Showcase of cherished traditions | The Star

PENANG is one of Malaysia’s most vibrant destinations, with events and festivities happening throughout the year.

The buzz goes up a notch during Chinese New Year when the local Chinese community puts on colourful celebrations lasting two weeks.

From grand prayers to street festivals, cultural showcases, open houses and communal gatherings, they run until the 15th day of celebration, better known as Chap Goh Meh.

Many of these events are long-standing traditions which have been observed for decades.

They are testament to a community’s pride in their culture and often attract thousands of visitors.

And with this being the Year of the Dragon – considered the most auspicious of all zodiac animals – festivities are even livelier.

So whether you are in Penang for family reunions, visiting friends and relatives or exploring the state for the first time, do take time out to enjoy the many happenings.

Highlights include the 2024 Penang Chinese New Year Celebration on Feb 18, from 4pm to 11pm, in George Town’s heritage enclave.

The celebration, popularly known as Miaohui, will offer lots to indulge in across 12 streets and 23 temples, ancestral halls and clan guilds – some of which are over a 100 years old.

This year’s event is themed “Our Story” as it delves into traditions and the way of life practised by forebears of the Chinese community who came to Penang several centuries ago.

Event master planner Chong Jian Mei said the programme had two main areas of focus – festive costumes and traditional industries – with 45 exhibitions presented in three different ways: cultural gems, stage shows and street experiences.

“Our aim is to give people a better understanding of the importance of cultural heritage. We believe this should be cultivated from an early age.

“These traditions have long been a part of the Chinese community and if we do not cherish or pass them on, they might gradually disappear over time.

“The stories we tell resonate differently with visitors of different generations.

“It’s an opportunity to collectively revisit our past and create unforgettable memories,” she said.

The Miaohui, held annually since 1999 except during the pandemic years, is organised by Penang Chinese Clan Council alongside Penang Cultural Inheritors Society.

State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai described it as a cherished tradition holding immense significance for cultural preservation.

“Through it, younger generations can directly experience centuries-old customs, rituals and beliefs. This fosters deeper connections with their cultural identity and heritage.

“As the Miaohui involves historic clan associations, it also becomes a means to conserve integral parts of Penang’s architectural and religious legacy. Preserving these sites and their associated traditions ensures the safeguarding of both tangible and intangible cultural assets for future generations.

“The event is also a platform for social interaction, cultural exchange and collective celebration. It brings people of diverse backgrounds together and fosters community cohesion,” said Wong.

Two other Miaohuis – which literally translates to “temple gatherings” – are taking place the following weekend in Butterworth.

The first is the Chinese New Year celebration of Guan Yin Ting Dou Mu Gong Temple along Jalan Raja Uda, from 7pm to 10pm on Feb 23 and 24.

The other is Miaohui Celebration 2024 at Thean Hock Keong Temple on Jalan Pantai Bersih, from 7pm until late on Feb 23 to 26.

Expect a plethora of cultural performances, hands-on activities, beautiful lighted displays and street food.

Predicting the year ahead

Another long-standing Chinese New Year ritual is taking place at Hock Hin Keong or Ban Ka Lan Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas from 8pm tonight.

Hundreds of devotees will stop by the 214-year-old temple for the annual Chneah Hoay or flame-watching ceremony, which is said to predict the state’s outlook for the year ahead.

Activities will start with lion and dragon dances, followed by acrobatic lions on stilts.

A Hokkien drum routine and special snake dance is scheduled for 11pm.

The eagerly anticipated flame-watching ritual is expected to commence around 11.30pm, when a large urn filled with smouldering joss sticks is fanned and the resulting flames scrutinised.

The stability, brightness and strength of three bursts will each be taken as a divination of the respective four-month cycles of the year.

Fireworks will end proceedings at midnight. The yearly event, held on the eve of the birthday of resident deity Chor Soo Kong, falls on the sixth day of the lunar calendar.

Devotees laying out offerings to resident deity Chor Soo Kong at Hock Hin Keong in 2023. The traditional flame-watching ceremony at the Snake Temple will be held tonight. — Photos: Filepics

Another Chneah Hoay ceremony will take place at Tanjung Tokong Tua Pek Kong Temple on Feb 23. This is also the eve of the resident deity’s birthday, falling on Chap Goh Meh or 15th day of the Lunar New Year.

The Tua Pek Kong statue will first be brought over from Poh Hock Seah Temple in Armenian Street.

Upon its arrival at the seaside temple, more popularly known as Hai Choo Soo, devotees will congregate to offer prayers.

Once tides at the bay fronting the temple rises to a certain level, typically around 11pm, the flame-watching ritual commences.

The deity’s urn will similarly be fanned and the resulting conflagration is taken as indicator of Penang’s economic fortunes for the next 12 months.

The statue of the deity makes its return journey the next day.

This year, it will be a more flamboyant spectacle called the Twa Peh Kong Hneoh Grand Float Procession.

Although held yearly, a grander procession is held once every 12 years in the Year of the Tiger. The last was in 2010 and since the one scheduled for 2022 was cancelled due to the pandemic, the procession is being held this year instead.

Elaborate spectacles

Often more lively than the first day of Chinese New Year itself are the Pai Thee Kong or Jade Emperor’s Birthday celebrations taking place at Chew Jetty along Weld Quay.

Happening this Saturday, from 8pm onwards, it is entering its 117th year with thousands of people expected to fill up the entire street.

Acrobatic lion dance on stilts performances are a highlight of Pai Thee Kong or Jade Emperor’s Birthday celebrations at Chew Jetty in Weld Quay, which will take place on Saturday starting at 8pm.

Activities will be centred around the restored Chau Yuan Gong Temple, with a grand altar spanning dozens of metres long filled with various offerings such as rice wine, ang koo (bean paste cake), mee koo (red tortoise bun), huat kuih (prosperity cake), roasted meats, fruits and sugar cane.

The area will be filled with the fragrance of burning joss sticks and incense, as well as frequent pops from firecrackers.

Visitors from overseas are often amazed by the scale and elaborateness of celebrations here which are comparable to those held in China.

Keep an ear out for the loud clash of cymbals heralding the start of lion dance on stilts routines.

Coupled with bursts of fireworks in the background, the impressive act typically has everyone reaching for their smartphones and cameras.

Those on the mainland will find a similarly vibrant display of reverence at Tow Boo Kong Temple’s Pai Thee Kong Celebration in Butterworth, also on Saturday but starting from 10.30pm.

Another event will take place concurrently along Jalan Muthu Palaniappan in Bukit Mertajam, but starts earlier at 8pm.

Photo-worthy displays

Penang’s captivating Chinese New Year decorations are bound to make for some memorable shots.

Not to be missed is Kek Lok Si’s display of lights where the 130-year-old complex is transformed into a glowing fairyland all the way until March 7.

It is the country’s largest Buddhist temple and for a month each year, thousands of LED and neon lights are strung around its buildings, courtyards and pagodas.

These are lit up nightly just before sunset, giving visitors ample backdrops to literally illuminate their social media feeds.

The decorations were launched on Feb 4 or Li Chun, the beginning of spring in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar and marked by a 10-minute fireworks display.

This attracted scores of tourists and shutterbugs, though an early start coupled with a cloudless sky made the pyrotechnics less radiant than usual.

Equally captivating is the scene at Armenian Park in George Town, where a myriad of lanterns and a cute anthropomorphic dragon figure are attracting lots of attention.

Some visitors even dress up in traditional outfits for selfies.

Besides the park, lanterns have also been strung up in streets hosting the aforementioned Miaohui.

Altogether, there are some 2,200 lanterns enlivening the city’s heritage enclave which will stay lit up until Chap Goh Meh.

Tow Boo Kong Temple in Jalan Raja Uda in Butterworth will hold mass lou sang, which attracted some 5,000 devotees and visitors in past years. Visitors are welcome to take a place this Friday to toss to perceived better fortunes.

At Jalan Raja Uda in Butterworth are 10,000 lanterns which were lit up in a ceremony on Jan 29.

They are a popular sight each year and driving through the stretch will leave one feeling festive.

If you are up for a raucous session of yee sang tossing, consider joining in the Tow Boo Kong Temple’s Prosperity Lou Sang for Thousand People event on Friday at 7.30pm.

This large-scale, communal version of the festive ritual will see long tables filled with all manner of ingredients.

Take your place, wait for the countdown and watch everything go flying as participants toss their way to perceived better fortunes.

Grand finales

Chinese New Year festivities in Penang will culminate on Feb 24 with no fewer than three major Chap Goh Meh celebrations on both the island and mainland.

At the Esplanade in George Town, the state-level event is from 6pm onwards.

Join in the ritual throwing of mandarin oranges from the recently refurbished sea wall.

Young women tossing mandarin oranges into the sea during Penang’s Chap Goh Meh celebrations at Esplanade in 2023. The event happening on Feb 24 is one of three in the state to mark the culmination of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Otherwise, grab some grub from vendors in front of the Town Hall and find a spot on the large field to take in the variety of musical, dance and cultural performances lasting until late.

Over on the mainland, the Bukit Tambun Chap Goh Meh Celebration 2024 starts at 6pm at Jetty Bagan.

The Tow Boo Kong Temple has also lined up one final extravaganza, starting at 7.30pm.

Various private entities such as shopping malls and F&B complexes also have their own Chap Goh Meh events making it tough to decide where to go.

This makes Chinese New Year one of the most exciting times of the year and is key to the state’s enduring allure.

“All these seasonal festivities add to Penang’s charm, which is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and diverse culinary scene.

“It is an opportunity for locals to showcase their unique cultural traditions, and for tourists both domestic and international to experience a festive fervour that not many destinations can offer,” Wong said.

Dondang Sayang Entourage at Penang State Chap Goh Meh 2023 at Esplanade. Events to close out CNY celebrations will be held on Feb 24 from 6pm.

Boon for economy

Beyond its cultural and religious significance, such activities also have immense positive impacts on the local economy.

Wong said the influx of visitors during this period would benefit players across a wide spectrum of sectors from hospitality to F&B, retail and transportation.

“We see a surge in visitor numbers and significant increase in tourism activity during festive periods like Chinese New Year.

“One of the observable trends is high hotel occupancy rates.

“This reflects the city’s popularity among travellers seeking to immerse in unique festive atmospheres and cultural experiences.

“It can also be seen in the demand and introduction of new direct flights, with the most recent being Flydubai’s new connection between Dubai and Penang that started on Feb 10.

This opens up opportunities for increased tourist arrivals and strengthens Penang’s position as a global tourism hub.

“The state’s festive celebrations are a boon for local businesses and its contribution to the overall vitality of the economy cannot be overlooked.”