Fire Dragon, festivities light up Kuching city centre at Seng Ong Kong birthday procession
by Aileen Yap · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (April 9): Kuching city centre was awash with colour and celebration today as the grand birthday procession of the Seng Ong Kong deity from Hong San Si Temple drew one of its largest turnouts in recent years.
Devotees, local residents and foreign tourists thronged the streets to witness the annual spectacle.
The procession, which began at 3.30pm, featured lion and dragon dance troupes, elaborately decorated floats, and cultural performances from Chinese associations, schools, and various ethnic communities.
A standout feature was the 295-foot-long ‘Fire Dragon’, made of bound grass and carried through the streets, with devotees placing joss sticks into the structure as a symbol of prayer and good fortune.
This year’s celebration also highlighted Sarawak’s multicultural spirit. Malay hadrah drum troupe Kumpulan Hadrah Sri Melati and indigenous performers from Gabungan Orang Asal Sabah/Sarawak (GOASS) joined the festivities, performing alongside Chinese temple groups and school associations — a vibrant testament to inclusivity and mutual respect.
Among the distinguished guests were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Kuching South City Council mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, and Kuching Hokkien Association president Richard Wee.
Richard said the event has grown into one of Kuching’s most significant cultural and religious occasions.
“We try to restrict the number of troops to about 222 every year. I think this is one of the largest participant turnouts,” he told reporters during the procession.
He added that the celebration attracted temple delegations from Sabah, Labuan, and Kedah, further amplifying its scale and vibrancy.
On its tourism potential, Richard said he had discussed the event with the State Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
“Because this is the largest procession in Kuching, he said he would definitely consider making it part of the tourism calendar,” he said.
The procession wound through major roads in the city centre before returning to Hong San Si Temple on Wayang Street.
The annual Seng Ong Kong birthday celebration remains a key occasion for devotees to express their faith, preserve Chinese cultural heritage, strengthen community bonds, and promote Sarawak’s multicultural harmony.