Fiery sendoff for the King of Hades
The Penang community in Malaysia recently held traditional Hungry Ghost Festival rites, culminating in the burning of a large paper effigy of the King of Hades. These century-old Cantonese customs serve to honor wandering spirits and provide offerings for those without descendants.
Why it matters
The event highlights the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and the role of local associations in maintaining historical religious traditions.
GEORGE TOWN: Against the backdrop of the island’s historic streets, a more than 5m-tall paper effigy of the King of Hades made a striking final appearance before being set ablaze during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Paper ingots were also stacked to form the “gold and silver mountains” offering as devotees bid farewell to the deity, popularly known as Tai Su Yeah in Hokkien.
Penang Kwangtung and Tengchow Association president Datuk Lio Chee Yeong said the Cantonese-style Hungry Ghost Festival rites had been observed for more than a century.
He said it was the only association here to house a Tai Su Yeah effigy and display spirit-invoking banners outside its premises.
“The premises were donated by Guangdong traders in 1921 on the condition that the annual rites be continued,” he said, adding that the festival was also stipulated in the association’s constitution.
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