Description
Widely dubbed as the city where ‘east meets west,’ Hong Kong has much more of a unique identity than this label may suggest. Of course the combination of being a British colony and the gateway to the east role that Hong Kong fulfils does encourage a colourful mix of influences, but there is also a very strong cultural identity which you cannot fail to miss.
Religion
The main religion in Hong Kong is Buddhism, with most of the population actively following the teaching of the Buddha. However, within this number there are also a fair number of Taoists, who abide to the writings of Lao Tse, whose main legacy tells of the struggle between yin and yang, in search of balance.
In addition to the 600 temples devoted to these two faiths, Hong Kong also boats one of the world’s largest seated Buddha, which can be found on the island of Lantau at the
Po Lin Monastry. However, there also over half a million Christians in Hong Kong with a rough 50 per cent split between Protestants and Roman Catholics, although Catholicism was first of the two to make its mark on the city back in 1841.
Feng Shui and Tai Chi
Perhaps the most famous of all Hong Kong’s idiosyncrasies, feng shui, meaning literally ‘wind water,’ plays a hugely important role in the everyday life many of the city’s residents.
The practice of feng shui has its roots in the belief that in nature, every living thing has a kind of life force called qi, which is divided into yin and yang, the passive female part and the active male part. The trick of the feng shui masters is to ensure an even as possible balance between the two.
Anyone wanting to build a house will have to call in a master, to work out the best side to have the entrances, windows and other such things. The art of feng shui is taken very seriously by all in Hong Kong, not wishing to risk of having bad feng shui and therefore poor performance in business or general bad luck.
Many offices will not have entrances directly off the street, instead being round the corner to prevent evil spirits from gaining access to the building.
Tai chi (also known as tai qi or tai xi) again makes use of the qi force in all living forces, and tries to harness them through the execution of moves and positions.
Although a martial art, shadow boxing as it is sometimes called, does not promote actual bodily contact, rather control of one’s limbs with expert precision. The form attempts to master the control of breathing, for it is through respiratory exercises that qi is best balanced.
Festivals
Hong Kong has all manner of festivals all year round, with very different customs for each. Here are just a few, but whenever you visit, the chances are there will be some sort of celebration taking place.
The foremost festival has to be the Chinese New Year, which although has a different date every year, tends to be late January or early February. Dragon dancers and a massive fireworks display are just a couple of things that are normally on offer. Kung Hei Fat Choi!
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival takes place solely on the neighbouring island of Cheung Chau, a religious event that is held to appease the spirits of people killed by pirates in the area and by a catastrophic typhoon.
The Dragon Boat Festival, or the Tuen Ng (Double fifth, as it falls on the fifth day of the fifth moon) takes place in June, and sees crews row these enormous vessels to the cheers of excitable crowds.
The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the moon, so participants now eat moon cakes and gain a good vantage-point within the surrounding hills to welcome the new moon.
Superstitions
The Chinese zodiac forms an integral part of Hong Kong life. Like the Western symbols, the Hong Kong people also have twelve symbols, but theirs have yearly cycles as opposed to monthly. As with feng shui, the predictions forecast by the zodiac are linked to the Taoist theory of yin and yang, and the fluctuations of the male and female forces.
Fortune tellers are also a much famed part of Hong Kong culture. There are many street palmists who can offer an insight into what the future may hold, but for a more professional approach, you can visit a temple and use the fortune stick, letting the temple fortune teller interpret the sticks’ meaning.
Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine is a largely unknown concept in the West, with its roots lying in Chinese philosophy.
One of the many aspects to this alternative form of treatment includes a holistic approach to food, whereby each foodstuff is placed in one of the four natures: cold, hot, warm and cool and a balance of each is necessary for healthy living.
Acupuncture is probably the treatment that has the most successful transmission in to the western market, with many people using it as an aid for curing drug addiction and helping to reduce the pain of arthritis. There are around between three and four thousand registered acupuncturists in Hong Kong, although as it is not medically recognised, patients have needles inserted into their bodies at their own risk.
For further details on the cultural side, and for information on the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Cultural Kaleidoscope Programme, please call 020 7533 7100, or visit the award-winning website at www.DiscoverHongKong.com
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