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AP PHOTOS: In Malaysia, Wangkang procession seeks to banish evil spirits
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Date:2025-04-13 15:02:35
MALACCA, Malaysia (AP) — Ethnic Chinese devotees towed a giant replica of a royal barge on a wheeled platform through a Malaysian city on Thursday in a rare and colorful procession aimed at collecting and banishing evil spirits.
Steeped in religious and cultural rites, the Wangkang — or royal ship — procession snaked along a 9-kilometer (6-mile) route in the historic city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat. It was accompanied by various floats and performers.
The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. It is only organized when mediums at the Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca receive a command from the Ong Yah deities. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021.
After Thursday’s procession, another shorter parade was held at night culminating in a send-off ceremony where the barge was set aflame so the collected spirits could symbolically sail into another realm. Organizers said the aim of the festival is to bring health, peace, prosperity and happiness to the state and the world.
Malaysia and China jointly gained UNESCO recognition of the Wangkang festival as an intangible cultural heritage in 2020. According to UNESCO, the ceremony and related practices are rooted in folk customs of worshipping Ong Yah, a deity believed to protect people and their lands from disasters.
It was developed in China’s Minnan region between the 15th and 17th centuries and is now centered in China’s coastal areas of Xiamen Bay and Quanzhou Bay as well as in Malacca.
Ethnic Chinese devotees pierce with a metal rod as they prepare for a procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees are pierced with a metal rod on their arm as they prepare for a procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees are pierced with a metal rod on their arm as they prepare for a procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021.(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees prepare for a procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees begin their 9 km procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Dragon dance performance during a procession for Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees carrying a sedan chair begin their 9 km procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival at Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a nine-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a nine-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a nine-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees carry a sedan chair during their 9 km procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees carry a sedan chair during their 9 km procession during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a nine-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a 9-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca, Malaysia, with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat, during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang Procession is organized to collect wandering souls, evil spirits and other negative elements. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. It doesn’t occur annually and is only organized when mediums at the Yong Chuan Tian Temple in Malacca get a command from the Ong Yah deities. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a nine-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pull a special Wangkang ship through a nine-kilometer procession route in the historical city of Malacca with 22 stops where priests performed cleansing rituals to command evil spirits and other negative influences to board the boat during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees pulled a special Wangkang ship during the night culminating in a send-off ceremony where the barge was set aflame so that the collected spirits can symbolically sail into another realm during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Fireworks are displayed behind a sedan chair during night culminating in a send-off ceremony where the barge was set aflame so that the collected spirits can symbolically sail into another realm during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Fireworks are displayed behind a Wangkang ship and sedan chair during night culminating in a send-off ceremony where the barge was set aflame so that the collected spirits can symbolically sail into another realm during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic Chinese devotees set the Wangkang ship aflame during the night culminating ceremony so that the collected spirits can symbolically sail into another realm during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Wangkang ship is set aflame during the night culminating ceremony so that the collected spirits can symbolically sail into another realm during Wangkang or “royal ship” festival in Malacca, Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. The Wangkang festival was brought to Malacca by Hokkien traders from China and first took place in 1854. Processions have been held in 1919, 1933, 2001, 2012 and 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
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