RELIGION AND CUSTOM
Each temple is dedicated to one or two deities enshrined in the main hall, with side halls housing subsidiary deities. Since Buddhism and Taoism are both accepted as traditional Chinese religions, Buddhist and Taoist deities may be honoured together within one temple. Leading deities include Buddha, Kwun Yum (the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy), and Lui Cho (a Taoist god).
There is also a diversity of deified mortals traditionally worshipped as a result of their performance of actual or mythical feats. Foremost among these is Tin Hau, the Queen of Heaven and Protectress of Seafarers, worshipped originally by the fishing population but now by others in the community as well, reflecting Hong Kong's dependence on fishing and on sea trade. There are at least 24 Tin Hau Temples in Hong Kong, the most famous being the one in Joss House Bay, which is visited by tens of thousands of worshippers each year at Tin Hau Festival on the 23rd day of the third lunar month.
Other deified mortals include Kwan Tai, the God of War and Righteousness; Pak Tai, Lord of the North and Patron of Cheung Chau Island; Hung Shing, God of the South Seas and a weather prophet, and Wong Tai Sin, a Taoist deity, in whose honour a temple built 68 years ago in north-eastern Kowloon in traditional Chinese architectural style enjoys great popularity. Dedicated to the Gods of Literary Attainment and Martial Valour, the Man Mo Temple in Hollywood Road on Hong Kong Island, run by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, a charitable organisation, is also very popular. The Che Kung Temple at Sha Tin in the New Territories, dedicated to a general in the Sung Dynasty, is visited by tens of thousands of worshippers during Chinese New Year.
Protestant Community
The presence of the Protestant community dates back to 1841. The earliest established denominations were the Anglicans, the Baptists, the Congregationalists, the Lutherans and the Methodists.
In the 149 years since the first Protestant church came into being in Hong Kong, the Protestant community has grown to 256 000 in 710 congregations among the 52 denominations and independent churches. The largest denomination in Hong Kong is the Baptist, followed by the Lutheran. Other major denominations are the Adventist, the Anglican, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, the Church of Christ in China, the Methodist and the Pentecostal. With their emphasis on youth work, many congregations have a high proportion of young people. Since the seventies, the number of independent churches has increased significantly due to the strong evangelical zeal of the lay Christians.
The Protestant church runs three post-secondary colleges, 122 secondary schools, 141 primary schools, 146 kindergartens, seven hospitals, 21 clinics, 176 social service centres, 20 homes for the elderly, three schools for the deaf, 10 training centres for the mentally handicapped, 18 theological seminaries and Bible institutes, 16 Christian publishing houses and 57 Christian book shops. There are also five international hotel-type guest houses operated by the YMCA and the YWCA.
There are 36 para-church agencies and various Christian action groups which have been established to minister to the needs of the Protestant community and also to respond to current issues and concerns in Hong Kong society at large. The church is also involved in overseas aid, supporting emergency relief and development projects in third world countries. The 'Five Loaves and Two Fish Campaign' sponsored by the Hong Kong Christian Council was the first overseas aid project in Hong Kong.
There are two ecumenical bodies which facilitate the co-operative work among the Protestant churches. The oldest of the two, dating back to 1915, is the Hong Kong Chinese
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