 |
| Facade of the Johor Gu Miao or Johor Old/Ancient Temple at Jalan Trus |
Once a year during
the Lunar New Year season in Johor Baru, roads will be closed, public transport
will be rerouted, many businesses will close early and traffic will be at a virtual
standstill throughout the city.
Schools
will dismiss afternoon sessions early for students to get home quickly so that
they can join the throng who will converge in the heart of the city.
In JB, Lunar New Year celebrations do not end
after the 15th day of the first lunar month but extends beyond the
20th day for the annual Chingay parade which is traditionally held
on the 21st night of the first lunar month.
 |
| A section of the night parade passing JB City Square on Jalan Wong Ah Fook |
The JB Chingay
parade is an annual tradition that has been kept in this city since the 1800’s
without any interruption except during the Japanese invasion in 1942.
This spectacular show has been held on such a
grand scale that it has not only become a major tourist attraction in JB with
foreign media coverage but was also filmed by the Teochew Broadcasting channel
for screening in China.
In the 2009
Johor Tourism Awards event, the JB Chingay was honoured as the Best Domestic
Event and in 2012 the JB Chingay was recognised as a National Cultural Heritage.
Viewers of the
2014 local movie hit, “The Journey” caught a glimpse of the Chingay parade because
it was featured in several scenes when Benji and Uncle Chuan arrived in JB to
hand-deliver the wedding invitation to uncle’s old friends.
It was a rather far-fetched idea but still
fun to watch how the invitation was presented to that friend who was
participating in the parade as it passed familiar landmarks along Jalan Wong Ah
Fook!
 |
| Devotees throng the street outside the Johor Old Temple at Jalan Trus |
In the late 19th
century a group of Chinese community leaders led by Tan Hiok Nee, built the
Johor Gu Miao or Ancient Temple which
is dubbed “the Temple of Unity” because deities revered by the five main dialect
groups was housed under one roof.
Legend has it that the temple opening was officiated by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1870 and with their worship
united in one temple, the early Chinese community in JB prospered as they lived
together in peace.
The annual night
parade is part of a 3-day religious celebration for the five deities, namely
“Zhao Da Yuan Shuai” (Hainanese), “Hua Guang Da Di” (Cantonese), “Gan Tian Da
Di” (Hakka), “Hong Xian Da Di” (Hokkien) and “Yuan Tian Shang Di”
(Teochew).
 |
| Devotees at Xing Kong, Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek during the annual Chingay festival |
Unlike other
Chinese temples that usually bear the name of deities, the Johor Gu Miao is
believed to be the first Chinese temple in Malaysia
The strong relationship between
Johor’s ruler, Temenggong Ibrahim and the Chinese immigrant community was the
underpinning reason for the word “Johor” to be incorporated into the temple’s
name.
His son, Sultan Abu Bakar,
encouraged the Chinese community to live in peace and continued the goodwill
relationship started by Temenggong Ibrahim.
 |
| A sea of devotees surround the sedan chair of a deity at Xing Gong |
This annual
celebration begins with a Lighting-up ceremony at Xing Gong, a temporary shrine for the temple deities at Jalan Ulu
Ayer Molek.
Two days ahead of the parade,
a group of devotees will walk the streets sounding gongs in a symbolic Street
Washing ceremony, a ritual cleansing of the route in preparation for the temple
deities’ annual city “tour.”
This
ceremony will somehow trigger off rainfall as Nature cooperates to wash the
streets with refreshing showers.
In the
morning of the 20th day of the first lunar month, devotees will
carry the deities out from the temple to Xing Gong.
 |
| How would you like to meet so many gods of fortune? |
Unlike the
Chingay in Penang or Singapore which are more tourist oriented, the parade in
JB is a religious celebration led by the Johor Baru Tionghua Association where
the temple deities take an annual “tour” to bless the city with peace,
prosperity and harmony.
Carried on sedan
chairs by devotees from the five Chinese clans, the deities will take to the
streets in a colourful procession accompanied by traditional lion dancers,
dragon dancers, stilt-walkers, puppeteers, pugilistic troops, cultural dancers,
colourful floats and brass bands that may take more than 7 hours to
complete.
 |
| A beautiful float seen in the JB Chingay for the dragon year |
Every year the celebration
theme varies according to the Chinese zodiac year – dragon, horse, rabbit,
tiger or other animals of the Chinese zodiac.
As we celebrate the lunar year of the ram/goat this year, we can expect
spectacular sights based on this theme.
The festive mood
continues over three days as throngs of devotees converge at Xing Gong to enjoy traditional stage shows
that feature classical Chinese operas performed in various dialects.
Before the JB Tionghua Association built the
Xing Kong, the stage shows used to be presented on traditional make-shift
wooden stages set up on a grassy hillock.
But now it is better organised with a concrete shelter for the five
deities of the Johor Gu Miao.
 |
| Look out for skillful stilt-walkers who can also perform the dragon dance! |
The highlight of
this celebration is the Chingay parade on the evening of the 21st
day when the deities are taken out in a procession through the city’s main
streets.
The procession will move in a
circuit that starts from Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek down to Jalan Ibrahim through
Jalan Yahya Awal and return along the length of Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan
Tun Abdul Razak, back to Xing Gong.
In
the morning of the 22nd day, the deities will leave Xing Gong and be
carried into the temple until their annual tour of the city next year.
In the evening
of the 21st day of the first lunar month which falls on March 11
this year, the heart of JB will be thronged by devotees and spectators who will
line the streets to catch a glimpse of this pulsating parade.
You are welcome to find your strategic spot
for the best view and remember not fret if you get caught in vehicular and
human traffic.
Just go with the flow and
enjoy the sights and sounds of JB’s annual Chingay parade as the whole
community joins in the celebration of JB’s unique Temple of Unity.
Note: Photos used are mine with others used courtesy of the JB Tiong Hua Association.
A version of this was published in the February 2015 issue of The Iskandarian
No comments:
Post a Comment