ENG-1994 — Page 423

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RELIGION AND CUSTOM

HONG KONG'S population comprises communities with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and every major faith is practised, in complete freedom.

Buddhist monasteries and Taoist temples co-exist with Christian churches, mosques, and Hindu and Sikh temples. Besides offering religious instruction, the major religious bodies have established schools and health and welfare facilities. Ancestral worship is also widely practised in Hong Kong as a result of the strong influence of Confucianism, which, though not a religion, teaches a moral code based on human relations.

Traditional Festivals

Many customs of the Hong Kong people are observed in their celebration of traditional Chinese festivals, which offer occasions for family union and feasting.

There are five major Chinese festivals, all of which are statutory public holidays. Foremost of these is the Lunar New Year which is celebrated in the first few days of the first moon, with visits and gifts being exchanged between friends and relatives and children receiving 'lucky' money.

The Ching Ming Festival in the spring is the traditional occasion for visiting ancestral graves. The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon in early summer. This festival, which was originally held in memory of an ancient Chinese poet who committed suicide by jumping into a river, has developed into a joyous event characterised by dragon boat races and the eating of rice dumplings cooked in lotus leaves. The Mid- Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth moon and gifts of mooncakes, fruit and wine are exchanged. Adults and children carry colourful lanterns to the parks and countryside at night to have a picnic supper and appreciate the full moon. The Chung Yeung Festival, on the ninth day of the ninth moon, is another occasion for visiting ancestral graves. Many people celebrate the festival by climbing hills in remembrance of an ancient Chinese family which fled to the top of a high mountain to escape plague and death.

Buddhism and Taoism

Buddhism and Taoism are the leading Chinese religions and have large followings in Hong Kong. The number of active Buddhists is estimated at between 650 000 and 700 000.

There are over 350 Chinese temples in the territory. Some are centuries old and were built by fishermen or early settlers.

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