Fete fit for the Jade Emperor


Visitors thronging the altar during the Jade Emperor’s Birthday celebration at Chew Jetty last year. — Filepic

PREPARE for an unforgettable spectacle as the annual Jade Emperor’s Birthday (Pai Thnee Kong) celebration comes to life today.

The festival holds deep cultural significance for the Hokkien community, especially in Penang, where it is celebrated with greater reverence than the first day of Chinese New Year.

The event features vibrant rituals, heartfelt prayers and offerings in honour of the Jade Emperor, uniting the community in a powerful display of tradition and devotion.

Left to right: Trader Neoh Choo Kwong (right) selling food offerings in Jelutong; customers selecting pineapples in Perak Road; filepic of the lion dance performance at the towering altar in Jalan Muthu Palaniappan, Bukit Mertajam, during last year’s Jade Emperor’s Birthday celebrationLeft to right: Trader Neoh Choo Kwong (right) selling food offerings in Jelutong; customers selecting pineapples in Perak Road; filepic of the lion dance performance at the towering altar in Jalan Muthu Palaniappan, Bukit Mertajam, during last year’s Jade Emperor’s Birthday celebration

The celebration includes the Chew Jetty Jade Emperor Festival along Weld Quay today, culminating with, at the stroke of midnight, a breathtaking array of fireworks, lighting up the night in a dazzling celebration of unity and heritage.

Some 30,000 people from all over the world are expected to attend the festival in George Town.

Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng said this would be a 50% increase following the record-breaking crowd during celebrations for the Year of the Dragon last year.

“The rise for the Year of the Snake can be attributed to the visa-free entry for tourists from China.

“This year, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying have contributed RM50,000 and RM10,000 respectively to support the festival,” Wong said in a press conference.

Also present were Lim, who is Tanjong MP, Chew Jetty representatives including its chairman Chew Teik Kiong and George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) communications manager Vick Quah Swee Leang.

The festival, which is into its 118th year, is co-organised by Penang government, GTWHI, and Lim and Wong’s service centres. It will run from 9pm to 12.30am.

Wong added that to attract more people, new promotional elements had been introduced, including advertisements on five LED screens in various parts of the island, posters at bus stops and videos on social media.

“Additionally, a dedicated 2025 Jade Emperor Festival emoji pack will be released for the public to share with friends on their social media pages.”

Lim said the Jade Emperor Festival was not only a major cultural event for the Hokkien community in Penang, but also a significant representation of the flourishing Chinese heritage in Penang.

This year’s theme, “The Spirit of the Serpent Brings Fortune and Blessings,” she said, aimed to blend tradition with modernity, offering a vibrant and diverse cultural experience for Penangites and tourists.

“The clan jetties will set up a cultural exhibition zone to showcase the history and significance of the festival through interactive displays and exhibits.

Chew Jetty, which is hosting the Jade emperor’s birthdaycelebration today.Chew Jetty, which is hosting the Jade emperor’s birthdaycelebration today.

“There will also be dragon and lion dances, traditional opera performances, folk music and dance highlighting Chinese culture,” she added.

Lim also announced the return of the zodiac-inspired slogan and logo, and the theme of Jua Ji Lai (a play on the Hokkien phrase of wealth comes) that symbolised prosperity and financial success for all.

“I hope such innovations will become a tradition, adding unique elements to the festival.

“The Jade Emperor Festival is not merely a cultural celebration, but a vital bridge for community unity and cultural preservation that aims to strengthen bonds among residents while showcasing Penang’s multicultural heritage to the world,” she said.

Chew said the collective worship event had reached its 118th year and marked the eighth year of collaboration with the state government.

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 buns), huat kuih (prosperity cake), fruits and sugar cane.

Origin and offerings

Chew (left) inviting tourists from China (from right) Candy Chang,Lily Lu and Thui Mu Wa to the event. — Photos: KT GOH/The starChew (left) inviting tourists from China (from right) Candy Chang,Lily Lu and Thui Mu Wa to the event. — Photos: KT GOH/The star

Legend has it that centuries ago, the Hokkiens in southern China, fleeing persecution from their enemies, sought refuge in a remote sugar cane plantation.

After days of searching, their enemies abandoned the hunt as they were unable to find them.

On the ninth day, the Hokkiens emerged unscathed, offering their thanks to the Jade Emperor for his divine protection.

The festival that follows celebrates this miraculous escape, with elaborate offerings such as roast meat, sugar cane, pineapples and oranges.

The inclusion of sugar cane is especially meaningful, symbolising the community’s gratitude for the protection they received during times of hardship.

As the celebration draws near, little towers of pink t’ng tak (sugar pagoda) – traditional offerings to the Jade Emperor – have seen a surge in demand.

Huat Heong Biscuit Factory owner SG Goh said she had made 1,500 of these delicate pagodas, along with 450kg of red tortoise buns, to sell for this year’s festivities.

“We began production on Jan 30 to ensure the items stay fresh.

“Besides the sugar pagodas and tortoise buns, other popular offerings include ang koo and huat kuih,” said Goh when met at her shop in Jalan Terengganu.

The demand for these traditional treats reflects the community’s deep commitment to honouring their heritage during this special occasion.

Record-breaking feat

In Bukit Mertajam, a spectacular lion dance performance atop a towering 13.38m-high altar is set to dazzle spectators at Kampung Cross Street.

The altar, meticulously constructed by stacking 263 red wooden tables, has been assembled for the daring “lions” to ascend and present their offerings to the Jade Emperor in a breathtaking display of agility and tradition.

Event organising chairman Yeoh Chai Kooi said this awe-inspiring feat is expected to secure a place in the Malaysia Book of Records.

“This year, we will have five ‘lions’ gracefully leaping and prancing their way up the altar before one of them offers prayers to the Jade Emperor.

“A variety of Chinese New Year cultural performances will be held to heighten the festivities in the area throughout the celebration,” he said.

The tradition traces its roots back to 1989 when it began with a modest 1.83m-high altar.

In 2018, the event set a record with a lion dance performed on a 10.26m-high altar, earning recognition as the highest lion dance in Malaysia.

“Every year, we increase the height of the altar bit by bit.

“This year marks another significant milestone in our efforts to enter this feat into the record books and promote the tradition to the people,” Yeoh added.

Organised by Persatuan Tarian Singa Jong Hwa Seberang Prai, the event is held with much grandeur every year.

Similar celebrations have been planned at the Jade Emperor Pavillion (Thnee Kong Tnuah) in Air Itam on Penang island and at Guan Yin Dou Mu Gong Temple in Butterworth.

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