ENG-1977 — Page 238

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Religion and Custom

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OF the seven major religions practised in Hong Kong, Buddhism and Taoism have by far the greatest numbers of followers. They worship on any day of the week in more than 600 temples. Some of these are ancient and contain invaluable antiques; others are magnificent new temples built along traditional Chinese architectural lines.

Hong Kong also has almost 600 Christian churches and chapels, four Muslim mosques, a Hindu temple, a Jewish synagogue and places of worship for a variety of other religions.

Buddhism and Taoism

Among the Buddhist and Taoist believers, almost every household has its ancestral 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 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 on holidays. Sightseers and devotees also are attracted to Ching Shan Tsz and Tsing 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, Buddhist Ching She (Places for Spiritual Cultivation), Fat Tong (Buddha Halls) and To Yuen (Places for Taoist Worship) have been established in residential flats to cater for the spiritual needs of city dwellers. Various Buddhist in- stitutions hold gatherings where the sutras are expounded. The Man Mo Temple, dedicated to the Gods of Literary Attainment and Martial Valour, is situated in a densely-populated area in Hollywood Road. It is run by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, one of the largest and oldest of local charitable organisations, and is extremely popular.

Almost all monasteries and temples are open to the public. The temples are crowded at festivals and on the first and 15th days of the lunar month. Although each temple is normally dedicated to one major deity - and occasionally two - it is usual to find the images of many deities in most temples.