ENG-1979 — Page 245

17

Religion and Custom

OXX:

WHILE Hong Kong may appear to be preoccupied with trade, industry and commerce, it does have its spiritual side. Many of the territory's people are followers of Buddhism and Taoism and their devotion is apparent during colourful, noisy festivals and on the first and 15th days of the lunar month when many temples are crowded.

Buddhism and Taoism have the greatest number of worshippers, but the world's other great religions are also represented. There are Christian churches, mosques, Hindu and Sikh temples, and a synagogue where believers can follow their own faiths.

Buddhism and Taoism

Buddhism and Taoism are the predominant religions in Hong Kong with the traditional rites associated with birth, marriage, death and festivals still widely observed. Among believers, almost every household has its ancestral shrine and many shops, offices and factories have a God Shelf, with images of the most favoured of the hundreds of divinities. Hong Kong possesses more than 600 Buddhist and Taoist temples which are crowded at festivals and on the first and 15th days of the lunar month. Some of the temples are old and contain priceless antiques; others are impressive new buildings constructed along tradi- tional Chinese architectural lines. Although each temple is normally dedicated to one major deity - occasionally two - it is usual to find the images of many deities in the same temple. Because Hong Kong's early history was centred around the sea, first for fishing and later for trade, the most popular deities are those connected with the sea and the weather. Tin Hau, the Queen of Heaven and Protector of Seafarers, is said to be worshipped by 250,000 people. There are at least 24 Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong, the first and most famous being the one at Fat Tong Mun in Joss House Bay. As a result of reclamation around the coastline, many of the Tin Hau temples which were originally built by the sea are now some distance inland.

Other leading deities include Kwun Yum, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy; Kwan Tai, the God of War and the source of righteousness; Pak Tai, Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven and local patron of Cheung Chau Island; Hung Shing, God of the South Seas and a weather prophet; and Wong Tai Sin, after whom an area of New Kowloon is named. The temple built in honour of Wong Tai Sin, around which a public housing estate has been constructed, is extremely popular. Dedicated to the Gods of Literary Attainment and Martial Valour, the Man Mo Temple in Hollywood Road, Western District, run by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, one of the largest and oldest of local charitable organisa- tions, is also popular and well-known.

Taoist and Buddhist organisations help to meet welfare, educational and medical needs in Hong Kong directly or by contributing to charitable organisations. Many temples have donation boxes to collect money for schools, hospitals or charities.