Religion in Hong Kong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Demographics and Culture of Hong Kong
Census     Hongkongers         Indigenous inhabitants
Education     Languages         Hong Kong Cantonese         Hong Kong English     Public holidays     Religion         Places of worship
Architecture     Art     Cinema     Cuisine     Music     Literature     Internet culture     MTR culture of Hong Kong
Other Hong Kong topics
Economy - Education Geography - History - Politics Hong Kong Portal

Religion in Hong Kong is part and parcel of the culture of Hong Kong. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. It is protected by the Basic Law and relevant legislation. There is a large variety of religious groups in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism. All of these groups have a considerable number of adherents. Apart from offering religious instructions, many major religious bodies have established schools and provided social welfare facilities.

Contents 1 Buddhism and Taoism 2 Confucianism 3 Christianity 3.1 The Roman Catholic community 3.2 The Protestant community 4 The Muslim community 5 The Hindu community 6 The Sikh community 7 The Jewish community 8 Traditional and religious festivals 9 See also

[edit] Buddhism and Taoism

Buddhism, an Indian Religion and Taoism, a traditional Chinese religion, have a considerable number of adherents in Hong Kong and there are more than 600 temples in the HKSAR. The history of some of these temples can be traced back to more than 700 years ago, while some others have been built in recent years. Notable temples include the Wong Tai Sin Temple located in the Wong Tai Sin District in Kowloon. This popular temple is dedicated to the Taoist deity, Wong Tai Sin. Besides that, the Chi Nin Nunnery in Diamond Hill is a group of temple structures in Tang Dynasty's architectural style. It is now open to the public following the completion of its redevelopment in 2000. The Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island is famous for the outdoor bronze statue, Tian Tan Buddha, which attracts a large number of visitors during the weekends and holidays.

[edit] Confucianism

Main article: Confucianism in Hong Kong

Strictly speaking a philosophy rather than a religion, Confucianism is a belief in the teachings of Confucius who lived in ancient China from 551 to 479 B.C. His teachings were based on moral code for human relations with emphasis on the importance of tradition and rites. He was one of the most eminent thinkers of the time, a great sage and educator whose philosophy has deeply influenced the political, economic and social systems of China. He has also been hailed as an exemplary mentor for all ages. The major festival of Confucianism is Confucius' Birthday that falls on the 27th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Confucians in Hong Kong have been deeply involved in education. They run a number of local schools with an objective of promoting the teachings of Confucius.

[edit] Christianity

[edit] The Roman Catholic community

Main article: Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong

The Roman Catholic Church in Hong Kong was established as a Mission Prefecture in 1841 and as an Apostolic Vicariate in 1874. It became a diocese in 1946. About 239 400 Hong Kong residents are Catholics. They are served by 309 priests, 60 brothers and 519 sisters. There are 52 parishes, comprising 40 churches, 30 chapels and 28 halls for religious service. Services are conducted in Cantonese, with three-fifths of the parishes providing services in English and in Tagalog in some cases. The diocese has established its own administrative structure while maintaining close links with the Pope and other Catholic communities around the world. It has the same creed, Scripture, liturgy and organisation as the other culture communities world wide. The assistant secretary-general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference has his office in Hong Kong. Along with its apostolic work, one of the prime concerns of the diocese has been for the well-being of all the people of Hong Kong. In education, there are 320 Catholic schools and kindergartens which have about 286 000 pupils. There is the Catholic Board of Education to assist in this area. The medical and social services include six hospitals, 15 clinics, 13 social centres, 15 hostels, 12 homes for the aged, 15 rehabilitation service centres and many self-help clubs and associations. Caritas is the official social welfare arm of the Roman Catholic Church in Hong Kong. These services are open to all people. Indeed, 95 per cent of those who have benefited from the wide range of services provided by the diocese are not Catholics. To reach people through the media, the diocese publishes two weekly newspapers, Kung Kao Po and The Sunday Examiner. In addition, the Diocesan Audio-Visual Centre produces tapes and films for use in schools and parishes and, overall, the Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office acts as an information and public relations channel for the diocese.

[edit] The Protestant community

Main article: Protestantism in Hong Kong

, see also Sheng Kung Hui

The presence of the Protestant community dates back to 1841. About 300 000 Protestant Christians live in Hong Kong. The Protestant Church is made up of over 1 300 congregations in more than 50 denominations. The Baptists form the largest denomination followed by the Lutherans. Other major denominations are Adventists, Anglicans, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Church of Christ in China, Methodist, Pentecostal and Salvation Army. With their emphasis on youth work, many congregations have a high proportion of young people. The Protestant churches are also deeply involved in education, health care and social welfare. Protestant organisations operate three post-secondary institutions: Chung Chi College at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and Lingnan University. They run 144 secondary schools, 192 primary schools, 273 kindergartens and 116 nurseries. In addition, they operate 16 theological seminaries and Bible institutes,16 Christian publishing houses and 57 Christian bookshops. They run seven hospitals with 3 749 beds, 18 clinics and 59 social service organisations that provide a wide range of social services incl uding 227 community and youth centres, 74 day care centres, 17 children’s homes, 35 homes for the elderly, 106 elderly centres, two schools for the blind and deaf, 47 training centres for the mentally handicapped and 15 camp sites. Five international hotel-type guest houses are managed by the YMCA and YWCA. The church supports emergency relief and development projects in Third World countries. Two weekly newspapers are published, The Christian Weekly and The Christian Times. Two ecumenical bodies facilitate co-operative work among the Protestant churches in Hong Kong. The older one, dating from 1915, is the Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union. The second co-operative body is the Hong Kong Christian Council, formed in 1954. Major mainline denominations and ecumenical services constitute the membership core of the council, which is committed to building closer relationships among all churches in Hong Kong as well as with churches overseas, and to stimulating local Christians to play an active part in the development of Hong Kong society.

[edit] The Muslim community

Main article: Islam in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has about 20 000 Muslims. The majority are Chinese, with the rest mainly from Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Middle Eastern and African countries. Four principal masjids are used daily for prayers. The oldest is the Shelley Street Masjid on Hong Kong Island, which was built in the 1840s and rebuilt in 1915. The Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre in Nathan Road, opened in 1984, can accommodate about 3 500 worshippers. The Masjid and Islamic Centre at Oi Kwan Road in Wan Chai was opened in September 1981 and can accommodate a congregation of more than 700 worshippers. The Cape Collinson Muslim Cemetery also has a masjid. The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong co-ordinates religious affairs and manages masajid and Muslim cemeteries in Hong Kong. The constituent bodies of the Trustees are the Islamic Union of Hong Kong, the Pakistan Association, the Indian Muslim Association and the Dawoodi Bohra Association. Charitable work among the Muslim community, including financial aid to the needy, medical care, educational assistance, the provision of an Islamic kindergarten and assistance for the aged, is conducted through various Muslim organisations in Hong Kong.

[edit] The Hindu community

Main article: Hinduism in Hong Kong

The religious and social activities of Hong Kong’s 15 000-strong Hindu community are centred at the Hindu temple in Happy Valley. The Hindu Association of Hong Kong is responsible for the upkeep of the temple, which is also used for meditation periods, spiritual lectures, yoga classes and other community activities as well as the observance of major Hindu festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, etc. Naming, engagement and marriage ceremonies are performed at the temple according to Hindu rites. Devotional music sessions and religious discourses are held every Sunday morning and Monday evening. The Sunday sessions are followed by a free community meal. The Hindu Temple is an approved place of worship for the performance of marriages under the Marriage Ordinance. Other important services rendered by the temple include administration of last rites, arrangements for cremation and related ceremonies and the general upkeep of the Hindu crematorium at Cape Collinson.

[edit] The Sikh community

Main article: Sikhism in Hong Kong

The Sikhs are perhaps one of Hong Kong’s most colourful minorities. Like all Gurdwaras, the temple in Wan Chai provides free meals and short-term accommodation to overseas visitors of any faith. The main holy days and festivals observed are the birthdays of Guru Nanak (founder of the faith), Guru Gobind Singh (the 10th Guru) and Baisakhi (birthday of all Sikhs). The Sikhs originally came to Hong Kong from the Punjab, in North India, as part of the British Armed Forces in the 19th century. Because of their generally strong physique, they also formed a large segment of the Hong Kong Police Force before World War II.

[edit] The Jewish community

Main article: Judaism in Hong Kong

With a history dating back to the 1840s, Hong Kong’s Jewish community, comprising families from various parts of the world, worships at three main congregations. Daily services are held at the Ohel Leah Synagogue (Orthodox), Sabbath and festival services at the United Jewish Congregation of Hong Kong (Reform). Both are located in the same residential complex in Robinson Road, Hong Kong Island. Daily services are also held at the Chabad Lubavitch shul based in the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, Central and in Kehilat Zion - Hechal Ezra (Sephardi) in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Ohel Leah Synagogue was built in 1901 on land given by Sir Jacob Sassoon and his family and includes a Mikvah (ritual bath). There is also a Jewish Cemetery at Happy Valley, a historical site in Hong Kong. The site adjoining the Ohel Leah Synagogue, now containing a residential complex, also houses the Jewish Community Centre which serves all three congregations. The centre offers its 650 member families and visiting Jewish guests supervised kosher dining and banquet, cultural and recreational facilities as well as a specialist library covering all aspects of Judaica. The centre functions as the focal point of social and cultural life for a growing Jewish community.

[edit] Traditional and religious festivals

Related topics: Traditional Chinese holidays, Public holidays in Hong Kong

There are five major festivals in the Chinese calendar, with the Lunar New Year being the most important. Gifts and visits are exchanged among friends and relatives and children receive lai see, or ‘lucky money’. During the Ching Ming Festival in spring, ancestral graves are visited. In early summer (fifth day of the fifth lunar month), the Tuen Ng Festival is celebrated with dragon boat races and by eating cooked glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaves. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Gifts of mooncakes, wine and fruit are exchanged and adults and children go into parks and the countryside at night with colourful lanterns. Chung Yeung is on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, when many visit their ancestors’ graves or hike up mountains in remembrance of an ancient Chinese family’s escape from plague and death by fleeing to a mountain top. Apart from the above traditional festivals, quite a number of important religious festivals, including Good Friday, Easter, Buddha's Birthday and Christmas, have been listed as public holidays. Adherents hold special celebration or memorial ceremonies on these occasions.

[edit] See also

• Bun Festival
• Culture of Hong Kong
• Places of worship in Hong Kong
• Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South-East Asia