A vegetarian banquet acting as a Buddhist blessing activity is held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hong Kong, on Aug 4. [Photo/ zhoushan.cn]

A vegetarian banquet acting as a Buddhist blessing activity was held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hong Kong, on Aug 4, attracting over 3,000 local residents from all walks of life as well as Buddhist believers to attend.

The banquet, co-organized by Hong Kong and the Putuo district of Zhoushan, has been held in Hong Kong six times previously.

It serves as a platform for Zhoushan and Hong Kong to jointly promote the culture of Guanyin, a divine being in Buddhism, and get more Hong Kong residents to learn about the profound Buddhist culture of Putuo, according to an official from the management committee of Zhujiajian, Putuo district, Zhoushan city. 

"The platform is also helpful for our efforts to open an air route between Zhoushan and Hong Kong at the airport of Putuo, and we have already discussed the issue with many travel agencies and airlines in Hong Kong," added the official.

Also, a mass Buddhist praying activity parade of 55 groups was also held in Hong Kong on the morning of Aug 4, attracting a crowd of 20,000 to watch. 

Putuo launched the vegetarian banquet in 2003, and has so far held nearly 20 such banquets in places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shenzhen, and Xiamen.

55 groups of people in the mass Buddhist praying activity parade march along the streets of Hong Kong on the morning of Aug 4. [Photo/ zhoushan.cn]