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Chinese New Yea eve & Year of the Snake

It is the Chinese New Year ’s Eve so here is a cross section of activities welcoming the Year of the Snake across Singapore.

Heng Kian Dian

Hours before mid-night, crowds gathered at Heng Kian Dian where Taoist priests led prayers to welcome the New Year. Meanwhile, the lion dance and a God of Wealth were preparing to make an entrance on the exact moment the New Year is welcomed.

Thian Hock Keng, Hokkien temple

Over at Thian Hock Keng in Singapapore Chinatown, the temple is decorated with snake mascots on the front, panels of Chinese New Year customs on the side wall.

The New Year is welcomed with prayers, lion dance and also the God of Wealth walking into to distribute candies to visitors.

The lions ended with a display of numbers constructed with mandarin oranges for visitors to guess the lucky numbers for their lottery.

Yue Hai Qing Teochew temple

By this time, the Year of the snake has arrived and over in Yue Hai Qing Teochew temple, devotees were still moving in to pray to the deities.

The incense sticks by the side and the spiral ones above gave a hint to the number of devotees who had arrived earlier.

Fook Tet Soo Hakka Temple

Further away at Fook Tet Soo Hakka Temple, devotees were still arriving to pay respects. The idyllic temple stands in contrasts to the high rise office black presents backdrop of traditions in modern setting.

Hainan Mazu Temple

Moving further away from Singapore Chinatown towards Waterloo Chinatown, the Hainan Mazu Temple has a set of incense by the road side used during their earlier activities to welcome the Year of the Snake.

Most of the devotees have already left but some stayed behind to chat and to welcome visitors arriving to see this old temple housed within a modern building.

Waterloo chinatown

Going right into the heart of Waterloo Chinatown, people were still arriving to pray at the Waterloo guan Yin temple and the Sri Krishnan Temple.

At the Waterloo Guan Yin temple, crowds were still strong and many stalls outside the temple were offering flowers and increase for prayers.

Instant points were set up to facilitate devotee’s lighting of incense sticks making the place rather atmospheric.

Another excellent example of the cross cultural interactions and influences in Singapore can be found in Waterloo Chinatown where the Sri Krishnan Hindu temple also has a Guan Yin sculpture in Chinese-Indian style where many Chinese devotees pray to. Many Chinese devotees will also pray to the Hindu Deities as well.

And as the night pass into dawn; most people make their way home to catch a short rest before they start their Chinese New Year visits to family and relatives.

Event date: 9 Feb 2013
30th day of the 12th Lunar Month, Year of the Dragon
壬辰年十二月三十日