BUTTERWORTH: About 1,000 visitors thronged Tow Boo Keong Temple in Jalan Raja Uda here to attend the Yee Sang Tossing ceremony on Saturday (Jan 28).
Despite the drizzle, visitors came in droves with their umbrellas into the temple compound from as early as 6.30pm.
Penang governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak arrived at the temple at about 8.30pm and was greeted by former chief minister and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, Consul-General of China in Penang Zhou Youbin, state welfare committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, state sports and youth chairman Soon Lip Chee and former Seberang Prai City Council mayor Datuk Seri Rozali Mohamud.
Also present to greet the arrival of Ahmad Fuzi were Tow Boo Kong Temple chairman Datuk Khor Wan Tatt, the event organising chairman Datuk Ang Lim Kean and the board of trustees of the temple.
During the arrival, a lion dance performance was also presented at the entrance of the temple.
The event was organised by the Tow Boo Kong temple and supported by the state government.
The highlight of the event was a 'yee sang' or prosperity toss by honorary guests and visitors on a 210m long line of yee sang.
The visitors were also entertained by traditional dance performance by Tow Boo Kong temple group, songs and dance performance show by invited artists.
During his welcoming speech Ang the event was an annual ceremony since 2012 but was postponed for two years in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
"Beginning in 2012, the Yee Sang Tossing ceremony was done with 101m and every year the line was increased up to 210m," he said.
He said the event of tossing yee sang at the temple this year would be the longest and biggest in the northern region.
Consumption of yee sang was especially popular during Chinese New Year in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
Versions of the Teochew-style raw fish salad exist in China but the contemporary version was created and popularised in the 1960s by the Chinese community in Southeast Asia.
