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Wish Sticks Wedged Between Rock Strata In China

What are those sticks that are wedged between the strata of rock outcrops in China?

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It looked as if the thousands of little sticks that were precisely cut and wedged into gaps between the strata of a rock outcrop were holding up the cliff above. When Chinese visitors come to Zhangjiajie in Wulingyuan in the north of Hunan province they break of branches from nearby trees, reduce them to sticks, and put them vertically in the otherwise vacant areas between rock slabs in the sides of accessible outcrops. But before they wedge the stick in they do something else:

They make a wish.

It is believed that for as long at the stick remains upright and positioned between the rock strata, the wish will come true.

Wish sticks next to a beehive
Filed under: China, Culture and Society, Hunan

About the Author:

I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 91 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. has written 3699 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

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