bMEZgi9

mailbag
Mr. Know-It-All’s Guide to Life
Dear Mr. Know-It-All,
Christmas is coming up! Aside from all the presents and the mall
decorations, is there anything more to Christianity in Hong Kong
– Christian Soldier
There are 854,000 Catholics and Protestants of the Communist Party, and you begin
in Hong Kong, about 12 percent of the
to understand why the CCP gets antsy
population. What’s interesting is the role around religion, and why there’s a sense
that this percentage has played in Hong that religious freedoms must be protected
Kong, particularly in the fight against Beijing. as much as personal ones.
Given the Catholic Church’s reputation as
How did it all get started The history of
a hide-bound organism resistant to change, Christianity in Hong Kong is, as you’d expect,
it’s surprising that Christianity has had such largely the work of the British. In China,
a prominent voice in our city’s opposition. it’s a different, more interesting story.
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun has
The arrival of Christianity in China
long been an outspoken supporter of
comes almost entirely down to one man:
human rights and political freedom, using Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci. In 1583
his considerable platform to act as a
Ricci traveled from Macau to the city of
notable pro-democratic voice. Pro-dem Zhaoqing, in northern Guangzhou. There,
grandees Anson Chan and Martin Lee are Ricci studied Chinese language, literature
both Catholic, as is Next Media’s Jimmy and culture, and spread the word of God.
Lai. (Although so is ex-CE Donald Tsang: In 1601 he became the first westerner to
and then there’s the ultra-conservative be invited into the Forbidden City, thanks to
Society for Truth and Light, which decries his fame as a man of science. Ricci used his
masturbation, cursing and homosexuality.) position to preach to the literati of Beijing.
Occupy Central founder Benny Tai is a Seeing a common thread in Confucianism
committed Christian, and OC co-founder and Christianity, he strove to present the
Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, of the Chai Wan latter as the culmination of the ideas of
Baptist Church, made his bones by helping the former.
student leaders to flee China after the
But there’s one other synthesis of east
1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Student and west for which this displaced Catholic
leader Joshua Wong is an evangelical
should be known. In 1602, at the behest
Christian who credits his faith as one of of the Wanli Emperor, Ricci combined his
his prime motivations.
knowledge of the lands of Europe and
Why is there this level of Christian America with his hosts’ knowledge of Asia,
involvement in the suffrage debate It
to create the Chinese-language “Map of
comes down to two things, of course: first, the Ten Thousand Countries of the World.”
the idea that human rights are largely in It was one of the great collaborations of
line with the Christian ethos. Second, that history: a map that drew on the combined
Beijing is largely hostile to western religion, expertise and art of east and west, and
despite the growing number of Christians turned them into a far greater whole. It was
within China: One study estimates 100 one of the earliest acts of globalization,
million Christians in the motherland.
a statement that humanity was vaster than
Compare that to the 86.7 million members empires. Not a bad legacy for a Jesuit priest.
Our tablet app: Out Now!
“ Is HK Magazine this out of sync
with its readership”
Umbrella Angst
In our “Welcome to Umbrella Land” feature
[Nov 21, issue 1071], we explored the creative
corners of the protest zone, including the Lennon
Wall and the urban farm in the middle of the city.
Here’s what our Facebook fans had to say.
Okay, maybe the Lennon thing is cool, but
everything else is just trash. Trash that needs
to be cleaned up so the majority of us can get
back to our regular lives. Is HK Magazine this out
of sync with its readership You guys do know
the majority of HK is fed up with this and would
rather see these kids and so called art gone from
their lives But then again you guys are probably
a bunch of expats with no real roots to this place.
This is beautiful!
Tiger Thai
Very inspiring!
Alison Farr
Performance Review
Our Facebook fans had mixed feelings
about Adam White’s film review of “John Wick”
[Nov 14, issue 1070].
Adam White writes the best movie reviews ever.
Caroline F. Ward
Do you know
what I know
Your Carols for the Winter Months:
Mr. Know-It-All answers your questions and quells your urban concerns.
Send queries, troubles or problems to mrkia@hkmagmedia.com.
#PrivateEyeHK
Jason Wong
Please, just pack up and leave. I for one am tired
of seeing kids occupying public area. What they
are asking is unrealistic and they are causing
financial damage for many residents.
Ken Iwaki
This is hands down one of the worst movies
of the year. Who actually writes these reviews
Oh, it’s the same person who brought to us
the oh-so-witty “HK tour with CY Leung” and
the masterpiece “How to be a HK hipster”.
Grow up.
Shani Co-n
Write in and Win!
Got something to say Write us! Our letter of
the week will receive a $500 voucher to spend at
Seasalt, valid for dinner Monday through Friday.
23 Mosque St., Mid-Levels, 2790-7211,
www.seasalt.com.hk. Follow Seasalt
on FB: tiny.cc/hk-seasalt.
The Boy in the Bubble
Photo by Adam White
6 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014