|
| Chinese processions | | Date Created: Jan 16, 2005, 10:46 AM |
9th Apr 1852
Singapore Free Press
The Chinese Festival
During the early part of the week, the town has been one vast Chinese temple, with the streets covered in throughout their length and breadth by awnings of calico, while every Chinese house (that is 99 out of every 100) has been decorated and lighted up inside and out, and the front windows thrown open to allow the household gods a full view of the processions that have been incessantly parading the streets. These ceremonies were intended to celebrate the completion of a new Joss House in town, and to welcome the arrival of an important idol who has hitherto been rusticating in one of the inland districts, but is now to become a permanent town resident. The display was brought to a conclusion on Wed night by a grand procession which passed through every street of the Chinese town, so that each house might have the benefit of the good luck which the idol brought in his train. Baba Kim Seng, with his usual courtesy, threw open his house for the reception of the European ladies and gentlemen who were desirous of a close view of the procession, and certainly it was a novel and striking sight. It was not altogether unlike the Lord Mayor's processions which parade the streets of London on the 9th of November but infinitely more picturesque and in better taste. The place of Gog and Magog was supplied by a dragon with an enormous head, and a body nearly equal in length to that of the famous Sea-serpent who incessantly chased a representation of the moon which he apparently wanted to swallow --- and instead of men in armour on horseback the procession was embellished by richly-dressed children mounted on ponies, or carried in fancifully decorated cars on men's shoulders. The procession was scarcely over, when a deluge of rain drenched and delighted the spectators most of whom were from the country which has been suffering from a six weeks drought. This is certain to be regarded by the superstitious among the Chinese as an especial interposition of the idol, in gratitude for the honours that have been shewn to him.
This affair has not been altogether useless, as it has enabled us to form a tolerable estimate of the Chinese country population, which no census affords, as some of the districts they occupy on the neighbouring Peninsular have not even been explored by Europeans. On Saturday and Sunday last the Bukit Timah Road presented one continued stream of people pouring in towards the town, and we think that we do not exaggerate when we estimate the number of strangers in Singapore during the week at between 30 and 40 thousand. A report was current on Sunday that the Chinese would attempt a coup d'etat but the authorities showed their appreciation of the rumour by allowing the Police peons their truncheons only for keeping the peace, their aide-arms being safely deposited at the tannahs. Indeed the combinations of the Chinese are not aggressive, but rather for mutual protection, precisely as sheep herd together for the same purpose. They are somewhat formidable on their own ground, as at the Kassang tin mines, but seem to be scarcely capable of organising an attack on a duly constituted community. The rebellions which break out in China every year rarely extend beyond the district in which they originated, in fact it would appear that the Chinese can people countries, but not conquer them.
|
|
