Saturday, May 29

Temple Procession 

Left home only at four o'clock to watch Zhong Shun Temple's procession but still manage to be in time to be there before the procession started.

One of the big draw for this procession is the 5 mediums who pierced their mouth each with 8 foot long brass pole having the diameter almost that of a 50 cents coin. Another draw is the COFFIN that went on the procession. Some may be wondering what is a coffin doing in a temple procession - its for the mediums personifying the Nether Gods to sit on during the procession.

I met Raymond there and after watching the beginning of the parade, we drove down to their first stop which is a coffin shop in Toa Payoh to await their arrival. There were more than a hundred people waiting there close to eight o'clock when the procession arrived.

There were the usual Float, Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe, Hokkien Music Troupe, Ba Jia Jiang - Eight Generals, Golden Drum Troupe 3 Sedan Chairs and 11 mediums. They took quite a long time to parade in as some time were spent strengthening the structure which the coffin was on.

The Deities included: Shan Cai Tong Zi, Ne Zha Tai Zi, Ji Gong Huo Fo, Ci Fu Wang Ye and Lian Hua San Tai Zi - all having the 8 foot poles poked through the mouth. There were six Nether Gods - three pairs of Da Er Ye Bo with 2 of them having metal chains poked through the mouth, 2 with bamboos and 2 with daggers. The youngest was a teenager at most 15 or 16 years old!

This is certainly an eye opening experience.

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andi at 21:25