In the morning after our breakfast, we went to JB Old Chinese Temple where those "deities" left a day earlier and the same place that those 5 deities would be brought back the following day and kept for another year. This practice has been repeated for more than a hundred years!
The five deities are :
Yuan Tian Shang Di (元天上帝) (大老爷) - worshipped by the Teochew clan
Hong Xian Da Di (洪仙大帝) (洪仙公) = worshipped by the Hokkien clan
Gan Tian Da Di (感天大帝) - worshipped by the Cantonese clan
Hua Guang Da Di (华光大帝) - worshipped by the Hakka clan
Zhao Da Yuan Shuai (赵大元帅) - worshipped by the Hainan clan.
Inside the temple, there is a "history" section that one can see the olden days "pictures" on the wall. Like the adage, a picture tells a thousand words. From one of the pictures displayed, the government wanted to destroy this old chinese temple but was met with protest and those protesters who refused to budge and decided to sit on the ground infront of the barbed wires and police personnel. Kudos to those protesters! The temple was safe from destruction. If without those protesters' effort, we might not get to see JB Chingay anymore.
After our lunch and a little bit of window shopping, it was time for us to make our way to the location. JB weather was unpredictable. It was hot and then suddenly black clouds appeared from no where and not long after that followed by rain. There was chinese opera on stage and I made my way to the backstage to see behind the scenes. Some were chitchatting , playing cards, snoring away, and one was trying hard to remember the script!
More people gathered at the location as the rain started pouring and everone was looking for shelter. It was like playing hide and seek. Sekejap ada, sekejap tak ada. I began to wonder would the procession continued if the rain doesnt stop. I was informed by those "guards" that the procession will proceed no matter rain or shine. It was like a miracle! Just before the procession start around magic hour, the rain finally stopped. I had been standing for 4 hours and the JB Chingay was about to start. Oh mine, that's the test of endurance as the procession won't be finished till after mid-night!
After our lunch and a little bit of window shopping, it was time for us to make our way to the location. JB weather was unpredictable. It was hot and then suddenly black clouds appeared from no where and not long after that followed by rain. There was chinese opera on stage and I made my way to the backstage to see behind the scenes. Some were chitchatting , playing cards, snoring away, and one was trying hard to remember the script!
More people gathered at the location as the rain started pouring and everone was looking for shelter. It was like playing hide and seek. Sekejap ada, sekejap tak ada. I began to wonder would the procession continued if the rain doesnt stop. I was informed by those "guards" that the procession will proceed no matter rain or shine. It was like a miracle! Just before the procession start around magic hour, the rain finally stopped. I had been standing for 4 hours and the JB Chingay was about to start. Oh mine, that's the test of endurance as the procession won't be finished till after mid-night!
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