A full moon on the rise
CHUAH BEE KIM
2009/10/01
The Mid-Autumn Festival is commemorated with the opening of a Chinese cultural exhibition. CHUAH BEE KIM learns that like other traditional Chinese celebration, a tragic romance is always a part of the story
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| The biggest mooncake displayed at the Chinese Cultural Exhibition at Sutera Mall. |
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| The Mid-Autumn festivities are usually enjoyed by the children, who would play among themselves while holding lanterns. |
THE lighting and passing of a single candle marked the opening of the Chinese Cultural Exhibition 2009 at Sutera Mall in Johor Baru.
Its manager, Goh Lak Jin, said the event was held in conjunction with Zhongqiu Jie (Mid-Autumn Festival), which falls tomorrow.
The exhibition, organised by the mall management, Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd, features a host of interesting exhibits and Chinese cultural events that will help the modern generation get better acquainted with their roots.
The cultural event was declared open by state International Trade and Industry, Energy, Water, Communication and Environment Committee chairman Tan Kok Hong, who is also the Johor MCA deputy chairman.
Housing Developers Association (Rehda) Johor branch chairman and general manager of Tanah Sutera Development, Steven Shum, was also present.
Both Tan and Shum joined Goh on stage for the "passing the candlelight" ceremony.
The celebration of the mid-autumn festival is widely celebrated by the Chinese community on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, a practice that goes back over 3,000 years.
People would gather under the moonlight to eat mooncakes and pomelo while the younger ones play and carry brightly-lit lanterns.
Today, the celebration is enjoyed by all the races in Malaysia, especially the children who play with one another while carrying paper lanterns.
Purchase of mooncakes is also said to be on the rise among the non-Chinese.
Forty-seven children aged between 1 and 12 from Pusat Kebajikan Kalvari Johor were invited to join the event.
Paper lanterns were distributed and the young guests had a great time participating in the activities lined up for them.
Among the highlights was a dragon dance performance held outside the mall on a street lined with lit lanterns.
It is believed that Chang Er, the mythical lady of the moon, will come down to earth to mingle with the crowd during the revelry.
According to Chinese folklore, Chang Er was the beautiful wife of Houyi, an archer who shot down nine out of ten suns that once scorched the earth.
As a reward, Houyi was given a pill of immortality by the emperor of heaven. Chang Er found the pill and out of curiosity, swallowed it and began floating to the moon.
Houyi failed to rescue her because he could not bring himself to shoot her down, and she lived alone as an immortal on the moon.
It is also believed that at this time, Houyi will visit his separated wife when she comes down.
That is why at night, the moon is always full and beautiful.
The exhibition, which will be held until Oct 17, will be packed with cultural performances on weekends.
It also features Chinese paintings and calligraphic writings, including the works of the late calligrapher and poet, Pan Shou.
There will also be a display of Chinese musical instruments and a collection of traditional and modern mooncakes packaged in the most innovative boxes.
More items at the exhibition include traditional Chinese weapons, books, bonsai plants, medicine and herbs, among others.
The Calligraphy Society of Malaysia, Chinese Physicians Association of Johor Malaysia, Lee Wushu Arts Workshop, Johor Baru Tionghua Federation, Persatuan Sukan Long Shi Johor and the Pertubuhan Peminat Bonsai Johor had all contributed items to the exhibition.
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