Culture
Hong Kong is a fusion of many cultures. Remnants of its colonial past and the British culture and values, share space with the Chinese tradition. It's amazing to notice the gray Confucian temples edging against the western style churches. The traditional Chinese festivals are celebrated along with Christmas. Chinese opera and Canto-pop Music lead a peaceful co-existence. Hong Kong is a land of ferocious contrasts. Beneath the ornate exterior of the impressive skyline and lighting-paced lifestyle beats the heart of old Hong Kong. CEOs, entrepreneurs light joss sticks at home and worship in front of a Buddha in temples for good luck and wealth.
The People
Most Hong Kong ethnic Chinese people naturally lean toward eastern culture, because demographically they are the majority. Many, though, have adopted western ways with substantial numbers still adhering to Chinese traditions. On various social aspects, the bottom-line Chinese values of "family solidarity", "courtesy" and "saving face" carry significant weight in the culture. Heavy influence is derived from Cantonese culture from the neighbouring province of Guangdong. There are also substantial communities of Hakka, Fukien, Teochiu and Shanghainese people. On the contrary, people have long been referred to by their origin in China. It wasn't until 1970 when terms like "Hongkongese" were invented. Overall the background of Hong Kong Chinese born after 1965 can be classified as westernized, since they have been influenced by liberal western cultural symbols.
Superstition and Belief
Despite the relatively modernized way of life, Chinese superstition still plays an integral part of the culture. Concepts like Fung shui are taken quite seriously. Expensive construction projects often include the hiring of consultants, that are believed to make or break a business. Numbers in Chinese culture also play a role in people's everyday life. Numbers like "4" (because of its similarity to the Chinese word for "(to) die") are avoided at all cost. Other rituals like not using scissors on Chinese New Year are still around.
Chinese Festivals
The festivals are among the best ways to experience the unique culture of this modern East-meets-West destination. Some of the well-known Chinese traditional festivals in Hong Kong are Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn (Moon Cake) Festival. These major festivals are colourful and noisy affairs, at which thousands upon thousands of people turn out to join the celebrations. Experiencing a major Chinese festival in Hong Kong is an enchanting and mesmerising adventure. Fireworks, festive feasting, lion and dragon dancers, incense smoke, Chinese opera, mah jong, fortune-telling, carnivals and parades come together in a variety of combinations to create a uniquely festive atmosphere seen nowhere else in the world.
The table below lists the most important Chinese festivals in Hong Kong. These are the days when families do re-unions and have some sort of celebration. Most of the Chinese festivals follow the lunar calendar, except the Ching Ming Festival and the Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice) Festival. Dong Zhi is the shortest day of the year is almost always the 22nd of December each year. Ching Ming is around 106 days after Dong Zhi.
| Lunar Month | Festival | Lunar Date | Western Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2010 | |||
| 1st Moon | Chinese New Year | Day 1 | Jan 26 | Feb 14 |
| Spring Lantern Festival | Day 15 | Feb 9 | Feb 28 | |
| 3rd Moon | Ching Ming Festival | Apr 4 | Apr 5 | |
| 5th Moon | Dragon Boat Festival | Day 5 | May 28 | Jun 16 |
| 8th Moon | Mid-Autumn Festival | Day 15 | Oct 3 | Sep 22 |
| 9th Moon | Chung Yeung Festival | Day 9 | Oct 26 | Oct 16 |
| 11th Moon | Dong Zhi(Winter Solstice) Festival | Dec 22 | Dec 22 | |
