In an ageing Hong Kong, religious groups put faith in youth

As Hong Kong’s population ages, it is not only the government and political groups that face a challenge to keep themselves young, religious organisations are reaching out to younger people through tailored activities and by setting up youth groups.

Hong Kong Taoist Association chairman Leung Tak-wah said to promote values such as loyalty and tolerance among the young, the association set up the Taoist Youth Group last year. It only had a few dozen members now, but Leung hoped it could match the 97,000-strong Scout Association one day.

“In the past year, they served in different districts by volunteering in community activities or Taoist temples … and members invited their friends to join the group,” he said. “We hope one day they can be like the Scouts and set up branches in different districts.”

Leung said there were at least a million Taoists in the city, but their exact demographics were unclear.

According to the government, there are 40 Taoist schools and kindergartens in Hong Kong, and the association runs 16 of them. Leung said those schools only held two classes a year specifically for Taoist teaching because Taoism was not in the government’s curriculum.

Confucian groups face a more difficult task as the Confucian Academy and Confucius Hall run only two secondary schools and a primary school. The academy’s president, Tong Yun-kai, said it was sad to see hundreds of Christian schools but only a few founded on traditional Chinese values.