Jade Emperor’s birthday marked with sugarcanes and red eggs

SIBU: Sugarcanes took centre stage as thousands thronged Tua Pek Kong Temple late Sunday night to make the ninth day of the Chinese New Year one of the biggest temple fairs.

It was the birthday of Jade Emperor who according to Taoist belief is a deity is of the highest rank.

To the Hokkien community in Fujian, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, it is a day of thanksgiving to Jade Emperor, whom the clan call ‘Ti Kong’ - the heavenly elder.

Tua Pek Kong Temple chairman Penghulu Soon Choon Hoo said the birthday of Jade Emperor had become so popular that the ninth day of the Chinese New Year is known as the Hokkien New Year Festival.

“The cultural celebration of Jade Emperor’s birthday was brought to Sibu more than 150 years ago by Hokkiens who settled there, and it has been handed down until today. The descendants are passing on this culture and have made it more elaborate. The effort is praiseworthy.”

Soon said the celebration with sugarcanes, though started by the Hokkiens, bind all dialectal clans in Sibu as they join the celebration “under the same sky”.

“Celebrating the birthday of Jade Emperor is not the exclusive right of the Hokkiens. It is a celebration for all believers,” he said.

Why is the festival marked with sugarcanes?

Soon has an interesting story, which he said had been handed down by word of mouth for generations.

“The Hokkiens lived in the coastal region in Southern China and they were vulnerable to attacks by sea bandits from Japan.”

Soon said in a major attack at the end of Ming Dynasty, the villagers fled and went hiding in a sugarcane plantation.

He said the bandits failed to harm them.

“When the bandits left and the villagers emerged, it was the ninth day of the Chinese New Year - the birthday of Jade Emperor.

“The Hokkien ancestors take this as a thanksgiving day since then. The celebration has been marked with sugarcanes as a symbol of thanksgiving.”

Soon said Tua Pek Kong Temple was decorated with more than 100 stalks of sugarcanes in thanksgiving.

“We have no problem with the supply. We bought the cane stalks in the Central Market. Apart from those supplied by the temple, worshippers also brought theirs.”

Two altars were set up outside the temple - one for Jade Emperor, and the other consisting of two long tables for the food offering. Food and fruits that signify prosperity were offered.

Soon said the celebration was conducted outside the temple under the sky as their house of worship was built for Tua Pek Kong.

He said since Jade Emperor was a deity of high rank, they would not house the celebration for him in the temple of Tua Pek Kong.