Berkley Center

The most surprising thing for me when I arrived at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was the lack of diversity in religious organizations on campus. I had often heard of Hong Kong's diversity and was caught off guard when I saw that this did not extend to its universities. Although there are Christian organizations on campus such as the CUHK Campus Crusade for Christ, I miss the presence of the various religious organizations I feel at Georgetown. This was most apparent during Ramadan. Ramadan at Georgetown is relatively quiet, and Leo's is still open during the day. However, if you are in the Muslim Students Association (MSA), a friend of the MSA, or you have been to one of the daily iftars hosted by a different GU club, the spirit of Ramadan can be felt. Here, however, there is no MSA. There is no organized Jum'ah (Friday prayer) or iftar dinner during Ramadan. The only time I have seen a hijab (yes, one hijab) on campus was when there was a lecture by a prominent Muslim speaker. So far, on a campus with a staff of 5,200, an undergraduate population of 10,000, and approximately 2,000 research postgraduate students, I have met a total of four Muslims, three of whom are postgraduates. None of them are Hong Kong natives.

It seems that most Muslims in Hong Kong are immigrants. Although there are very few Muslims at CUHK, there are over 80,000 Muslims in Hong Kong itself, four mosques on Hong Kong Island, and one mosque in Kowloon. Despite Hong Kong's international reputation, I think that its proximity to Southeast Asia influences its Muslim immigrant population. In contrast with Georgetown, it is much more common to see Muslims from Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. This difference in dress and culture is interesting to witness and confirms the idea of a global ummah (community).

Considering the invisibility of Islam in campus life and the fact that many Hong Kong Muslims are not actually from Hong Kong, I have found that Hong Kong residents and Chinese students seem to be more open to Islam than students in the United States. I originally thought that this was due to Islam's negative reputation in America. However, my friends in Hong Kong have said that Islam is portrayed negatively in Hong Kong as well. Yet, I still think that the mainland Chinese and Hong Kong students are more accepting of Islam than American students.

For example, I have fasted for Ramadan for the last three years. When people ask why I am not eating and I respond that I am fasting, the response I receive from American and from Hong Kong/Chinese students is different. Most Americans ask, "Are you Muslim?" On the other hand, Chinese and Hong Kong students ask, "Is that for religious reasons?" That being said, both groups are curious as to why I fast when they find out that I am not Muslim. I think that the acceptance of Islam in Hong Kong by mainland Chinese and Hong Kong students is a result of the following factors.

For the local Hong Kong students, the answer is simple: Hong Kong is an international city, and they are accepting of everyone. In my experience there is no difference between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to their impressions of Islam. They may not have had the most positive impression of Islam, but they are more or less curious and open-minded about Islam. Hong Kong's long history as a place for the mixture of persons and cultures seems to influence the locals themselves. This translates into an appreciation for diversity even if the difference is unfamiliar to them.

As for the mainland students, Islam seems to be somewhat familiar. When mainland students hear that I am interested in Islam, their response is, "Do you know about Xinjiang?" or "Have you heard about the Uighurs?" I find that, politics aside, most Chinese people see Xinjiang and the Uighurs as a part of China. Muslims make up visible populations and have resided in China for a long period of time. Thus, Muslims are not seen as foreign, but as a part of the Chinese national identity.

Finally, I think that China's history of Buddhism also influences the attitudes of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong students. Although the number of vegetarians in America is increasing, it is still quite uncommon for people to fast for long periods of time. While not all Buddhists observe the practices of fasting or not eating meat, I think that Chinese people are more accustomed to the ideas of these practices. Thus, they are more accepting of Muslims fasting during Ramadan and not eating pork, while Americans may consider these practices unusual.