Ong Chun is a traditional Chinese ritual used to honor Ong Yah, a deity believed to protect people and their lands from natural disasters.
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Ong Chun customs ceremony was developed in the Minnan region of China, before spreading through maritime trade from Southern Fujian to Southeast Asia. It is now widely practiced in coastal areas including Xiamen Bay and Quanzhou Bay as well as in Chinese communities in Melaka, Malaysia.
The Ong Chun (known as Wangkang in Malaysia) or barge festival, first took place in Melaka in 1854. The main difference between the two regions is the timing of the event. In Xiamen, the Ong Chun ceremony is performed every three or four years, usually during the northwest monsoon season of autumn.
When someone dies at sea, they are often considered ‘good brothers’ (people lost at sea) who become lonely and wandering souls. At the start of the ceremony, people gather at the seaside to welcome Ong Yah to the temple or clan hall, while lamp poles are placed to call forth the ‘good brothers’ in order to deliver them from torment. In this way, the element is considered to have done good deeds.
Performances lead the procession and clear a path for Ong Yah's barge (wooden or paper-made models) and other elements of the ceremony. The performances include gaojia and gezai operas, as well as various dances, including dragon and lion dances, and puppet shows, among others.
Ancient ceremony honors the legacy of our ancestors' oceanic endeavors and celebrates harmony between man and the ocean by building a model barge in ancient style with an identical size and structure.
The element evokes historical memories of ancestors' ocean-going, ensures the survival of family and social ties in times of emergency such as shipwrecks. It also validates the intercultural dialogue between communities. Several details, such as masts, sails, and beautiful paintings, are included.
Despite the fact that it may seem new to many people, Ong Chun ceremonies have been popular for quite some time among residents of certain regions. The ritual is gaining unique significance for local communities.
It is a vivid example of the spread and integration of Chinese culture along the Maritime Silk Road and is regarded as a shared heritage by communities in China and Malaysia. Hopefully, in the future, this ceremony will unlock cultural and tourism potential as well as encourage greater cultural exchange between China, Malaysia, and its neighbors.