Customs and Culture of Sha Tin District

Because the majority of Chinese residents in Hong Kong are of Cantonese ancestry, most Hong Kong people speak Cantonese, but in a slightly different way from the mainland, with a lot of Hong Kong slang mixed in. For historical reasons, English has been the official language of Hong Kong for many years, and most of the younger educated generation can respond in English, and it is popular to mix English with Cantonese. In recent years, Putonghua has become increasingly popular in Hong Kong, and the number of Putonghua-speaking residents has been on the rise. after Hong Kong's reunification with China on July 1, 1997, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the executive authorities, the legislature and the judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may, in addition to the use of the Chinese language, continue to use the English language. There is freedom of religion in Hong Kong and almost all the major religions of the world are practised in Hong Kong. The Chinese in Hong Kong mainly believe in Buddhism and Taoism, and the majority of them "believe in God". Although they have inherited traditional religious beliefs and customs, they do not have the consciousness or concept of being religious. People generally worship their ancestors and the gods of the land. On the first and fifteenth day of the month, they must offer incense or light "candle lamps", and on happy occasions and traditional festivals they will also pay homage, and there are also many people who go to temples to pray to the gods and goddesses for good luck or to ask for a sign.

According to the Chinese Temples Ordinance, all temples in Hong Kong must be registered. According to statistics, there are more than 360 temples in Hong Kong***, 40 public*** temples and 24 Tin Hau temples. As Hong Kong is near the sea, there are many people engaged in fishing and shipping, so among the temples, the one dedicated to the most is Tin Hau. It is said that Tin Hau, surnamed Lin and a native of Fujian, sacrificed her life to save fishermen and was later worshipped by fishermen and seafarers as a guardian deity. There are said to be 250,000 believers. Among the Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong, the one at Fat Tong Mun in Tai Miu Wan is the most prestigious.

The annual Tin Hau Festival on March 23 of the lunar calendar is one of the grandest traditional festivals in Hong Kong. Other gods worshipped in the temples include Kwun Yum, Pak Tai and Kwan Tai. Many stores also have Kwan Tai shrines for blessings.

The customs of traditional Chinese festivals such as the Spring Festival, Ching Ming, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Chung Yeung Festival are basically the same as those on the mainland. The government has also enacted statutory holidays to make it easier for people to celebrate the festivals and return to their hometowns. In addition, such as the burning of clothes (Yu Lan Festival, the 14th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar), Tanabata (Beggar's Day), Kwun Yum Festival, Master's Festival, Tin Hau Festival, etc., traditional activities to honor the gods are held, which are so lively that they are classified as grand programs for tourists.

Located at the pivotal position where the two major civilizations of the East and the West mingle and spread, Hong Kong is an urban entity where the cultures of the East and the West are cleverly and warmly combined. Even in the bustling downtown, the folkways and customs of traditional Chinese culture have been preserved to this day. For example, when giving gifts, it is forbidden to give bells (for the end of life), books (for losing) and blankets (for suppressing wealth). Gambling horse mahjong, taboo people to borrow money, take money. Doing business, the first must hope that the transaction, more price reduction is also not hesitate to avoid guests bargaining and do not buy. In addition, the people of Hong Kong are quite superstitious, in addition to the God to seek a sign, Feng Shui Palm such as the prevalence of belief in the reincarnation of gods and ghosts is also not lacking in their people, the taboo is not auspicious homophonic words are also quite powerful.