Devotees at the Hai Choo Soo Temple offering prayers during Chneah Hoay, a practice dating back at least 180 years. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
CYMBALS clanged as lights were switched off in the prayer hall, and all lamps and candles snuffed out.
In almost total darkness, a group of men watched in anticipation while one of them diligently fanned smouldering embers in a joss stick urn.
A large crowd gathered outside, all keen to get a peek at the proceedings.
Many held their smartphones aloft, fingers poised to tap the record button.
For over 20 minutes, nothing happened.
When flames ignited in the urn, the crowd greeted the sight with loud cheers all around.
Two more fiery bursts followed and soon it was all over.
This was the annual Chneah Hoay, or flame-watching ceremony, held at the Hai Choo Soo Tua Pek Kong Temple in Tanjung Tokong, Penang.
(From top to bottom) The three flames that erupted from Tua Pek Kong’s urn are interpreted as “average”, “fair” and “fair” for Penang’s economy.
The time-honoured ritual – held on the eve of Chap Goh Meh – elicits a prediction from the resident deity of the state’s economic fortunes for the coming year.
Each of the three brief flame bursts are scrutinised for their intensity, stability and duration –indicators of the outlook for four-month cycles in the lunar calendar.
These roughly correspond to the periods of February to May, June to September and October to January in the Gregorian calendar.
Lim Hooi Kooi, president of the Poh Hock Seah society, which oversees activities at the temple, said the ceremony started at 11.40pm this year, once tides rose high enough to cover a particular rock in the bay in front of the temple.
“The first flame was observed at 12.03am, followed by the second at 12.04am and third at 12.05am.
“The committee categorised them as average, fair and fair, respectively,” he announced at a press conference after the ceremony concluded in the wee hours of Feb 12.
Though it was not as bullish as last year’s reading, Lim said the people of Penang could still expect things to be stable for the Year of the Wood Snake.
“The first four months should be slightly better compared to the rest of the year.
“But, it’s not the end of the world.
“It simply means everyone has to work a little harder to be successful,” Lim added.
Throughout the night, scores of devotees offered prayers and burnt joss paper.
Many businessmen also lit up giant joss sticks embellished with twinkling LEDs and dragon motifs.
Intermittent bursts of firecrackers and fireworks enlivened the atmosphere, as did the presence of several food trucks, and stalls offering a variety of snacks, and drinks.
Among the visitors was local hawker Chong Mei Yoke, 58, who has been attending the ceremony since childhood.
“My late parents first brought me here.
“They believed that if you could catch a glimpse of the flames, it would bode well for your personal fortunes.
“I make it a point to come if I can.
“My business has been decent in recent times.
“So, I’ll just continue the visits,” she said.
A Kedahan hardware supplies businessman, who wanted to be known only as Lee, said things picked up for him after he prayed to the deity and came to offer his gratitude.
“I brought along my family to pray for our well-being besides a better future for my venture,” said the man in his 40s.
According to Poh Hock Seah’s history, the Chneah Hoay practice dates back to at least 1844 and is thus a distinctive part of Penang’s heritage.
The ceremony has long been organised by the society which was established in 1890 following the dissolution of its predecessor Khian Teik Tong by British authorities.
The Chneah Hoay continued annually until 2021 when it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was not held in 2022 due to crowd control concerns but resumed in 2023.
Rituals remain largely unchanged over time.
Prior to the ceremony, the sacred Tua Pek Kong statue and ceremonial urn would first be escorted from the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple in Armenian Street, George Town.
The entourage then makes its way to the Hai Choo Soo Temple, which in Hokkien means “Sea Pearl Islet” in reference to a small island located northeast of the temple.
This island was otherwise known as Pulau Tikus and later gave a nearby township its name.
The temple itself also led to the naming of Tanjung Tokong, which is “temple cape” in Bahasa Malaysia.
One of the oldest in the region, the Hai Choo Soo Temple is believed to have originated as a small shrine in 1792, before a proper temple was built in 1799.
It had been set up by the local Chinese community to venerate Tua Pek Kong, which literally translates to “great grand uncle”.
In this instance, it refers to a deified mid-18th century Hakka scholar named Zhang Li who fled a troubled China during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.
As the story goes, he and two companions were headed to Sumatra, Indonesia, when their boat got blown off course, and they instead arrived on Penang island, specifically at present-day Tanjung Tokong.
This was said to have happened sometime in the 1740s, some 40 years before the arrival of Francis Light.
The trio later established a settlement and, after their passing, were buried in graves that still exist beside the temple today.
The Tua Pek Kong statue and urn make a return journey the day after the ceremony.
This is marked with a grand procession once every 12 years, in the Year of the Tiger.
As the 2022 procession had not been held, it took place in 2024 during the Year of the Dragon.
