The Continuance of Chinese Customs in Hong Kong
1.Chinese Customs under British Rule
In 1841, Hong Kong Island became a British colony. The British declared that the Chinese inhabitants could uphold their traditions, with the exception of tortures. The British emphasized that the Chinese residents could continue their religions activities and traditional social practices.
In other words, the people in Hong Kong enjoyed the freedom of religions. But because Hong Kong was a colony and faced rapid transformations, the religious practices experienced changes.
In 1928, a law was passed which stipulated that temples must be registered with the government. This law shows that the government could intervene in religious practices through legal means.
In 2003, in order to prevent fire hazard, burning paper offerings in staircases and other pubic space in the modern private residential estates and the public housing estates is prohibited. It is therefore less convenient for the people to burn paper offerings
