Divided Hong Kong needs traditional Taoist values, says religion's leader in city
In the second of our series on key religious leaders, Taoist Association chief Leung Tak-wah says he aims to promote loyalty and kindness
A Taoist leader has vowed to step up promoting the religion's traditional values such as loyalty and tolerance, as he believes it is what is missing in a socially divided city such as Hong Kong.
Taoist Association chairman Leung Tak-wah said to achieve the goal he will continue to lobby the government for its support to set up a Taoist cultural centre in the New Territories, as a new home to the Chinese religion which will match the Wong Tai Sin Temple.
"As a religion, we need to better promote the Taoist principles. Taoism teaches people to develop the 'eight morals', such as loyalty, filial piety, kindness and righteousness. We need to promote these traditional cultural [values] so that our young people as well as middle-aged people can … [learn] not to go to the extreme, discuss with one another and show tolerance on everything," Leung said.
He suggested that Taoist teachings provide guidelines for contemporary followers and remind them to be "loyal to their nation, faithful to their families, and be just and kind citizens".
To reach out to young Hongkongers, he set up the Taoist Youth Group under the association last year. The group only has dozens of members now, but Leung hopes that one day it can match the 97,000-strong Scout Association.
Currently, there are more than 300 Taoist abbeys and temples in Hong Kong, including the Wong Tai Sin and Che Kung temples, but Leung said the association believes that a "Taoist culture centre" was missing in the city, and they want to build one in Ping Che, northern New Territories, as a landmark of the Taoist faith.