Tin Hau and Taoist Ties
Over the centuries, the deity Tin Hau became central to local life as many inhabitants lived along the coast and their livelihoods were often connected to fishing and sailing. It is this rich history of coastal habitation that defined people's interactions with higher powers since their religious beliefs were tailored to fit their needs. In this case, the ocean was a central part of many lives and an unpredictable one at that. As a deity who exerted control over the sea and demonstrated compassion toward sailors and sea-men, Tin Hau also lay at the center of many lives and became an iconic part of their daily routine. She was not only a religious figure but a cultural icon, for her entire stake as a deity was reliant on her relevance to daily life in these fishing villages. We can still see her presence today through the multitude of temples in her name across the city.
Historically, Tin Hau temples are not as old as Buddhist legends in the area, which date back to the 5th century (The Hong Kong Story). However, her strength as a regional icon is dependent on the even longer history of coastal living in Hong Kong. Furthermore, Taoism had likely come into the area with the influx of Han Chinese long before Tin Hau's legend had even begun. With this in mind, we once again see how population movements are inherently linked to religious influences, as with people came ideas. In this case, Tin Hau acts as a symbol of localized religion while Taoism comes as a cultural tradition from China, a piece that Han Chinese immigrants carried with them.
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