Father Charlie Dittmeier, who taught for twelve years at the Roman Catholic Caritas Magdalene School for the deaf in Hong Kong, writes that "Asking a HK [Hong Kong] Chinese person what religion he belongs to often draws a blank because they don't think of themselves as 'belonging' to a group. Instead they are just doing those practices, which others describe as religious, which are a traditional part of Chinese culture." A couple of days of walking around Hong Kong would indeed confirm Dittmeier's observation; the people embrace a great variety of religious practices, from Buddhism and Taoism to traditional folk beliefs based on local legends and ancient superstitions.

Combining Many Beliefs

Daily life in Hong Kong reflects the people's traditional Chinese religious culture. Most people set up small shrines in their apartments to pay tribute to their ancestors. Small shrines can be found outside, too, in alleyways and...