Wang Kang Festival, also known as the King Barge Festival by many, will be held in Malacca from 1 February to 6 February 2012. On 6 February 2012 (Chap Goh Mei – 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, also mark the end of the Chinese New Year festival), the Wang Kang procession will begin at 7.30 a.m. from Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Bandar Hilir, and would end at 4.00 p.m., parading around the town of Melaka. At 7.30 p.m., the Wang Kang procession would resume and end at Pulau Melaka. Thereafter, the boat would be burnt at Pulau Melaka.

It was said that a day after the Wang Kang is burnt, the temple doors will be closed for three days. Click here to find out more on the schedule of the Wang Kang Festival.

Wang Kang Festival is a unique and unusual event. The procession of Wang Kang does not happen every year. In fact, 2012 is only the fifth Wang Kang procession ever since the first procession started more than 150 years ago. The exact date of the first Wang Kang procession was not known, but the last three Wang Kang processions were in 1919, 1933 and 2001. The procession of the Wang Kang Festival is only possible upon receiving the order from the “Ong Yahs” (read more about the “Ong Yahs” below). Even the size of the Wang Kang and the canopy where the Wang Kang is placed were all constructed based on the order from the “Ong Yahs”.

According to one of the temple officials, the procession of Wang Kang is  to commemorate the dead and not a celebration. The main purpose of the Wang Kang procession around town is to collect lost souls, in order for the souls to rest in peace and reincarnate. Also, the priest would also seek the “Ong Yahs” blessings and pray for the good of the town and its residents during the Wang Kang Festival.

 

History

The Wang Kang Festival is of Hokkien origin. In China, Wang Kang Festival was only held in Chiang Chew Hoo and Chuan Chew Hoo (two very large districts of the Hokkien province). Outside of China, Malacca is the only place that this big event take place. In the early days, it was also held in Manila and Sarawak.

Why Melaka is the only place where the Wang Kang Festival is held in Malaysia? A great amount of Chinese from the Hokkien province emigrated from China during the persecution of the Chinese by the Manchus in the Ching Dynasty about 3 centuries ago. Malaya at that time, was under the Dutch and British administration and some of the Chinese from the Hokkien province sailed towards Malaya for business, or to work in Malaya. The first country they reached was Malacca due to Malacca’s strategic location geographically. The Chinese settled down and brought with them the custom of worshipping the “Ong Yahs” as they had been used to in their own country. As customary, their descendants – the Peranakan, also known as the straits-Born Chinese – followed their footsteps in worshipping five “Ong Yahs”.

The five “Ong Yahs” according to seniority are : -

1. Choo Hoo Ong Yah – Temple at Kandang.
2. Hoon Hoo Ong Yah – Temple at Kampong Tiga, Kubu.
3. Tee Hoo Ong Yah – Temple at Bandar Hilir.
4. Lee Hoo Ong Yah – Not Temple, but a shrine accommodated in Malacca Hainan Association at Jonker Street.
5. Pek Hoo Ong Yah – No Temple, but a shrine accommodated at Yong Chuan Tian.

To find out more about the Wang Kang Festival, please visit the official Yong Chuan Tian Temple website here. The Wang Kang is now 95% complete and is open to the member of public for viewing.

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