") — are common in places where ethnic Chinese communities exist, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
According to tradition, it is believed that the person who plants the first incense stick will receive the best luck and blessings from deities for the year.
This has often led to crowds of worshippers vying to do so in hopes for a new fortuitous year.
Such scenes were also common at the popular Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho temple at Waterloo Street in Bugis until 2021 — when the Covid-19 pandemic led to temples scrapping the event to prevent overcrowding.
Since then, the temple has not revived the annual incense offering event, which is traditionally held at the stroke of midnight.
A notice posted on the temple's noticeboard stated that its opening hours — from the eve of Chinese New Year on Feb 16, to the 15th day of Chinese New Year on March 3 — will remain unchanged — from 7am to 6.30pm.
In a 2023 interview with Taiwan's Formosa News, folklore expert Liao Dayi stated that sincerity matters more. He indicated that it is more important for devotees to bear a devout heart than focus on the formality of being "first".
"People do not need to be too attached to the formality of being the first to plant the incense stick," he said.
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