Home » Chinese New Year in Penang: An unexpected ending

Chinese New Year in Penang: An unexpected ending

Chinese New Year in Penang

I pushed through the wall of people, feeling like a drill tunneling through the ground.

The temple was crowded to the point of insanity, everyone anticipating the start of Chinese New Year in Penang. I simply wanted to get out — that’s if I could find the exit. 

Chinese New Year Temple

Chinese New Year Temple

Still searching, I coughed as the incense engulfed me. It spewed from burning sticks, but not the tiny ones from an incense burner. These had dragon’s faces and were a person’s height. My lungs filled with their acrid smoke.

Chinese New Year Temple

Chinese New Year Temple

I pushed deeper into the crowd, the incense lingering. My ears were filled with a thousand conversations in Chinese. They were hushed, respecting the temple’s solemnity. I inhaled as the smoked faded, only to be replaced by Malaysia’s cloying air. The sun had set, but it didn’t make a difference. My shirt clung to my back in the tropical night.

Chinese New Year Temple

Chinese New Year Temple

With the sun banished, the sky had changed from pale blue to deep indigo. The red lanterns which had waited patiently all day burst into life, like stars going supernova. My senses were overwhelmed and I stopped to appreciate the moment.

Chinese New Year Temple

Chinese New Year Temple

All through the temple spiraled ornate carvings, dragons dancing around pillars and along the ceiling. Their ornate paintwork flickered from the sea of candles burning below. Not to be outdone, the hundreds of lanterns swinging overhead bathed us in red.

Chinese New Year Temple

Chinese New Year Temple

Chinese New Year Temple

It was a magical moment. Then without warning, silence descended on the packed crowd. The temple’s altar emptied, anticipating the impending event. The sound system beside the altar screeched into life, unleashing a painful distortion that made me clutch my ears.

Chinese New Year Temple

Moments later, a group of dancers bumbled onto the stage. Gaudy Chinese pop music started blasting. I stared in disbelief at the unceremonious scene, but the crowd cheered. This was the moment the ancient temple had been waiting for: Chinese New Year in Penang.

Want to read more about Penang? Click on the links below

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One comment

  1. Gma says:

    An extremely colourful account Dan! A sight to behold by looks of it. I had never put any thought into the acrid smoke but can’t imagine it being pleasant.

    Love and happy travels as always

    Gma

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