KUALA LUMPUR – Every year, hundreds of devotees gather at the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple in Kuala Lumpur, the oldest Taoist temple in the city, with a history spanning over 100 years, to fulfil their prayers on the eve of the Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is celebrated to honour deities and ancestors. It offers an opportunity for families to reunite and strengthen their bonds.
Ahead of the Year of the Wood Dragon, devotees arrived at the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple as early as 7pm to pray.
In anticipation of the Year of the Wood Dragon, devotees gather at the temple as early as 7pm to perform their annual prayers, which can include various wishes, such as seeking protection for their businesses, excelling in their studies, or being blessed with children.
However, the temple’s main attraction lies in the unique opportunity it offers to devotees: the chance to crawl under a table positioned at the centre of the sacred structure, aimed at dispelling bad luck or omens for the year – a tradition that has been passed down through the generations.
The Sin Sze Si Ya Temple was constructed by the prominent historical Kuala Lumpur figure, Yap Ah Loy, to honour two deities who offered him guidance during the Klang War about 150 years ago. – February 10, 2024
After contributing a specific amount to charity, a temple caretaker ‘signals the deities’ by banging a gong and drum, symbolising the charitable act. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024The practice of crawling under tables is undertaken by devotees to ward off bad luck, or ‘suay,’ ahead of the new year. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024The dates for the Chinese New Year are determined by the lunar calendar, which is determined by the appearance of the first new moon. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024Devotees may pray to various deities for different desires, such as education, prosperity, and business-related success. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024Devotees may pray to various deities for different desires, such as education, prosperity, and business-related success. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024Devotees engage in prayers, wishing for prosperity and seeking the removal of any bad omens. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024Devotees pray for prosperity ahead of the new year, known as the Year of the Wood Dragon. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024Prayers on the eve of the Chinese New Year are a tradition carried through generations. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024Devotees buy incense sticks and allocate a specific quantity to each deity at the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024These incense sticks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024A prominent figure in 19th-century Kuala Lumpur, Yap Ah Loy is one of the founders of the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024The Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is Kuala Lumpur’s oldest Taoist temple, boasting a history of over 100 years. – Azim Rahman/Scoop pic, February 10, 2024
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