The birthday of the Jade Emperor ("Ti Kong") fell this year on 16th February (the 9th day of the Chinese New Year). Also known as God of the Heavens, the Jade Emperor is regarded as a supreme deity with overall control of everything. It is a major celebration every year among the Hokkien community and many households hold prayers at night between 11 pm and 1 am with offerings of sugar cane, roast pork, "kueh", "kueh bakul", fruits, to name a few, not forgetting "Ti Kong Kim" (paper money)! I was at our market again to take pictures of the "action" there!
The sugar cane is an important offering. According to legend, the Hokkiens from the Fujian Province of China were saved from massacre by the Sung Dynasty soldiers when they hid in a sugar cane plantation on Chinese New Year Day for nine consecutive days.
Another essential offering: Sweet glutinous rice cakes with red date and dried longan on top
Left: "Ang Koo"/"Than" (steamed glutinous rice flour cakes with bean filling)
Right: "Huat kueh" (pink steamed rice flour cakes)
"Ang Koo" (translated means "red tortoise"). The vendor of these "Ang Koo" said they were homemade and used minimum colouring, hence the light orange shade as opposed to the usual bright red.
"Mee koo" (steamed red skinned flour buns) and "Toh" (flour buns with nuts or lotus seed paste filling)
The celebrations are usually held on a grand scale in the clan jetties and attract hordes of tourists and locals. Incidentally this year is the 109th birthday of the Jade Emperor and hopefully we have all received the Emperor's blessings for a happy and prosperous new year!
Celebrations at Chew Jetty. (Pic by courtesy of The Star)
The sugar cane is an important offering. According to legend, the Hokkiens from the Fujian Province of China were saved from massacre by the Sung Dynasty soldiers when they hid in a sugar cane plantation on Chinese New Year Day for nine consecutive days.
Another essential offering: Sweet glutinous rice cakes with red date and dried longan on top
Left: "Ang Koo"/"Than" (steamed glutinous rice flour cakes with bean filling)
Right: "Huat kueh" (pink steamed rice flour cakes)
"Ang Koo" (translated means "red tortoise"). The vendor of these "Ang Koo" said they were homemade and used minimum colouring, hence the light orange shade as opposed to the usual bright red.
"Mee koo" (steamed red skinned flour buns) and "Toh" (flour buns with nuts or lotus seed paste filling)
The celebrations are usually held on a grand scale in the clan jetties and attract hordes of tourists and locals. Incidentally this year is the 109th birthday of the Jade Emperor and hopefully we have all received the Emperor's blessings for a happy and prosperous new year!
Celebrations at Chew Jetty. (Pic by courtesy of The Star)
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