Ong Chun/Wangchuan/Wangkang ceremony, rituals and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the ocean
The Ong Chun ceremony and related practices are rooted in folk customs of worshipping Ong Yah a deity believed to protect people and their lands from disasters Developed in Chinas Minnan region between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries the element is now centered in the coastal areas of Xiamen Bay and Quanzhou Bay as well as in the Chinese communities in Melaka Malaysia Those who died at sea are considered as good brothers who become lonely wandering souls The ceremony begins by people gathering at the seaside to welcome Ong Yah to temples or clan halls while lamp poles are erected to summon good brothers and deliver them from torment In this way the element has been celebrated as doing good deeds Performances head the procession and clear a path for Ong Yahs barge wooden or papermade models These performances include gaojia and gezai opera different dances comprising dragon and lion dances and puppet shows among many others The element evokes the historical memory of ancestors oceangoing reshapes social connections when confronted with emergencies such as shipwrecks and honours the harmony between man and the ocean It also bears witness to the intercultural dialogue among communities
2020