Dynamic dragons

Five red dragons circle a pavilion at Sunway Velocity Mall.

FOR the upcoming Chinese New Year, Klang Valley shopping malls have been decked in bright red decorations to welcome the Year of the Dragon, which is considered to be particularly auspicious.

It’s not surprising then that Sunway malls have adopted a unified “Dragon’s Blessing” theme.

At Sunway Pyramid in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, the Gold Dragon brings luck and fortune.

Shoppers can head to the Orange and Blue concourses to meet mascots Leo and Leona and watch performances to be held every weekend.

Five red dragons elegantly dance above the Main Atrium at Sunway Velocity, Kuala Lumpur.

The spectacle stretches over 12m to usher in wealth and prosperity.

Booths and pushcarts by local businesses are set up within the atrium for shoppers’ convenience.

Also in Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Putra has a 15.5m-long Earth Dragon suspended above its Main Concourse decorated with a pink pavilion and mini pond, decked with lush greenery and red lanterns.

At The Exchange TRX, Lunar New Year decorations are themed around the historical significance of silk.

A captivating dragon can be seen running the length of the venue, with its head gracefully intertwined with a giant lantern.

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, meanwhile, has hoisted red lanterns to welcome visitors.

Themed “Dragon Dynasty”, this year’s decorations feature two magnificent golden dragons guarding a precious Oriental pearl as they descend from the clouds into Centre Court.

The dragons’ hair sparkles with LED lights, adding a modern touch to traditional symbolic figures.

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur ushers in the festivities with two golden dragons and red lanterns.

The Crystal Fountain’s decorations seamlessly blend tradition with modern elegance through blooming spring flowers, dragon motifs and Oriental lanterns.

Pavilion Bukit Jalil is ushering in Chinese New Year with a “Big Prosperity Celebration”, featuring nine adorable dragons that will shower visitors with prosperity, good fortune and bountiful blessings.

Visitors can also write out their wishes and hang them on the Pavilion Wish Tree.

Intermark Mall, Kuala Lumpur brings “Eternal Happiness” to shoppers with lively pop-ups at Ground Atrium decorated with dragon motifs, antiques and modern furniture.

The mall also welcomes shoppers to experience workshops such as rainbow painting, Chinese calligraphy, festive mug cake-making, felt bag-making and mini yee sang classes.

Over in Subang Jaya, Da Men USJ is presenting an eco-conscious theme with its “Dragon Odyssey”, prioritising climate change narratives.

At the ground floor lobby, shoppers are welcomed by a dragon pearl display in an underwater setting, adorned with peonies, chrysanthemums and marine life, with elements crafted from recycled materials.

Sunway Pyramid’s Dragon Blessing of golden luck and fortune.

Championing the eco-friendly initiative, a crab-shaped metal bin sits at the main entrance to collect plastic bottle caps and soda bottles to be forwarded to Subang Jaya City Council’s recycling hub in USJ1.

Also in Petaling Jaya, Paradigm Mall’s festive celebration is themed “Abundance of Prosperity and Joy”.

A brilliantly coloured dragon display sits by the red paifang gate to greet visitors on one side of the upper atrium.

Over in Klang, two dragons adorn both sides of centre stage at Klang Parade’s main court.

With one dragon in red and the other in green, each dragon is a harbinger of the duality of energy and harmony to bring balance to the new year

Da Men Mall’s decorations feature an underwater and eco-conscious theme with recycling in mind.

There are also retro spins on the festivities for your enjoyment among Klang Valley shopping haunts.

The Gardens Mall in Mid Valley City takes visitors back to the 1970s with its nostalgic decor featuring traditional trades associated with the Chinese community.

Old-school treats and candies can be found at the kopitiam while various herbs and spices are sold at a traditional Chinese medicine store.

Another mall with a nostalgic theme is 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya.

For its “Timeless Lunar Reunion”, the mall has used the majestic theatre at LG Oval as a double-storey centrepiece to display vintage film posters and pay homage to yesteryear grand theatres.

Vintage shops echo the vibrant tales of roadside peddlers against the backdrop of Nanyang-style architecture.

Magnificent dragon intertwined with giant silk lantern at The Exchange TRX.

At GF Centre Court, visitors can also travel back in time to Chinatown’s old Medan Pasar (Market Square) with its replica of the 1937 clock tower standing proudly as a nod to Malaysia’s history.

Classic hawker stalls adorned with colourful umbrellas, complemented by vintage lamp posts, brick pavements and parking lines gives the setting a realistic outdoor market ambience.

Visitors can snap selfies of themselves next to life-sized figures of martial arts legends Bruce Lee and Ip Man.

Themed “Dragon Enchantment”, celebrations at The Curve in Petaling Jaya also encompass timeless Chinese traditions and heritage.

Traditional Chinese teahouses and cherry trees elegantly decorate Centre Court, while a golden dragon monument stands proudly centre stage.

Those visiting Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur will be transported to the vibrant heydays of Shanghai with its rich cultural tapestry during the 1920s and 1930s.

The mall’s Centre Court presents a lively old Shanghai street, complete with traditional double-storey shop lots, trishaws, retro vintage car for photo opportunities and old movie projectors playing classic clips.

At Esplanade KLCC, a visually arresting 18m-tall 3D dragon replica in bright orange and red, aptly named the “Dragon of Prosperity”, swirls towards the sky, seemingly reaching to devour the moon.

Over at Alamanda Mall in Putrajaya, old Shanghai is also the main theme, created with vintage cinema, tailor shop showcasing cheongsam artistry and restaurant with traditional reunion dinner dishes, all at Centre Court.