Hey 👋🏻 all, SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 as an art & heritage enthusiast is gonna sharing about a living heritage ~ Chingay Parade aka Chingay Festival

It’s a cultural event of the Chinese community in Johor state of Malaysia 🇲🇾 on the 21st day of the 1️⃣st month of the Lunar New Year 农历正月廿一 since 1870

This festival has significant bearing to the Chinese community as it depicts the strong spirit of consensus between the 5️⃣ dialects of Teochew 潮州, Hokkien 福建, Hakka 客家, Cantonese 广府 & Hainanese 海南. It was declared a National Cultural Heritage of Malaysia on 28 Jan 2012

More details via 🌐 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chingay_parade

Chingay in the Chinese Mandarin word “妆艺” (Zhuāng Yì) meant the art of costume & masquerade 🎭 in the Hokkien dialect. As a collective of diverse cultural performances, Chingay embodies our shared value of multiculturalism as we come together to celebrate as one

It’s similarly practices & celebrates in Singapore 🇸🇬

In Nov 2024, Singapore 🇸🇬 & Malaysia 🇲🇾 has announced a joint effort 🤝🏻 to nominate the Chingay Parade for inclusion in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

This collaboration 🤝🏻 aims to recognize the parade’s cultural significance in both countries & is scheduled for submission in March 2025, both countries will jointly nominate Chingay onto the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as an SG60 milestone & as a joint effort 🤝🏻 with Malaysia to mark 60 years of bilateral ties. This UNESCO nomination will mark a significant step in safeguarding & promoting this living heritage in both countries. Then, with a decision expected by the end of 2026

Chingay Festival showcases the shared cultural heritage of both countries while highlighting the distinctiveness of Chingay in each country. Its inclusion on the UNESCO Representative List will raise global awareness of this living heritage & would encourage more people to appreciate the different cultural traditions & diversity around the world 🌎

It promotes the transmission of Chingay Festival as a living heritage: the UNESCO inscription could energise & raise interest among younger practitioners, ensuring that Chingay remains a vital part of Singapore’s & Malaysia’s cultural landscape for future generations

It would promote cultural diversity & understanding, also it cultivates a deeper sense of ownership & pride among communities. It can inspire individuals & groups to actively participate in its celebration & transmission. This increased involvement will ensure that Chingay Festival remains a living tradition, reflecting the dynamic & evolving spirit of the community

So, let’s join with SiennyLovesDrawing to support this UNESCO nomination 👩🏻🖐🏻🙌🏻💯

For Singapore 🇸🇬, do drop in your real-time messages to support this nomination through an official microsite via 🌐 supportchingaysg.gov.sg . SiennyLovesDrawing has shared her message below,

“Bravo of conserving & preserving our living heritage & let the world see our traditions! Full support! From Malaysia & Singapore to the World – Chingay’s Journey to Global Recognition! 为保护和保存我们的活遗产喝彩及让世界看见我们的传统！全力支持！从马来西亚和新加坡走向世界——游神文化迈向国际认可！”

For Malaysia 🇲🇾, do submit your blessings & support this nomination via 🌐 https://forms.gle/Gx2bd5jz1P8h79Pt9

Hmm…SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻🤩 is proud to have a golden opportunity to celebrate Johor Chingay festival happening at Johor Ancient Temple ⛩️ through its YouTube live streaming throughout this whole festival while she is working outstation, next year she will be there

Absolutely an unforgettable experience gained

These are some 80 floats, 21 lion & dragon dance troupes would parade along the 8km route with devotees & deities from the 5️⃣ main dialect clans that are housed at the Johor Ancient Temple ⛩️, Johor Bahru, Malaysia 🇲🇾

• The Lighting Ceremony: 18th of the 1️⃣st lunar month 亮灯仪式: 农历正月十八
• Route Sanctifying, Inviting Deity On the Palanquin: 19th of the 1️⃣st lunar month 洗街、请神坐轿：农历正月十九 ~ The meaning of street cleansing ceremony is to bless the believers who participate in the procession with safety & to drive away evil spirits, at the same time to remind the wandering ghosts along the way to avoid collision when the gods are parading
• Departure of the Deities: 20th of the 1️⃣st lunar month 众神出銮：农历正月二十
• Night-time Deities Procession: 21st of the 1️⃣st lunar month 众神夜游：农历正月廿一
• Return of the Deities: 22nd of the 1️⃣st lunar month 众神回銮：农历正月廿二

The slogan for this 2025 Johor Bahru Chingay parade, which already more than 150 years old now, is ‘Road to Unesco’ in conjunction with the joint nomination initiative

Guess what ❓⁉️

In addition to Malaysian locals, there are invited teams from China 🇨🇳, Singapore 🇸🇬, Philippines 🇵🇭, Thailand 🇹🇭 & Taiwan 🇹🇼 to participate in this festival

Approximately 500K participants & spectators are expected to throng the Johor Bahru city centre to witness this upcoming Chingay parade

More than 2.7K policemen would be on duty throughout this annual Chingay Festival to take care of road closures & ensure public safety

The road closures will start from the Tiong Hua Federal Mortuary Johor Bahru, Jalan Yahya Awal traffic light, Jalan Lingkaran Dalam viaduct, Jalan Gertak Merah, Jalan Syed Mohd Mufti in front of the Tabung Haji building, Jalan Ulu Ayer Molek junction, Jalan Dato Onn, Jalan Ibrahim, Danga City Mall viaduct & end at the morgue

On 17 Feb 2025, the roads were closed from 11am to 1pm to involve the ‘Bringing the Temple Out’ ceremony. It starts from the Johor Ancient Temple at Jalan Trus and then Jalan Ngee Heng, Jalan Tun Razak & Jalan Ulu Air Molek

Next, the road closure on 18 Feb 2025 will start from 5pm to 3am for the night parade

Then, the last day on 19 Feb 2025 for the “Bringing Back the Temple” ceremony from 11am to 1pm will start from the Xing Gong Temple at Jalan Ulu Air Molek to the Johor Ancient Temple, which will also involve Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Ngee Heng & Jalan Trus

Personally, she really wishes that this UNESCO joint nomination between Malaysia 🇲🇾 & Singapore 🇸🇬 will be successfully obtained 👩🏻💯👍🏻

More info via 🌐 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TBuiF0ZteT4b50B-6azn2PfoXikGKVP7/view

📹🌐 https://m.youtube.com/@Ancient_Temple8888

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