I just want to share these few sentences from an interview with an elderly Catholic devotee in Hong Kong, expressing his views on Catholicism in the mainland (I did rewrite it a little, just to make it more understandable): Sometimes I go visit the underground church in Fujian province [red.: the Catholic Church is China…

One of the most famous temples in Hong Kong is Wong Tai Sin Temple, a Taoist/Buddhist temple named after a loyal Chinese general. I have visited the temple on numerous occasions already, but only last week did I have the opportunity to sit down with the temple abbot to talk about the temple, the visitors that…

To honor your ancestors, you can offer them flowers, paper goods (such as money, houses, cars, mobile phones, Louise Viton or Prada bags, even domestic helpers), or food. The main importance is that you offer things that the deceased would like; something he or she would be very happy to have in the afterlife. And…

As an anthropologist, you have to be creative in the way you obtain your data. Only interviewing people is not enough. Otther, more creative ways, may be very tiredsome, and they might lead to nothing. But at least you would have tried. And the mere absence of the thing that interests you is also a…

In late August this year, I visited Wong Tai Sin Temple for the first time. Outside the gates of the temple were many people holding up banners. The small banners were from people that supported the religious movement of Falun Gong, a movement that is branded as a “cult” in the mainland and therefore banned;…

Last night, I was present at an Interfaith Dialogue, which covered the question of the relation between religion and human rights as set forth in the Declaration of Human Rights (1948). On stage were a Buddhist monk, and the leaders and scholars of the three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) – seven people in…

Sometimes, it is so difficult to know what the rules are for meeting other people. Usually, I just follow what other people are doing – but it’s hard when these other people are not around. I walk up the stairs to the second floor, a little bit sweaty. The Thai Buddhist meditation center is further…

I am walking back from a long, but interesting evening. I was the last evening in the course for people who want to be baptized or confirmed into the local Anglican church. Tonight was their opportunity for asking questions, which the three present fathers tried to answer. Many interesting questions came up, mainly with regards…

I am back from 3 days Guangzhou – the city where I have lived for six weeks in July and August. Leaving from and returning to Hong Kong made me realize the differences between the two cities even more. There are differences in the amount of space, mentality, education, even language. Hong Kong and Guangzhou…

I decide to take the bus back to Hong Kong Island instead of the MTR. Reason: I want to look outside, see the many harbours of Hong Kong, the sea, the mountains, the houses and the people. So I look outside. I have freely chosen to take the bus, and while riding it, I am free…