KOTA SAMARAHAN: After two weeks of celebrating Chinese New Year, the Chinese community, especially in Malaysia, will celebrate Chap Goh Mei.
For individuals of non-Chinese descent, Chap Goh Mei may be just an ordinary festival enlivened by various shows.
However, for the Chinese community, Chap Goh Mei has a different meaning and is celebrated in a certain way.
“Chap Goh Mei, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day or Lantern Festival, is the last celebration of the lunar new year, marking the end of the Spring Festival celebrations,” said Georgina Chong, the women’s chief of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions
According to her, the word chap goh means fifteen in the Hokkien dialect. Usually, this festival will be celebrated on the 15th night of Chinese New Year.
“Chap means ten, Goh means five and Mei means night.
“The Chap Goh Mei festival is also called the full moon festival or Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Jie). The purpose of this festival is to welcome spring and pray for rain.
“The houses of the Chinese community will be decorated with lights and lanterns of various colours as a sign of the end of the Chinese New Year,” she said.
Fireworks are set off and lanterns lit to celebrate the occasion.
“There is also a practice of throwing oranges into the sea or river with a prayer to get a partner. A wet orange carries a message that they will find a suitable partner.
“Chinese cultural performances will be held at night to mark the Chap Goh Mei festival such as lantern processions, dragon or lion dances, Chinese opera, and the waving of the large “Chingay” flag.
“In our community, preparations for Chap Goh Mei usually start during the Spring Festival. Some families begin with a thorough cleaning, clearing away the old to make way for the new year.
“We will clean every corner of the house, change into new clothes, and decorate our house, making everything fresh and clean,” she explained.
Besides cleaning and decorating the house, buying ingredients and preparing delicious food is also an important part of preparation.
Chap Goh Mei is a time for family gatherings, and people buy various ingredients to prepare a sumptuous reunion dinner.
Traditional dishes such as tangyuan, dumplings and nian gao are a must at the festival, symbolising reunion and happiness. Some families also make special sweets or pastries to entertain guests or give as gifts to relatives and friends.
Apart from preparing food, decoration is also an indispensable part of Chap Goh Mei.
“Every road and home area in Chinese society is decorated with various lanterns, in various shapes and colours, adding to the festive atmosphere,” said Chong.
“Also, couplets, paper cuttings and other decorations are commonly seen, used to decorate doors and wish for good luck in the new year.
“On the day of Chap Goh Mei, family and friends gather to celebrate this special festival. We have a family feast, taste delicious food, and share joy.
“Some communities also organise various activities and performances, such as lantern parades, lion dances, etc., attracting many people to watch and participate,” she said.
During the festival, people engage in various interactive and communal activities. Guessing the lantern puzzle is one of the traditional Chap Goh Mei activities.
People paste puzzles on lanterns, invite friends and family to solve them, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Besides, activities like lantern viewing, lion dance and cultural performances are also popular choices to celebrate the festival.
“During Chap Goh Mei, many families and communities follow the traditional customs and traditions of their respective families.
“Some families hold ancestor worship activities, praying for the blessings of their ancestors and the peace and happiness of their families.
“These traditions and customs are handed down from generation to generation, becoming part of family life.
“For the Chinese community, Chap Goh Mei is not only a traditional festival but also a time for family reunions and sharing joy,” said Chong.
It symbolises saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, reunion and happiness, which has special significance and value for everyone.
“Therefore, whether in a busy city or a remote village, Chap Goh Mei is celebrated festively, leaving memories of a rich and colourful celebration,” she said.
