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In Singapore, the number of Hungry Ghost festival auctions has sharply decreased, while some temple organizers are standing out by launching innovative lucky items such as dolls and trendy collectibles to attract more young people to bid.
After the pandemic, many Zhongyuan associations have ceased their activities due to personnel changes, aging committee members, or lack of funds, which in turn affects bidding events. However, some organizers are innovating by using trendy collectibles as lucky items for bidding, attracting a significant number of young attendees.
Veteran auctioneer Lim Ching He, who has 38 years of experience, said in an interview that in recent years, the lucky items at auctions are no longer limited to deity-related objects. Nowadays, some temples purchase dolls and other trendy items to keep up with current trends and attract young people to participate in the auctions.
He said that about 70% of those attending such events are men, half of whom are older. The traditional lucky items are chosen to cater to their preferences. However, since many attendees are accompanied by younger people, trendy collectibles as lucky items have started to emerge to attract these younger individuals.
“Smiling Buddha, Fu Lu Shou, money pouches, and the like are harder to attract the young, while the older generation often feel they already have one at home and usually don't wish to bid for a second.”
At the Jurong West Shuilangtou Tua Pek Kong Fude Temple, a three-day celebration for the birthday of Fude Zhengshen (Tua Pek Kong) began last Friday, with a dinner banquet of 120 tables held last Saturday night.
The temple's secretary, Cai Wenhan (26), told reporters that he has been on the committee for four years, and both last and this year’s auction lucky items were prepared by him.
“Last year, I prepared fortune cat and bear-shaped plushies, with bidding prices roughly $300 to $500 (about RM958 to RM1,596), more like a test run. At the time, I noticed young people attending the banquet, so I wanted to try something new.”
Cai Wenhan said that this year he prepared six trendy lucky items, including bear plushies, Crayon Shinchan, and a cute ‘Instant Good Fortune’ horse figurine. Among them, the cute horse was bid for $1,200 (about RM3,832).
Yang Liben (42), who has been in the lucky item wholesale and retail business locally for 20 years, said in an interview that since the pandemic, sales of trendy lucky items have improved, and the rise of livestreaming has also boosted his business. “Trendy collectibles sell well; as auction lucky items, they’re almost always sold off, with less than 5% being taken back.”
Another auctioneer, Chen Ruixing (57), said that there was once an organizer who used Musang King durian as a lucky item, and someone bid more than $800 (about RM2,555) for it.
He said that while innovation is ongoing, traditional auspicious items like oranges, rice cakes, rice bins, pineapples, and black gold (charcoal) still attract many bidders.