Religion and Beliefs
A large variety of religious groups are present in Hong Kong, including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism. Freedom of religion is protected by the Basic Law and relevant legislation. However, the majority of people in Hong Kong (57%) are atheist. For the elderly population, Chinese Folk Religion plays an integral part of the culture. Unlucky sayings are considered offensive, and many people travel yearly to the cemetery on Ching Ming festival to honour the memory of their ancestors. There are several major shrines in Hong Kong, and many smaller shrines to the local Gods and Goddesses of the earth line the streets. Objects like bagua mirror are still used regularly to shield evils. Numbers in Chinese culture also play a role in people's everyday life. Numbers like "4" (because of its similarity to the Chinese word for "(to) die") are avoided when possible by believers. Chinese New Year is also the most important celebration in the Hong Kong culture.
A significant number of Hong Kongers are Christians or Catholics. Other religions, such as Hindu and Islam, are also practiced by the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.
Read more about this topic: Culture Of Hong Kong
Famous quotes containing the words religion and, religion and/or beliefs:
“... the average Catholic perceives no connection between religion and morality, unless it is a question of someone else’s morality.”
—Mary McCarthy (1912–1989)
“This religion takes away the courage of thinking of unusual things and prohibits self-examination above all as the most egregious of sins.... It is one step away from protestantism.”
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“Children demand that their heroes should be fleckless, and easily believe them so: perhaps a first discovery to the contrary is less revolutionary shock to a passionate child than the threatened downfall of habitual beliefs which makes the world seem to totter for us in maturer life.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)