On
the 16th Day of the Seventh Month, the 中元节 (ZhongYuan Festival) at
Carpenter Street is possibly the oldest in Sarawak - having been held at
this location every years since the temple was built in the 1800's.
Tonight celebration is a KeJia （Hakka，客家)
Clan event. The ChaoZhou （潮州） clan had their event the night before.
Three highlight so this event - the Raising the Lantern of Heaven, the 8
pm free-for-all and then the 8:30 pm free-for-all.
Frontage of the festival venue at Carpenter Street, Kuching.
Prayer at the altar for the YuLanShenHui (盂兰盆会).
Prayer at the altar for the YuLanShenHui (盂兰盆会).
Altar to the Gods of the Gold and Silver Mountains
The Lord of Hades.
Prayer Offerings on the ground
Making paper Gold and Silver Ingots
Prayer Offerings on the ground
The Lord of Hades.
This Lantern of Heaven oil lamp is worth a lot of money - it will go to the highest bidder. It went for RM999.
Crowd waiting for the 8 pm free-for-all
Kid waiting with big bag to grab the goodies
Burning the Paper offerings
Crowd waiting for the 8 pm free-for-all
The Lantern is up.
Free-For-All and Grab as much as you can!
The empty altar table.
Crowds grabbing the goodies.
Crowds grabbing the goodies.
Making off with the goodies.
Place emptied of the offerings
The empty altar table
Crowd
waiting for the second of round of free-for-all - this time the grab
for the tickets to collect the rows and rows of food hampers seen at the
back.
Free-for-All again!!!
