As the Lunar New Year festivities unfold across Malaysia, the Hokkien community in George Town, Penang, prepares for a celebration that many consider even more significant than the first day of Chinese New Year. The birthday of the Jade Emperor, a central deity in Taoist belief, brings vibrant traditions to life, with sugarcane stalks lining the pavements and elaborate offerings adorning makeshift altars outside homes.
The ninth day of the Lunar New Year marks the Jade Emperor’s birthday, often referred to as the ‘Hokkien New Year’ by the community. For many Hokkiens, whose ancestors hail from Fujian province in China, this occasion carries deep historical and spiritual resonance. A popular belief holds that during a time of persecution by Sung Dynasty soldiers, their forebears survived by hiding in sugarcane plantations for nine days, emerging unharmed on this auspicious day. They attributed their safety to the Jade Emperor’s protection, a story that continues to shape the rituals observed today.
Along Perak Road, a bustling thoroughfare in George Town, sugarcane seller Ch’ng Ti Hoe, 38, tends to his stock with care, watering the stalks to keep them fresh for eager customers. “People want long, straight stalks for good luck,” he explains, noting that size and appearance matter when selecting offerings. Ch’ng, who began selling at midnight on the eve of the celebration, brings in around 1,500 stalks each year, balancing supply with competition from other vendors. Some buyers opt for cut-up pieces to place on plates as offerings, a practical choice for smaller altars. 
The significance of sugarcane is matched by an array of other symbolic offerings. Susie Khoo, a 62-year-old retired lecturer, meticulously selects fruits like pineapples, which in Hokkien are called ‘ong lai’—a homophone for ‘fortune comes’. “For us, the Jade Emperor’s birthday is more important than Chinese New Year,” she says, as she gathers watermelons, apples, pomelos, oranges, pears, and green bananas. Her offerings, which remain meatless, also include traditional Chinese ‘kuih’ (cakes), paired with the burning of joss sticks and other ritual items at midnight on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.
In another corner of George Town, shop owner Calvin Cheong, 26, showcases prayer paraphernalia that have become popular this year. Among his wares are cardboard pineapples and dragon-shaped joss sticks, designed to be burned as offerings. “Not everyone can afford the larger items, so we offer various sizes,” Cheong notes, pointing to a four-foot-tall paper pineapple that catches the eye. For those willing to splurge, he even offers elaborate cardboard mansions, adding a modern twist to ancient customs.
The celebrations typically begin on the night of the eighth day, as Hokkien families set up altars outside their homes, light firecrackers at midnight, and offer prayers to the Jade Emperor. The air fills with the scent of burning incense and the crackle of fireworks, a testament to the community’s enduring faith and cultural pride. Beyond the spiritual, the occasion fosters a sense of togetherness, with families and neighbours coming together to honour their shared heritage.
For global observers, the Jade Emperor’s birthday offers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Malaysia’s multicultural society, where traditions rooted in centuries-old beliefs continue to thrive amidst modernity. In George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its blend of cultures, this celebration underscores the Hokkien community’s resilience and devotion—a sweet reminder of the past, carried forward on stalks of sugarcane and the promise of prosperity.
