The fragrant harbour

The English name "Hong Kong" is translated from the Cantonese name "香港", meaning "fragrant harbour" or "incense harbour". In the past, the fragrance came from incense grown to the north of Kowloon that was stored around Aberdeen Harbour. There are many temples and shrines in Hong Kong, there is a shrine here in Hung Hom where I stay:
Worship is an integral part of daily life in Chinese society, and the burning of incense is an indispensable element in many religious ceremonies--be they Buddhist, Taoist, or ancestor worship. There is icense burning at all times and when I walk through my local area in Hung Hom I can understand why the city was named "Fragrant Harbour". In front of many Entrances, on pavements, people built little shrines with burning incense.