Birthday of Jade Emperor
Birthday of Jade Emperor or 'Thni Kong Seh' in Hokkien falls on the 9th day
of Chinese New Year. It is celebrated all over Malaysia but on a grander scale
in Penang due to the large population of Hokkien Chinese on the island and
mainland. In fact, celebration started on 8th night of Chinese New Year.
The biggest Jade Emperor's birthday celebrations will take place at the Jade
Emperor temple at Chew Jetty and Thni Kong Tnua, or Jade Emperor's Pavilion, a
Taoist temple at the foot of Penang Hill in Air Itam, Penang. During this time,
the Chew Jetty is decorated festively with colourful lights and bright lanterns.
Here, it is customary for the residences of the jetty and devotees to bring food
and other offerings to share them on the communal tables. At midnight, prayers
will be offered to the Jade Emperor to ask for a lucky and prosperous year
ahead.
According to oral history, the Hokkien ancestors who were trying to escape a
ruthless army in ancient China seek refuge in a sugarcane plantation for eight
days and emerged unharmed during the ninth day of Chinese New Year, which is
also the Jade Emperor’s birthday. It is then believed that they were protected
by the Jade Emperor, and had since welcomed their New Year on the ninth day by
celebrating the Jade Emperor’s birthday and giving thanks to him.
In households, preparations are made the day before with the purchase of
“gold-paper” or paper offerings (‘Thni Kong Kim’), sugarcane stalks, fruits,
flowers, liquor and Chinese cakes (sometimes home-made) such as ‘Tnee Koay’, a
kind of sweet and sticky brown cake made from glutinous rice flour and palm
sugar.
‘Ang Ku Koay’, literally translated as red tortoise cake which is a kind of red
glutinous rice cake made in the shape of a tortoise shell. ‘Huat Koay’, which
are light and fluffy pink cupcakes made from fermented glutinous rice flour; and
more.
These will be used as offerings for the Jade Emperor along with Chinese dishes
and sometimes even a whole roast pig. During night time, an altar for the Jade
Emperor will be set up with the offerings placed on the altar. At the stroke of
midnight, prayers are performed and later, the burning of the paper offerings (‘Thni
Kong Kim’).
For location and other information about the event, visit www.visitpenang.gov.my.
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