CULTURE
Most of
the Hong Kong Chinese are either Buddhists or Taoists. There are
more than 600 temples outside Hong Kong, built in residential
areas.
With a nominal fee, you can have your fortune told at some of
these temples. Worshippers during festivities who light joss sticks
to ward off evil spirits crowd these temples.
Opera
is an important part of Chinese culture for hundreds of years.
Certain shows in rural areas can last anywhere from 3 - 4 hours
to five days.
The music played in Chinese opera is too, somewhat interesting
to people outside the societal boundary. The Chinese use a lot
of glittering costumes and heavy makeup is applied on the faces
of the actors/actresses.
The ancient
Hong Kong can be revisited through the country's museums. Many
of the exhibits highlight local history, Chinese arts, and crafts.
A 2,000-year-old tomb, traditional hardwood furniture, ancient
Chinese ceramics, and classic lithographs are all available for
you to witness. The museums are clean, most are air-conditioned
with free admission. Truly a great way to rediscover ancient Hong
Kong.
There
are also abundance of Chinese festivals throughout the year all
over Hong Kong.
These events have attracted a lot of visitors to come and see
the Birthday of Tin Hau (goddess of the sea), Tuen Ng - Dragon
Boat Festival - (in June), the Bun Festival on Cheung Chau Island,
the Mid-Autumn Festival filled with sparkling lantern displays,
and Chinese (Lunar) New Year for that spectacular display of fireworks
in Victoria Harbour.
