CULTURE & CUSTOMS On one hand traces of British culture can be found everywhere as a result of former colonial rule. On the other hand, Hong Kong preserves traditional customs and the core values of Confucianism that have faded in Mainland China. This is reflected in its colorful festivals ranging from Spring Festival to Christmas. Social Relations It is a very common culture for Chinese people to maintain or develop their social network and relations through exchanging gifts. When people meet out of expectation, some Chinese people may refer it to "Yuanfen", a Buddhist-related concept.Giving Face Giving Face Another important concept in Chinese social relations, is "Face". It refers to two separate yet related concepts, Mianzi and Lianzi, representing "the confidence of society in one's moral character" and "the social perceptions of one's prestige" respectively. A loss of Lian would result in a loss of trust within a social network, while a loss of Mianzi would result in a loss of authority. To avoid conflict, however, Chinese in general will avoid causing another person to lose face by bringing up embarrassing facts in public.Feng Shui Feng Shui " Feng Shui" literally means "Wind and Water", which was founded in China several thousand years ago. It is a special Chinese tradition in architecture, from site selection, designing, construction and interior and exterior decorating in ancient times. The basic principle of this ancient Eastern science combines the trinity of the Heaven, the Earth and humans, and seeks harmony between selected site, orienting, natural doctrine and human fate. Nowadays, many people in Hong Kong still believe in Feng Shui, and this theory was even merged with modern interior design. Lucky Numbers Six, Eight and Nine are considered lucky numbers among Chinese people, since their homophones have auspicious meanings. Six, pronounced "Liu" in Chinese, implies that everything about you will go smoothly. Eight was originally deemed auspicious by the Cantonese, as it is read as "Fa" in Cantonese, which means "To make a great fortune". Nine, pronounced as "Jiu", implies "Everlasting", especially in friendship and marriage. Four and Seven are unlucky numbers which people would try to avoid, as they imply "Death" and "Gone" respectively. Cantonese Opera Unlike anything you have heard in your life, "Yuet Kek" (Cantonese Opera) is in acoustic and visual realm of its own. It is one of the major Chinese Opera categories, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture in late 13th century. Most of the plots are based on Chinese History, famous Classical Literature and myths, involving music, singing, martial arts, acrobatics and acting. These operas praise especially the virtues like loyalty, moral, love, patriotism and faithfulness, and can be used as a medium to deliver messages or lessons. If you fancy knowing more about this wonderful culture, you could visit Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall in Hong Kong Heritage Museum.