Kedungkandang (malangkota.go.id) – Chinese New Year celebration in Indonesia is not complete without eating lontong Cap Go Meh. By serving and eating lontong Cap Go Meh on Chinese New Year, Chinese people believe they will get good luck, fortune and prosperity.
The Cap Go Meh celebration is celebrated exactly 15 days after the Chinese New Year. Cap Go Meh comes from the word 'Cap Go' which means fifteen, and 'Meh' which means night. Simply put, Cap Go Meh is interpreted as the fifteenth night after the Chinese New Year.
Lontong Cap Go Meh itself is believed to be a culinary result of the acculturation of Chinese and Indonesian cultures. In this water rabbit year, the Cap Go Meh Celebration falls on Sunday (5/2/2023). Several sources say that Cap Go Meh is the peak of the Chinese New Year celebration. This celebration used to be limited to the royal family only, but now this celebration can be enjoyed by all groups and can even be said to be a people's party.
As done at the Eng An Kiong Temple, Malang City. After being on hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic, this temple that is almost two centuries old is holding another Cap Go Meh Celebration in a lively manner. Not limited to Chinese citizens or temple congregations, but this people's party is open to the general public. In fact, it seems that this tradition is a special attraction for tourists, this can be seen from several foreign tourists who join in and eat together.
The Head of the Eng An Kiong Temple Foundation, Rudi Phan, said that this event was part of a series of the first major Chinese New Year celebrations held after the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Tonight we gather to commemorate the peak of the Chinese New Year celebration, namely Cap Go Meh. where after the end of winter, we enter spring with new hopes this year," he said.
In this celebration, Kelenthèng Eng An Kiong provided two thousand portions of dishes containing lontong, chicken, eggs, and bamboo shoots. The community was seen enjoying the dishes and enthusiastically watching the barongsai performance.
Meanwhile, Danu, one of the Polehan residents, looked very enthusiastic about this event. "Finally this event is being held again. It's so lively. Exciting! My child doesn't want to go home, he's so happy to see the lion dance. Hopefully it can be event annually and shows that Malang is a harmonious, calm and peaceful city," said Danu happily. (ari/yon)
