Chingay Ritual

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Chingay ritual, spanning across five days, is one of the largest and the oldest celebrations in Malaysia.

If the Chinese communities across the country celebrate the end of the Chinese New Year with Chap Goh Meh, for the residents of the city of Johor Bahru the festivities are over only after the religious ceremony, known as Chingay. This annual ritual culminates in the giant procession of the five deities around the town to receive the blessing of Johor Bahru with luck, prosperity and harmony.

Read the full story here: CHINGAY RITUAL, A SPECIAL ENDING OF THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

Lighting ceremony of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Shortly after the beginning of the Lighting ceremony, the rain started to pour, and the audience went under cover. But the brave performers continue on the stage in front of empty seats.

Lighting ceremony of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Lighting Ceremony is accompanied by traditional performances, loud and banging firecrackers and fireworks

Lighting ceremony of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Chingay ritual starts with the opening ceremony, called the Lighting Ceremony

Street cleansing ceremony of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Main streets of Johor Bahru are cleansed by a symbolic washing ceremony to prepare the route for deities, who will undertake their annual journey around the city

Street cleansing ceremony of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Devotees, dressed in red, walk along the 10km route, and using pomelo or lemon tree leaves, sprinkle the streets with water soaked in the mixture of raw rice, salt and tea leaves

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Hundreds of hands try to reach the deities to pay homage

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Temple deities are getting prepared for their annual journey around Johor Bahru on divine sedan chairs

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Men take care of their gods by decorating them with red cloths and elaborate crowns

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Men take care of their gods by decorating them with red cloths and elaborate crowns

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Temple deities are getting prepared for their annual journey around Johor Bahru on divine sedan chairs

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Sedan chairs are filled with gold and silver joss paper and tied up with red cloth in order to tightly fasten the deities

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Sedan chairs are filled with gold and silver joss paper and tied up with red cloth in order to tightly fasten the deities

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Men are beautifying the deities for their annual walkabout

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Men are beautifying the deities for their annual walkabout

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Men are beautifying the deities for their annual walkabout

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — “Heng-ah” and “Huat-ah”, the exclamations meaning “good luck”, are heard all around

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Sedans are violently rocked while travelling around the city, and securing the deities on their sedans so that they don’t drop during all the jostling surrounding their annual tour is a big responsibility

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Sedans are violently rocked while travelling around the city, and securing the deities on their sedans so that they don’t drop during all the jostling surrounding their annual tour is a big responsibility

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Sedans are violently rocked while travelling around the city, and securing the deities on their sedans so that they don’t drop during all the jostling surrounding their annual tour is a big responsibility

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Mounting of deities on sedans as part of Chingay Ritual in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Deities’ first coming out before Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — One day before the Chingay procession, the deities are taken from the Old Temple to Xing Gong, a temporary shrine built to accommodate large crowds

Deities’ first coming out before Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — With “Heng-ah” and “Huat-ah”, the sedans are violently rocked to the great delight of the public

Deities’ first coming out before Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Carrying the deities is an honourable task, and everyone tries to be as closer to the gods as possible

Deities’ first coming out before Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Taking the deities for the first time out of the temple is a crucial moment attracting huge crowds

Deities’ first coming out before Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — The Old Temple of Johor Bahru is packed, and the crowd becomes more and more agitated

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — From time to time, the devotees wildly rock the sedan chairs. This ritual is believed to keep their deities’ mood up. The only deity that isn’t subject to rocking or jostling because of the highest respect is Yuan Tian Shang Di, the principal deity of the Old Temple.

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ annual journey around the main street of Johor Bahru

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Procession is accompanied by traditional performances, including lion and dragon dances and intriguing-looking giant dolls

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Sacrifices for the Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Sacrifices for the Chingay Prelude Parade

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ annual journey around the main streets of Johor Bahru as part of Chingay Prelude Parade

Chingay Prelude Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Chingay Prelude Parade, a procession of robust men carrying heavy sedans

Prayers in Xing Gong temporary shrine in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Each deity is welcomed with prayers, and lots of cheers and celebrations in Xing Gong, where they will be left for the night

Offering ceremony in Xing Gong in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Offering ceremony with fruits, cakes, wine and even whole huge pigs presented to the gods

Prayers in Xing Gong temporary shrine in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Married people without children often offer dolls asking the deities to bring them a baby. It’s strongly believed that people’s wishes will come true.

Prayers in Xing Gong temporary shrine in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Married people without children often offer dolls asking the deities to bring them a baby. It’s strongly believed that people’s wishes will come true.

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ coming out from Xing Gong for their annual journey around Johor Bahru is a great moment, and a large crowd has gathered at the temporary shrine a few hours before the event

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ coming out from Xing Gong is accompanied by dragon dancers and giant dolls

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Each deity’s coming out from Xing Gong is welcomed with prayers

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ coming out from Xing Gong is a great moment attracting large crowds

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ coming out from Xing Gong is a great moment attracting large crowds

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Each deity’s coming out from Xing Gong is welcomed with prayers

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities’ coming out from Xing Gong is a great moment attracting large crowds

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Each deity’s coming out from Xing Gong is welcomed with a shower of confetti

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Each deity’s coming out from Xing Gong is welcomed with a shower of confetti

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Each deity’s coming out from Xing Gong is welcomed with a shower of confetti

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities are carried around the main streets of Johor Bahru to bless the city with peace and prosperity

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Every time the deity passes by, people clasp their palms in prayer. From now and then, gods are rocked to light up their mood equally raising the mood of the crowd.

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Every time the deity passes by, people clasp their palms in prayer. From now and then, gods are rocked to light up their mood equally raising the mood of the crowd.

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Deities are accompanied by the bright and loud procession, including lion and dragon dancers, flashy floats, smoke blowing and terrifying-looking huge dragons, big-headed dolls, famous giant flags, and music

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Huge crowds line up along the entire procession road waiting for the sedans to pass

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — Huge crowds line up along the entire procession road waiting for the sedans to pass

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — It’s well after midnight but the whole city is still awake. Old and young alike are still on the streets not wishing to miss the entire procession.

Chingay Parade in Johor Bahru Malaysia — It’s well after midnight but the whole city is still awake. Old and young alike are still on the streets not wishing to miss the entire procession.

Return of deities to the Old Temple after Chingay Parade — Deities’ annual tour of the city is over, and the next day, the devotees bring them back to the Old Temple

Return of deities to the Old Temple after Chingay Parade — Similar to their coming out, the return of the deities is a major event attracting huge crowds