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Chinese Culture in Hong Kong
Chinese Culture that you can see in Daily Life
- Worshipping ancestors
Chinese people believe that after someone is dead, they will go to a
different life and they still need clothes to wear, money to spend.
That's why you can see shops selling big pile of paper money, paper clothes
and many other accessories plus lots of joss sticks. Some people offer
joss sticks to their ancestors every day at home.
On Ching Ming Festival and Chung Yeung Festival, people go grave sweeping
and offer more paper necessities to their ancestors.
-
 God
of Earth
Symbol for God of earth is always placed on the ground. If you see a
red box or red board with writing on the ground outside a shop, that's the
god of earth. He will make sure that no evil spirit will go into the
place he guards.
- Kwan Gon - God of justice
Kwan Gon or Kwan Tai is widely worshipped. No matter you own a shop, a
restaurant, whether you are a policeman or mafia, you will seek help from
Kwan Gon. (I always wonder which side can Kwan Gon help when both the
police and mafia ask for help! :-)
 Kwan
Gon is a real person in ancient Chinese history and he's very brave and fair
admiral. People admire his ability and fairness and turn him into god.
Because he's a real person, his altar normally has his statue rather than
just a board like god of earth. The easiest way to identify Kwan Gon
is his red face.
You will find Kwan Gon's altar on the wall and above eye level so that you
look up on him.
- Not quite a temple
 Sometimes
in rural areas like outlying islands or northern part of New Territories,
you may come across some constructions that's not a full size temple.
Like this one in near Murray House in Stanley Market is worshipping the god
of earth and possibly more Taoist gods (because there are several statues
inside) and it's about 3 foot high.
- Temples
 There
are temples everywhere, in urban area, in rural area, you don't have to
travel very long for one.
You can find Tin Hau's temple by the sea because she looks after the
fishermen and people in the sea. Tin Hau's birthday is a big event for
fishermen in Hong Kong.
The famous big Buddha in Lantau island is Buddhism while most other temples
are probably Taoist.
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