Chap Goh Mei! Celebrating the End of CNY in Malaysia - Firecrackers, Temple Offerings, Lion Dances

Chinese New Year is a long and elaborate holiday. In fact, it lasts for 15 days, and the final day has lots of names. It's known as Chap Goh Mei. It's also the Lantern Festival. AND it's Chinese Valentine's Day.
There are super-loud firecrackers, exciting lion dances, extensive temple offerings and rituals, PLUS Mandarin Oranges to find your one true love. What is a traveler to do on such an important day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia?
Me, I did what I always do. I made some vague plans, went for a walk, and hoped to have small adventures along the way. And it worked out very well. My first stop was the 130-year-old Guandi Temple, dedicated to the God of War. From there, I roamed Chinatown and stumbled across quite an astonishing lion dance topped off with 88-foot strings of fireworks (2 of them!). That's 176 feet of the loudest fireworks you can imagine.
My morning ended there, as does this video. In the afternoon, I went to the Suria KLCC mall to take in the Petronas Towers (the tallest twin towers in the world and once the tallest buildings in the world) and another lion dance. My time at KLCC and the Petronas Twin Towers is in the next video.
There was one Chinese New Year Chap Goh Mei tradition I did not experience - the search for one's true love with Mandarin oranges. But that leaves this tourist with something to do next year.
Cheers,
Douglas (AKA The Cycling Canadian)
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Joby Gorillapod

[@PlanetDoug]

TIME STAMPS 19:25 - I stumble across a Chap Goh Mei lion dance. 27:27 - They light the firecrackers after the lion dance. 33:00 - Bonus Questions and Answers 34:33 - Travel Tip 025

[@selfreflection2117]

Congratulations on 1k subscribers! I love the canadian tv series Anne of Green Gables.

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you so much. It's pretty exciting to reach 1,000 subscribers. 🤩 Is that the newish series? I think it's called "Anne with an E". I haven't seen it yet. Of course, I've read the book(s) many times. All good Canadians have. 😃 For me, it's one of those books that is impossible to put down.

[@selfreflection2117]

@@PlanetDoug I watched the 1980s series. The actors were Megan Follows and the late Jonathan Crombie.

[@PlanetDoug]

@@selfreflection2117 I watched that series, too. I'm usually nervous about watching a movie or TV show based on a book that I loved, but they did well. 🙂 I just watched a couple of clips from the series on KZbin, and it reminded me how much I enjoyed it. Poor Anne when she showed up at the Cuthbert's and Marilla didn't want her because she wasn't a boy. As Anne said, "This is just the most tragical thing that has ever happened to me."

[@hassanmusa6375]

Nice shots of fire cracking

[@jimmychoke1492]

Congrats 1k subscriber....keep it going!!!!

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you. I almost missed it when it happened. Someone left a comment about it, and I checked, and it was right at 1,000 subscribers. That's pretty amazing. 😀 (I even took a screen shot.)

[@ChrisJSetterington]

Congratulations on the 1000 subscriber milestone!

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you. I honestly had no idea when I started making these videos if anyone would be interested in them. So it's encouraging to have 1,000 people interested enough to actually subscribe to the channel. It's exciting. 👍😃

[@AnnieT369]

Part (8) rhymes with luck.

[@RUHappyATM]

Yes siree. You have the disco dance. You have the hip-hop dance. You have the moonwalk dance. You have the break dance. And then you had the lion dance all along!

[@PlanetDoug]

I ended up finding the lion dance 3 times, so I'm happy. Actually, the lion dance in this video was my favorite by far. I don't know if this is a special lion dance troupe, but they put on an exciting performance. And the firecrackers were a nice touch at the end. 😃

[@jehanc]

Woe, you got the chap goh Mei. A lot of last prayer with lots of sugar cane bring good luck for the hokkien clan.

[@PlanetDoug]

I didn't know that sugar cane could also bring good luck. That's good to know. Is it drinking sugar cane juice that brings good luck, or is there another tradition?

[@joannekoch6907]

I am a lion dancer and I love your videos.😝😀

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you. 🙂 Now I wish I had done a better job filming them. I learned a bit more the lion dance each time I saw one. And I started to notice small details that I didn't see the first couple of times. There is a lot going on.

[@jehanc]

You will not always find many lion dances in temples. But in shop lots businesses or in front of a celebration.

[@PlanetDoug]

That definitely seemed to be true. I didn't film them all, but after this performance at Oloiya, I saw a few more lion dances at businesses and hotels all over Chinatown. And when I checked online, I saw that lion dances were taking place at large hotels and shopping malls all over Kuala Lumpur. You must have been very busy during Chinese New Year. 🙂

[@kwtay1746]

You should head south to johor baru for the Chingay procession. The peak is on 25/2. Can check online for details

[@PlanetDoug]

Thanks for the idea. I'd never heard of Chingay or the Chingay procession before. It would definitely be a good idea to go to Johor Baru to experience it. I'll have to do some thinking today to see if it is possible. 😀👍

[@kwtay1746]

@@PlanetDoug this is the biggest of its kind. Even the Johor Sultan sometime attend the function. Definitely worth the trip.

[@panglimahitam8001]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jouoenl4pqmDrrc

[@liondoncefreak]

Coincidentally, you bumped into my lion dance team that day haha. What luck.

[@PlanetDoug]

That was your lion dance team? You guys were great. You really were. The performance had a lot of energy and was so much fun to watch. I actually ended up seeing even more lion dances than I've shown in these videos, and the performance at Oloiya that day was by far my favorite one over all of Chinese New Year. 👍

[@kwtay1746]

Penang is the place to see Chap Goh Mei celebration. Throwing of oranges, lion dance and the works... In KL area you may see the throwing of oranges at Taman Jaya lake in Petaling Jaya but the celebration is not big scale as in Penang .

[@yycorp1]

You have really soaked up alot of the good luck this 2019 already. Red is good luck color for the Chinese and you were covered with the 'red dust' from head to toe. So bountiful luck and prosperity for you this year, first up your subscribers number has already prospered to 1K! Next, prosper in $$ by monetize this channel.😊

[@PlanetDoug]

That's a good point. Maybe all these lion dances and being covered in the red dust from the firecrackers gave me good luck to reach 1,000 subscribers. Maybe 2019 will be my lucky and prosperous year. 🤩

[@selfreflection2117]

Interesting footage and description in the chinese temple. Chap means 10. Goh means 5. Mei is night. It's a hokkien dialect for 15th day of the new year. Hokkien is widely spoken in kuching, sarawak. It's a holiday for chinese schools.

[@PlanetDoug]

I was glad that I spoke to a couple of people in the temple. They told me about what was happening in the temple and why. I'm sure there was a lot more going on than I realized, but the local people helped me out a lot in terms of understanding it a little bit. And, as always, you are right about Chap Goh Mei. 🙂 I only know that because I read about it online, and a man at the lion dance told me it was from the Hokkien dialect and what it meant.

[@arty2k]

Good video.

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you. It's actually one of my favorites the way it turned out because I had such a good experience at both Guandi Temple and at the lion dance at Oloiya. Things just worked out well for my morning walk around Chinatown. 😃👍

[@huiyangong1073]

Welcome to be one part of our multicultural society in Malaysia!

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you. It's definitely one of the best things about Malaysia. 😃

[@nzchainsaw]

Chap Goh is 15 in the Hokkien dialect. Chap Goh Mei means 15th day of Chinese New Year. Meanwhile we Cantonese refer to the days of CNY as Chor Yat, Chor Yee, Chor Sarm etc. 1=Yat, 2=Yee, 3=Sarm.

[@PlanetDoug]

You definitely know more about it than me. 😃 But that is the correct answer based on what I read online.

[@fabianchan7]

@@PlanetDoug the word Chap Goh Meh is practically use by everyone here. I am also a Cantonese from Malaysia, and even I refer the last day as Chap Goh Meh, so no worries.

[@pasqalkhan]

Hi! If you’re still in KL. Visit the Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan.

[@PlanetDoug]

It looks like a beautiful mosque - especially the pictures I've seen taken from the air. And I read that they provide tours of the mosque in different languages. It would be interesting to go on one of the tours. 😃

[@pasqalkhan]

One of the most Beautiful mosque in KL! Worth a visit. If you’re going to take the tour, make sure its an English tour. Hahaha 😂Take care and Enjoy KL!

[@mohdk2299]

Congratulations 'The Rambling Canadian'.. oops 😅.. for 1k subscriber. Now you can join KZbin partner program. We will support you

[@RUHappyATM]

Chap gig is 15 in hokkien Mein is Night. Thus 15th Night of the CNY celebration. The end. The next festival is probably Ching Ming.

[@PlanetDoug]

You're right. 👍 That's what Chap Goh Mei means. It's good to know about Ching Ming. I just started reading about it online. Thanks for the tip. 🙂

[@nanyanguo1]

the other lantern festival is more popularly known as the Mid Auturm Mooncake Festival. This festival is celebrated since ancient time more for the story behind the mooncakes. Lanterns to Mid Autumn Mooncake Festival is much like what xmas tree is to Xmas except that families with their children would go out for a walk after dinner n eating mooncakes with tea, carrying small candle lighted lanterns. This lantern carrying tradition may not be practiced anymore by city folks today .

[@PlanetDoug]

I was actually in Taiwan for the Mid Autumn Festival, and I remember seeing a lot of the special lanterns that were created for the festival. They were quite impressive at night. I have some pictures here: thecyclingcanadian.smugmug.com/Taiwan/Taipei-Markets-Attractions/Lantern-Festival-Taipei-2012/ I think I saw pictures of similar lanterns online for Chinese New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, but I didn't see any lanterns like that myself. The only lanterns I saw were the red ones at temples and other places. Maybe the more elaborate lanterns were only at special places.

[@nanyanguo1]

@@PlanetDoug Yes. Over last few decades esp, the lanterns just get more n more colorful and elaborate with different shapes , sizes and design esp for the Mid Autumn festival. There are even giant size lanterns on display in more affluent places . More than decorative purpose, lanterns in old days serve to brighten up the homes, and public places for people to continue the festivities into the nite. Altho this functional purpose is irrelevant in this age of electricity, neon, led and laser lights , lanterns are ubiquitous in Chinese festivals as they have bcome symbolic with Chinese tradition n culture.

[@panglimahitam8001]

Normally stamp are blessing the people without any accident or sick throughout the year.

[@PlanetDoug]

That's interesting. Do you know the significance of the towels? I can understand stamping the paper and stamping your back for good health. But I didn't ask about the towels. 🙂 I'm curious how a towel fits into the New Year traditions.

[@panglimahitam8001]

The Cycling Canadian It's not New Year tradition, more towards the religious practices. For stamping on clothing, back or towel is same. Important is the stamp itself. It's like a talisman for the Taoist followers. Some people use towels is for convenient purposes, it's easier to carry elsewhere.

[@PlanetDoug]

@@panglimahitam8001 Thanks. That's helpful info. Since I was there on Chap Goh Mei, I just assumed that everything I saw was a tradition for that day. But it makes sense that some of the rituals would take place at other times throughout the year, too. It's also interesting that as a visitor, I assume there is a deep and powerful meaning to everything I see. But in reality, the answer can sometimes be just a simple and practical one - like what you said about the towel. I thought that a towel might be symbolic of something very important, but it could be just that towels are easy to carry around and you use them all the time to dry yourself, so why not put a healthy lucky stamp on them? 🙂

[@RichartAsia]

Ah you caught it in time...

[@PlanetDoug]

It was a good idea to go out into Chinatown earlier in the morning. That's when all the lion dances took place. Actually, I have to thank all the people who left comments on my previous videos. They were the ones who told me about it and gave me the idea to go there at that time. 👍🙂

[@RichartAsia]

@@PlanetDoug glad you enjoying it... if you want to try the best dimsum & seafood fried rice look me up then.

[@jehanc]

Chap Goh Mei means The 15 nights or the 15 day of CNY.

[@PlanetDoug]

You are right. That is the correct answer (at least based on what I read on the Internet).

[@Aaima---536]

hi Doug, interesting and informative cultural vid as usual. How long are you in M'sia for? Are you travelling long term?

[@PlanetDoug]

Thanks! I just hope I didn't get too many things wrong. I spoke to a few people in the temple, and they described some of what was happening around me. It was really interesting to see. 🙂 You reminded me that I should check on the expiry date of my current tourist visa... Well, it looks like I have plenty of time left - almost 2 months - if I want to stay that long. I've been so busy since I arrived in Kuala Lumpur that it feels like a lot more time has passed. I don't have definite dates and plans right now, but I will probably stay in Malaysia for at least another month. Then I'd like to go to Myanmar. Currently, I think I can only get a 28-day visa for that country. After that, I'd return to Kuala Lumpur because I have my bicycle and other gear here right now. And I'm thinking ahead to where I want to go next on a bike tour. I haven't decided yet. It will depend partially on how long I stay here and what the weather is like in different places. My original idea was to fly to Turkey once winter is over and begin cycling there and head towards other parts of Europe and Africa. So, yes, I'm traveling long term. I don't have a house or an apartment or even a car anywhere right now, so I'm free to go anywhere I want - as long as I have enough money, of course. 😃

[@Aaima---536]

@@PlanetDoug Hi Doug. Thanks for sharing your background information. It's good to get to know the people you're following (not stalking!!) on YOutube. 🙂. Sounds like a good plan to get to Burma but not sure of the political situation there. Always wanted to visit there and Indo-China and Indonesia. Maybe one day. Do go to Turkey if you can esp the eastern parts and there are many European countries that are bike-friendly. I lived in Zambia for 8 years in the seventies as a kid so southern Africa is a good option.

[@chuiyi7751]

Dry meet, it's jerky.

[@fastcx]

8 in mandarin is pronounced "ba1"(八), sound like "fa1"(发). To earn money, or continue to have good business. BTW, oloiya pronounce it o-loi-ya.

[@PlanetDoug]

I realized later on that I was pronouncing Oloiya all wrong. A man at the lion dance said the name for me, but by the time I gave my little summary in the video, I had forgotten what he said. For some reason, I thought the name of the company was Oyo. 😂

[@fastcx]

@@PlanetDoug It's alright

[@railplanetraveller]

Glad you had an interesting time. Looks like you are spending a while here. Drop me a message and we can have a cup of coffee and chat. Happy travels

[@talhahabdullah8980]

Alan Bligh excuse me Tuan, are you "the" Alan Bligh pembaca berita Inggeris TV2 RTM? If so I would like to thank you for your service to our beloved nation Malaysia.

[@railplanetraveller]

@@talhahabdullah8980 Yes I am. So kind of you. Segalanya demi tanah air tercinta.

[@talhahabdullah8980]

Alan Bligh wow. I am deeply honoured to meet you here sir. hahaha. Usually I see you on our national TV. I hope the cycling Canadian and you have a meet up. You are like a living and walking national archive. During your service all the news will have to go through you first before us all the masses. All the stories the news, the good and bad the tragic ones and the jubilation the historic moments and the hope for the future- just all of them. Thank you again sir and all of your colleagues in the RTM.

[@railplanetraveller]

You are too kind @@talhahabdullah8980 . You give me too much credit. Thanks and take care

[@talhahabdullah8980]

Alan Bligh in the age of facebook and Instafamous and all the news feed straight to the phone - you guys " the old school kinda guys" deserved more recognitions. You, Harjit Singh, Dato Rahim Razali, and the grand old man Taufik (allahyarham/God bless his soul) and many others. take care sir.