Chap Goh Meh

In Hokkien dialect, Chap Goh Meh literally means the fifteenth night of the Chinese Lunar New Year. This day or night is the first Man Yue (it means full moon in Chinese) of the New Year, Chinese will hang red lanterns around their house. In the olden days, this day was meant for the couples as they were only to meet each other on this very day. The Chinese community in Penang celebrates this occasion with various activities, the most popular event will be the 'throwing mandarin oranges' event.

On the 9th February 2009, the celebration of Chap Goh Meh started at 7pm at Esplanade. We had the opportunity to watch a variety of cultural performances such as the Lion Dance, Chingay performance (flag-balancing), Joget performance, and so on. This year the Penang state government invited the Lion Dance Association from Johor, who won 29 World Championships, to perform the lion dance. Besides that, they also invited the Dondang Sayang performers to perform Joget. The performers showed the spectators a few simple Joget steps and led them to a mass Joget session.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the Chief Minister of Penang, Yang Amat Berhormat Tuan Lim Guan Eng, also took part in the event by being the first person to throw oranges into the sea. Later, Miss Pesta 2008 finalists led the crowd in this very event. The throwing of tangerines into the sea is the most important part of the entire celebration. This practice actually originated from Penang. Traditionally, in the fifties or sixties, young maidens of the Nyonya family threw tangerines into the sea on the night of Chap Goh Meh. They believed that by throwing tangerines into the sea, they would find themselves a good husband. This culture was later followed by the Chinese.

A little story about the history of throwing mandarin oranges. Chap Goh Meh is the only day where "Romeo and Juliet" were allowed to meet each other. While nyonyas and will get the chance to leave their home. To them, Chap Goh Meh is seen as Eastern Valentine's Day. "抛柑嫁好尪", in Hokkien dialect means that throwing mandarin oranges will bring you a good husband. As for guys, they will get a good relationship after throwing mandarin oranges. Single nyonyas will throw the mandarin oranges to the sea while single babas will collect the mandarin oranges from the sea. The baba that collect most mandarin oranges will be the winner. This activity started at the 19th Century at Esplanade and Gurney Drive.

Moreover, Chap Goh Meh is also known as the Eastern Valentine’s Day. According to the Chinese legend, the matchmaker from the moon will tie red strings on the couples’s legs on this day. As the result, those couples will end up marry or being together.

The photos of the Chap Goh Meh celebration at Penang:

The event organise by the Penang Government.

The evidence. Hahaha...

The early birds. They deserve the chairs. Foreigners also took part in this event... The Lion Club selling oranges for a very cheap price.. Don't know how to read. Never mind just see the price. Get it? RM 1.00 for ONE! Anyway, the Lions Club will donate it to the charity. The crane and the photo shot team. Chap Goh Meh is Eastern Valentine's Day. The 'throwing orange' event The final destination of the mandarin oranges, either the sea or the basket.

Photos from Guang Ming:

P/s: This is a great event for everyone to know the specialty of Malaysia's festival, but there's always something bad in everything. After the event, the oranges are not cleared from the sea. When we took the ferry back to Butterworth on Wednesday, we saw a lot of oranges in the middle of the sea. If this can be improved, things will be perfect.