Five Places Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Indonesia

Lunar New Year is the most important celebration for the Middle Kingdom, as well as 1 Muharram for Muslims. Lunar New Year celebration begins on the first day of the first month in the calendar Tionghoa and ends with Cap Go Meh on the date to fifteen (at the time of full moon).

In China, customs and traditions associated with the region New Year celebration is very diverse, as well as in Indonesia. For those of you who are not descendants of Middle Kingdom, but wanted to celebrate, here we provide some spot areas in Indonesia who took part to celebrate Lunar New Year with a different characteristic.

1. Market Square and the Temple of Nine, Jakarta
This temple dominated the entire building is red and surrounded by a wall. The main door is in the South, a red dragon gate. The left side of the gate there is a row of three old temples. On the second page is the main temple follows South facing two lions (Gu Shi Bao) is said to have originated from Kwangtung Province, South China.

By the Lunar New Year, the temple has done trimming and re-paint it will never lonely visited by the visitors, especially Sino community will pray.

Ahead of Lunar New Year festivities also seen in some traditional markets are usually visited by people Indonesians, such as the Market Square opposite Nine Glodok electronic center in West Jakarta. It is sold in various markets dry sweets like kana, plum, and sweetened orange peel. Sweet tasting foods such as sweets and candies Sino trusted citizens as the symbol of life sweet.

There are also lots of typical Lunar sold fruit such as oranges, lychees, and plums. Citrus fruits, especially Mandarin oranges, and orange diborong Bali many buyers because of the orange fruit is considered a symbol of brotherhood and harmony.

2. Thousand Temple City, Singkawang, West Kalimantan
Singkawang every Lunar New Year celebrations and Cap Gomeh events held regularly on a large scale. There are five major events are often held as competitions as decorative lanterns Singkawang, art night was held on Lunar New Year night, a parade float, Cap Go Meh, and warm-hearted evening. In the float parade we can see Tatung, Loya, and Lion Dance.





In this city during the Cap Go Meh, we can watch the show Tatung. Tatung is a major media Cap Go Meh. Attractions Tatung filled with mystical and exciting, because many people possessed, and these people called Tatung. Unique in Singkawang many Dayak natives or people who also participated into Tatung, they were compelled to participate because of the ritual ceremonies like Tatung Dayak.

3. Shampoo Kong temple, Semarang
Stone Building Sam Po Kong is petilasan, former haven and the first landing of China's Admiral named Zheng Ho (Cheng Ho) or also known as Sam Po Tay Djien. This building is located in Simongan area, southwest of Semarang. Called the Stone House because of its shape in the form of large stone cave in the foothills of the rock. The building is now a memorial, prayer, and pilgrimage. In the cave there is a stone altar and statues of Sam Po Tay Djien.



On the night of Lunar New Year and Cap Go Meh people flocked to the Temple of the Stone Building Shampoo Kong. They have prayed, and many others had come to see various performances and puppet of the people since the night until early morning. There are many different vendors such as confectionary and lontong Cap Gomeh godhog wedang of peanuts, sugar cane, sekoteng, and round.

4. Phak Liang and Khak Vihara Dewi Kwan Im, Bangka
Second place is worth a religious history can be your choice for day trips and Lunar Cap Go Meh. Phak Liang Khak mute witness to the history of tin mining in Bangka who then made the tourist area filled with China-style buildings.

The location was in Belinyu, 57 Km from Sungailiat. In addition there Cok Grave Tien, daughter of Bong Kiung Fu, a figure who founded the China Kuto Bannerman Castle. This tomb was in the Citadel, 1.5 Km from the City Belinyu. While Dewi Kwan Im Vihara in Jelitik village, about 15 Km from the City Sungailiat, precisely at the foot of the hill the river flowed. Sino citizens there, the water is believed to menyebuhkan various diseases and can make youth. These objects are in bathing pool and a small temple to pray.

5. Tech Hay Kiong temple, Tegal
300-year-old temple this over stand on the land area 4500 square meters. This temple formerly named Cin Jin Bio. The name Hay Kiong Tech also means the Palace of Konco Tech Cin Jian Hay that is the title of greatness from Kwa Lak Kwee. For Tegal and surrounding communities, Konco Tech Cin Jian Hay revered as a patron god.







In this temple every year held a prayer ceremony include inviting beach with god temples in the sea from the town of Tegal Coast. Then Relay Toa Pe Kong where Tek Hay Kiong temple out of eight litters, prayers, musical / Tiong Guan, and the ceremony Sejit Cin Jin Tek Hay held a large scale to celebrate the first day of Tech Co. Hay Kong Cin Jin came to Tegal. (* / Ol-5)

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The meaning of the Lunar New Year celebration

Several years ago, the Indonesian government declared the celebration of Lunar New Year a national holiday. Since then mushroomed Lunar New Year celebrations models offered various circles, particularly world trade.

Even now there are many members of the Indonesian people eagerly celebrate Lunar New Year. Those who do not celebrate the Lunar New Year was not too damaged, at least can enjoy the opportunity to vacation on the holiday.

The emphasis of the celebration of Lunar New Year without regard to the context of Indonesia will cause irrelevansi celebration for most Indonesian people. For example, emphasized the Lunar New Year celebration of spring. Indonesia does not recognize the existence of four seasons. Therefore, trinkets fitting symbol of spring would not be much help appreciation Lunar New Year celebrations.


In the context of Indonesia's plural society, excessive emphasis on Lunar New Year celebrations will be able to leave the problems that could endanger the integrity of the nation.

However, the prohibition or control over the practice of Lunar New Year celebrations in Indonesia would be a step backwards from the realization of the value of reform efforts that have fought together.



Instead of creating unnecessary problems, will be far more useful if the Indonesian people began to look for and find important things and deserve to be celebrated together on every national holiday held, including the spiritual meaning of Lunar New Year.

In turn, mutual interest, the development of Lunar New Year celebrations to be observed together. The question is, what kind of celebration of Lunar New Year to develop the Indonesian people? This becomes relevant to answer.

Lunar spiritual meaning
Lunar New Year celebration which was celebrated by many nations (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and others) for centuries to provide spiritual meaning very rich, could even play a role in uniting them in the same spirit of life.

Considering the Lunar New Year is not a religious celebration, the "spiritual sense" Lunar New Year celebration is not first explored in a particular religious doctrine. Initially, the Lunar New Year is a celebration of farmers. Spiritual meaning of the Lunar New Year have explored the life experiences and world of meaning that developed between the peasantry. In the course of time, Lunar New Year is also celebrated by the people who
not from the peasantry. Therefore, it is not enough spiritual meaning of the Lunar New Year only limited agricultural world.

Some decent spiritual meaning put forward, among others:
First, you as a unifying factor of life. Lunar New Year show farmers encounter experience with the reality of life around him. For farmers, the reality in this world together, encouraged, fostered by love. Because of that, they find and use a variety of goods, plants, or animals in their environment to demonstrate experience of love that started it. They expressed the hope that a higher quality of life by using the objects. For example, fish abundance is seen as a symbol of revival thanks to the love. By placing a picture of fish or eat fish, they are expecting the arrival of that abundance.

Second, the Lunar New Year is a celebration of the happy experience of love and distributable to others. For farmers, a happy love that they received from the generosity of nature. Therefore, they must learn to be generous to others. Happy love is worthy to be enjoyed in common with others, in the spirit of solidarity to others, especially the weak, poor, and destitute.
Lunar New Year celebrations basic color is red, which means happiness and zest for life. As the blood in the veins, experience a vibrant life and joy that must flow and penetrate different parts of the body for a better life. In celebration of Lunar New Year, given to the children, poor people, simple, and Dad, the things that they can be happy: money, food, gifts, or various other forms of assistance. By sharing the happiness, the overwhelming love that is expected to increasingly penetrated many sectors of their lives and ultimately will provide greater happiness.

Third, the experience of love begins in the family. The essence of love lies not in many words but in actions to give themselves to each other's beloved subjects. This ability to love as recognized by the farmers and nonpetani, begins in the family. Lunar New Year celebrations center is located on the willingness of all family members to gather together, leaving the self-interest, and share experiences of love in the family. Peak celebration expressed a willingness to eat together, mutual respect, telling a happy life experience, forgiving, sharing provision, greetings in the form of prayer or hope for a better life, and so on.

Fourth, the Lunar New Year is an inclusive celebration of freedom. The simplicity of the farmers do not mind giving the place a lot of complicated rules that must be obeyed. Lunar basically have no fixed rule. If there was, it was very general rule, does not include penalties for offenders. Thus, the world does not know of a single model of Lunar New Year celebrations. Every individual, family, or any community group, was allowed to celebrate Lunar New Year with all the capabilities, limitations, background, symbols, and meaning systems respectively. This freedom makes the Lunar New Year celebrations inclusive because not eliminate anyone not allowed to celebrate.

Adjusted national conditions
Lunar New Year celebrations too forward side of the glamorous and consumerism, which betrayed the spiritual meaning upheld the Lunar New Year celebration, and will hurt the feelings of many people who still live in poverty. Such celebrations will culminate in exclusiveness, not inclusiveness. Lunar celebration cribbing from other nations without regard to mental and spiritual atmosphere in Indonesia, in turn, can backfire for the development of the Indonesian nation.

Conversely, strict regulation of the practice or the Lunar New Year celebrations emphasis lunar model as a particular nation's cultural heritage are equally betrayed the inclusive value of freedom offered by the Lunar New Year.

Deep understanding of the spiritual richness of meaning contained in the Lunar New Year celebrations are expected to provide inspiration for the Indonesian people to be able to find their own model of Lunar New Year celebrations appropriate values of love and life of Indonesian people lived.
Lunar New Year celebration of the discovery model is more appropriate to the context of the nation is Indonesia with a decent job to start soon.

May the Lunar New Year public holidays can also be a reflective time for discovery and creative crisis resolution measures the Indonesian nation has lasted long. Gong xi xin nian. Wan shi ru yi.

P-Wijayanto Great Teacher Eastern Religion and Culture Studies Program S2 Religious and Cultural Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakararta

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Lunar New Year religious tolerance in Indonesia

Celebration of Lunar New Year is one proof of the success of Indonesia in developing the ethos of tolerance and religious antarsesama share, said Secretary of Doctoral Program Faculty of Islamic Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) Muhammad Azhar.

"We have become` Indonesia `pilot project religious tolerance in the world based on cultural and religious diversity in this country. Celebration of Lunar New Year to the success of Indonesia's tolerance develops," he said in Yogyakarta, Friday.

He said the Lunar New Year celebration which nowadays is a national holiday, shows that Indonesia is able to function well as a democratic country which has cultural and religious diversity.

"Diversity is owned by Indonesia, including religious diversity also indicates that the existence of religious communities in this country is like living in one house, not just neighbors," he said.

According to him, the diversity that is so close that will strengthen the resilience of nations, because every religious community in this country has a balance to certain of the truth of each religion, but also develop the principle of mutual respect and tolerance.

"Lunar New Year celebrations are expected to provide implications and a better signal in the developing countries that teach pluralistic spirit of tolerance and sharing of religious people," he said.

He said the celebration of Lunar New Year is also expected to be the momentum sharing among religious believers, where they can respect and appreciate the worship and religious activities with each other.

"In addition, religious people also do not only perform well during the celebration of the holidays alone, but as a human being should have the ethos of sharing with others throughout his life," he said.

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