【明報專訊】A new year hike took me to a secret garden in Tuen Mun along a winding path, poetically named "the land of dreams" (若夢園). Informally constructed by fellow hikers, the little area now houses a troop of Buddha statues, from Guanyin (觀音), the Goddess of Kindness, to Shouxing (壽星), the God of Longevity. From afar, it looks like an open-air temple, well sheltered by trees and artificial covers constructed by hikers. The sight is both harmonious and humorous, as if the gods were having their own private party in the unlikeliest venue. Somehow, Chinese families always have a statue or two to spare. I find it much more reassuring to release them into nature than to squeeze them into tiny household altars because they can watch over the safety of a wider population and enjoy better scenery themselves.