MIRI: Looking slightly apprehensive, 12 young Teochews (a Chinese clan) stood forward on Sunday in support of their clan’s century old ritual known as ‘Chu Hua Yuan’ (loosely translated to mean ‘leaving the garden’).
TEOCHEW RITUAL: ‘Chu Hua Yuan’ participants and Kuching Teochew Association committee members take one for the album after an initiation ritual held at Siang Ti Temple, Carpenter Street, Kuching on Sunday. ‘Chu Hua Yuan’ is a Teochew custom to initiate the young into adulthood.
Time for participants and parents to take a group photo after the ceremony was over.
The ritual was organised here for the second time in as many years, and it was meant for 15-year-old boys and girls, considered as ‘flower children’, to mark their beginning as adults.
But two of the participants yesterday were 17 years old. When twins Poh Jia Jou and Poh Jia Yen were 15 years old, there was no such ritual organised here. When the inaugural edition was held last year, they could not make it due to unforeseen circumstances.
“I know my kids are a little late for the ritual, but I am glad they managed to make it this year,” said the twins’ father Poh Cho Kwong to The Borneo Post.
“During my time, there was no such ceremony. Thus, my parents and I never experienced something like this.
“This is a great opportunity for my children to embrace our clans’ traditional customs.”
Cho Kwong admitted to be a bit teary-eyed during the ceremony for it meant his children had “grown up”.
‘Chu Hua Yuan’ is usually held on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese Lunar calendar, and Sunday’s event was held at Miri Chee Sing Khor Moral Uplifting Society’s premises at Jalan Jee Foh Utama.
It was organised by Miri Teochew Association and Sarawak Teochew Association (Youth section), and supported by the Organisation of Teochew Malaysia.
It is learnt that the ceremony was also held simultaneously in several parts of the country.
The ceremony started with the participants washing their face with `Hua Shui’ – water littered with seven types of flowers. The participants then put on new red-coloured T-shirt and a pair of new red clogs each.
Thereafter, they were served with a variety of food, include ‘Tang Yuan’ (glutinous rice ball), Tofu sautéed with leek, and pork-offal soup.
The ritual ended with the biting of the cooked chicken heads.
Miri Teochew Association chairman Tan Teck Hak explained that the face washing ritual was meant to ‘wash away the childishness of the participants’, and the wearing of new clothes and clogs mark their beginning as adults.
“The customs signify that they should no longer be treated as children, and parents should let them take part in discussions and decision-making.”
Tan added that before a child becomes an adult, he/she is said to live in a ‘garden’ and taken care of by elderly couples known as ‘Hua Gong’ (Flower male guardian) and ‘Hua Po’ (flower female guardian).
“The ceremony of leaving the garden is when they leave the ‘protective’ garden, to face the world on their own.”
On the food served to the participants, Tan said `Tang Yuan’ signified the spirit of togetherness.
“No matter what happens, they must remember to talks peacefully to strengthen the bond with family and friends.”
As for the pork-offal soup and tofu sautéed with leek, Tan reiterated said both dishes signified that the participants must change to better persons, good heart and be thoughtful in all their future undertakings.
“These are just metaphors for good deeds that our clan hopes to instil in our children. Thus, with the ceremony, it shall be a lifetime reminder of sorts for them.”
On the biting of chicken heads, Tan said it symbolised the passing of leadership qualities onto the participants.
The day ended with all 12 participants offering their parents tea. The gesture was meant to thank their parents for raising them.