These performances have their roots in Taoist worship. Although known to many for its Night Parade, Chingay has a strong religious foundation. The festivities take place at the Old Temple, Xing Gong (temporary shrine) and the streets of Johor Bahru. A dazzling extravaganza of colours and cultural diversity, this signature and iconic event is proudly created by our people, regardless of age, race, language and creed, as we welcome everyone to come together to celebrate as ONE. We found that the best sites for booking accommodation in Asia are Agoda, Booking.com and Airbnb. The event introduced clowns dressed in costumes with oversized heads, and also featured lion dancers, jugglers, stilt-walkers dressed in ancient Chinese costumes, and 20-foot long flags.31 It was telecast live by Radio Television Singapore.32With its initial success, the Chingay parade became an annual event.33 In its early years, the procession was staged in different public housing estates such as Toa Payoh (1974), Marine Parade (1978) and Ang Mo Kio (1980).34 The parade moved to the Orchard Road shopping belt for the first time in 1985 and continued to be held there for 15 years. Heres where some (especially our elders!) The Peoples Parade 45 Years of Chingay. Carstairs Douglas, Chinese-English Dictionary of the Vernacular or Spoken Language of Amoy, compact disc (Original work published 1899) in Loan Words in Indonesian and Malay, Jones Russell, ed. (From NewspaperSG), (Penang: Areca Books, 2007), 226. Despite its giant size, Chingay is unknown to foreign tourists. The earliest account appeared in April 1840, describing festivities in honour of the deity Ma Chor Po, the protector of seafarers. Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic. This is not the place to gawk either. RRARE 950J; microfilm NL18001); Henrietta Harrison, , , (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2005), 148. (Call no. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. This is not the place for claustrophobic. This year, we celebrate 50 whole years of this grand parade, calling it Chingay50! 2019 - Commemoration of the Singapore Bicentennial: Chingay Commemoration of the Singapore Bicentennial with a gift for the nation - a SB Painting depicting the "Past, Present and Future" co-created by . The people are inspired by what they see. Chingay procession is one of the largest celebrations in the country. Chingay is the annual tradition in Johor Bahru culminating in the procession, known as the Night Parade. Visit official website Did you know? Chingay50 is happening on 12 February at 8pm this year and you have to watch it live on their Facebook, TikTok or Website. On this day, the people of Singapore are said to have great respect for the elderly, as the old people are believed to have performed a miracle to bring prosperity into their lives. Despite having fun with sprinkling water on photographers lenses and large smiles on peoples faces, the ritual is taken very seriously. Did you know that Singapore kicked off its first Chingay celebration in 1973 in place of the ban on firecrackers during the Chinese New Year? Ladies and gents, Singapore's long-awaited, beloved parade - Chingay - is finally coming on Saturday, 12 February! In 1990, the first night Chingay was held.35 To celebrate the millennium in 2000, the procession took a new route beginning at the former City Hall building (now part of the National Art Gallery, Singapore) and ending at the Suntec City Fountain of Wealth.36 The event was held in Chinatown for the first time in 2003.37The parade is usually themed around the Chinese zodiac animal for the new lunar year, and features a range of other performers and floats. SINGAPORE - Over 10,000 participants, including local performers and artists, will be involved in next year's Chingay Parade, the Republic's largest . Squeezed between modern buildings, its one of the oldest structures in Johor Bahru and home to the five deities, each associated with the five main Chinese clans, namely, Zhao Da Yuan Shuai (Hainan), Hua Guang Da Di (Kwong Siew), Gan Tian Da Di (Hakka), Hong Xian Da Di (Hokkien), and Yuan Tian Shang Di (Teochew). In China, millions travel - sometimes thousands of miles - to celebrate with their families. or https:// as an added precaution. In North Korea and South Korea they celebrate Seollal, which lasts for three days. The procession of robust men carrying heavy sedans is accompanied by traditional performances, including lion and dragon dances and intriguing-looking giant dolls. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. I first heard about Chingay from a young Malaysian lady passionate about the culture of her own country. One, sometimes called the "history of religion" hypothesis, suggests that Christmas supplanted one or more pagan holidays. (Call no. A festival to rejoice Singapores melting pot of diversity, this event is no longer a religious or Chinese event. If youve always been curious about the event, were here to tell you that what you believe about Chingay may not be true! (From NewspaperSG), The information in this article is valid as at. With yelling and strong gestures, they manage to calm down the public in order to safely take out the deities from their abode. Children being carried on platforms was characteristic of a chingay, though this was not mentioned in the report.17 One of the earliest explicit reference to a Chingay procession was a brief mention in a January 1884 newspaper article, while a December 1887 article described the participation of Teochew, Cantonese, Hylam and Keh contingents in an extensive procession that took several hours to pass through the Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar areas.18 This year-end combined Chingay procession by the non-Hokkiens had become an annual event by the late 19th century, and continued into the early 20th century.19 There were also less frequent Chingay processions held by the Hokkiens; a February 1893 notice in the Daily Advertiser said the processions were triennial.20 Contradicting this was a 3 December 1895 Mid-day Herald article which said that the triennial Hokkien chingay had been held the day before, after a lapse of six years.21 From this confusion in newspaper reports, we can surmise that the Hokkiens held Chingays irregularly. Organised by the Peoples Association and National Pugilistic Federation, the first modern Chingay procession in Singapore was held on 4 February 1973 and involved about 2,000 performers. (From NewspaperSG)31. Its always a happy moment to discover someone likes your work. The deities annual tour of the city is over, and the next day, the devotees bring them back to the Old Temple. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ethnic festivals--Singapore Associated Social and Cultural Practices Following the ban on fire-crackers in June 1972, which was a popular feature of Chinese New Year celebrations in those days, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew suggested the staging of a Chingay Parade to reinvigorate community involvement in ushering in the Chinese New Year. The digital showcase, which was available online, allows local and overseas audience to tune in from anywhere they are and anytime they want. https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/singapore-city-guide-11. Eurasian item and apparently, theyre absolutely loving the event ? The atmosphere is electrified and rather rowdy. Chingay is now a uniquely Singaporean tradition that is usually held during the second weekend of the Chinese New Year and celebrated by Singaporeans and Singapore residents from all ethnicities - Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians and many others. When the time comes to prepare the deities, the commotion reaches its climax. Preparation for each parade takes up to 12 months, and according to Mr Fan, the parade is the culmination of the preparatory journey, of which the community of performers and volunteers are at the heart of it all. The crowd becomes larger and more frantic. On each float would be elaborate paper dolls and animals depicting religious themes and historical scenes, as well as lanterns in the shape of animals or fruit.11 A three-day Chingay procession to honour Tua Pek Kong and costing more than $25,000 was mentioned in a September 1883 newspaper article, one of the earliest newspaper reports of this festival.12 By the turn of the century, Penang had become well known for its chingay processions to honour Tua Pek Kong and another popular deity, Kuan Yin (also Kwan Im), the Goddess of Mercy.13Similar processions were also known to have taken place in other parts of Malaya. 2023 There are two major theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. The procession is accompanied by loud beating of gongs, cymbals and drums. Nov 24, 2022, 1:23 PM SGT. Manners and customs. and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. Bill That Bans Firing of Crackers Is Passed, Straits Times, 3 June 1972, 1. Many believe the parade is a Chinese-only event, or it has religious connotations. These platforms were said to have been adorned with flags, lanterns, and intricately decorated to depict folk tales, religious deities, and historical scenes, while accompanied by an ensemble of cymbals, drums, and gongs. This is because it follows the lunar calendar, based on the movement of the moon. Mother's Day, a day set aside to celebrate moms and motherhood, is only a few days away.. No wonder that the preparation goes on for a few hours. Khoo Salma Nasution and Malcolm Wade. RSEA 959.51 CHE), , 13 February 2012, 3. Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our, Singapores amazing hawkers centers gets Unesco recognition, How Muslims around the world are celebrating Ramadan during the pandemic, There are no chicken nuggets in Portugal: how travel helped my picky eaters, Singapores hawker centres: a beginners guide, What to read where: the best books by destination, Dance to your own beat: alternative festivals to shake up the party season, More than mall food: eight fabulous food halls from around the world, Best new food experiences for travellers in 2019, Island hopping: a beer lover's guide to essential island brews, Eureka! Chingay was first celebrated on 4th February 1973, because firecrackers were banned in Singapore. Its well after midnight but the whole city is still awake. Chingay has since become a multi-cultural event from 1976 when it featured 28 performing items such as a Malay wedding contingent and an Indian music presentation by Muruthaia Rajendrou Party. The main elements in the inaugural parade included various aspects of Chinese culture such as dragon and lion dances, martial arts and street opera performed in local dialects. Your website offered us with valuable info to work on. Chingay, Singapore's multinational extravaganza, is Asia's largest street performance and float parade. might have gotten the idea that Chingay is a Chinese event: Chingay originated in China and was brought to Penang, and then Singapore, by 19th-Century Chinese immigrants! The signature of Chingay is the carrying of gigantic bamboo flags in street processions. (From NewspaperSG)20. (From NewspaperSG), , 14 January 1974, 15; Koh Yan Poh and Yow Yun Who, , , 13 February 2000, 26.

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