In the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of the handover, we profile people for whom the date has special significance
Showing each other love and compassion is the only way for Hongkongers to fight suffering if economic downturn and social trouble returns to the city, says a Tibetan lama.
The Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche, a respected teacher of the faith and a prominent tulku - reincarnated lama - of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, also said that despite the improved economy, the city's people had become more religious in the 10 years since the handover.
In an interview during an annual visit to Hong Kong to lead a retreat ahead of today's Buddha's Birthday festival, Thrangu Rinpoche said he was happy to see the people emerging from the difficult times brought about by the economic downturn and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome.
'Generally it seems right now, in terms of the economy, it's actually a pretty good time in Hong Kong,' he said through an interpreter.
A Tibetan native who left for India after Beijing took control of Tibet in 1959, Thrangu Rinpoche has a special relationship with Hong Kong.
In 1985, he founded the Thrangu Vajrayana Buddhist Centre in Hung Hom, and was among the pioneers preaching Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism in a city which is more familiar with Mahayana Buddhism.