Hwa Kwang Shi Temple wraps up week-long grand opening celebration
MIRI: The Hwa Kwang Shi Temple wrapped up its week-long celebration on Saturday evening to mark its grand opening on Dec 10.
Judging from the exciting and joyous atmosphere at the sevenday celebration, it is the epitome of colourful Chinese art and culture as well as a show of racial and religious tolerance in Sarawak.
For the grand opening day, the temple not only invited grassroots leaders of the Chinese community and people’s representatives such as Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting to witness the memorable day, it had also extended the invitation to Sibuti MP Datuk Ahmad Lai Bujang.
“We welcome everyone regardless of race and religious background because we want to show that it is a very significant phenomenon where Sarawak does not segregate people through race or religion, instead it actually unites us as Sarawakians,” said Hwa Kwang Shi Temple chairman Peng Soon Tung.
The opening which started at an auspicious time at 9am was first blessed by 108 dancing lions and seven dragons which involved over 500 performers from all corners of Sarawak including Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Batu Niah, Miri and Limbang, prancing to the sound of 24 season drums and cymbals.
Peng, who is also popularly known as a medium performing divination ceremony and was dressed in traditional costumes, led the guests to a mass praying ceremony before the start of the dancing cum worshipping ceremony to ask blessings from the gods and goddess to protect the temple.
Thereafter, the performers of Yi Sing Fukien Dramatic Association, the one and only Chinese opera troupe from Kuching established since 1950, put up hours of opera theatre show that lasted for four days.
The story-telling opera singing show (or ‘Ge Zai Xi’ in Mandarin) was made even more interesting with its theatrical art, make-up and colourful costumes, as well as its extensive use of Southern Fujianese dialectical terms religiously praising the Hwa Kwang Shi Temple in its theatrical flair, which fascinated many to come and enjoy the show.
Apart from the opera show, there were also performances and contests like dancing and singing by local performers, which attracted thousands of devotees and the public to the temple.
A huge army of photographers was also seen busy taking shots with their cameras, which Peng said they would use for a photo contest jointly organised by the temple and Miri Photography Society ( MPS) besides just capturing the moments and the beautiful culture.
“We are delighted with the great response from the shutterbugs from around Miri and we are grateful that they are helping to capture the memorable moments,” said Peng.