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Religion and Custom
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THERE are six major religions practised in Hong Kong, with Buddhism and Taoism having by far the largest numbers of followers. They worship on any day of the week in more than 600 temples-some of them ancient and containing invaluable antiques, and some of them magnificent new temples built in the style of traditional Chinese architecture.
Hong Kong also has nearly 600 Christian churches and chapels, three Muslim mosques, a Hindu temple, a Jewish synagogue, and places of worship for a variety of other religions.
Buddhism and Taoism
Among the Taoist and Buddhist believers, almost every household has its ances- tral shrine and countless shops have a God Shelf, with images of the most favoured of the hundreds of divinities. Traditional rites associated with birth, marriage and death are still widely observed.
Religious studies are conducted in monasteries, nunneries, and hermitages, with those at Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan being popular because of their easy accessibility. But the best known monasteries are situated in the more remote and unspoilt parts of the New Territories. The Buddhist Po Lin monastery on Lantau Island is renowned for its view of the sunrise, and many visitors go there at weekends and holidays. Sightseers and devotees are also attracted to Ching Shan Tsz and Ching Chung Koon at Castle Peak, Tung Po Tor and Yuen Yuen Hok Yuen near Tsuen Wan, and Sai Lam at Sha Tin. At Tao Fung Shan, near Sha Tin, there is a Christian study centre on Chinese religion and culture, where the work of the Christian Mission to Buddhists has been carried out for many years. In the urban areas, various Buddhist institutions hold gatherings where the sutras are expounded.
Virtually all monasteries are open to the public, as are the temples-which are crowded at festivals and on certain days of the month. Although each temple is generally dedicated to one major deity-occasionally two-it is usual to find the images of many deities in most temples. Since Hong Kong has always depended on the sea-originally for fishing and then for trade—the most popular deities are those connected with the sea and the weather. Tin Hau, the Taoist Queen of Heaven and protectress of seafarers, is said to be worshipped by 250,000 people.
There are at least 24 Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong, the oldest and most famous being the one at Fat Tong Mun in Joss House Bay. Because of land reclamation, many of the Tin Hau temples which were originally established by the sea are now some distance inland.