Chinese Lunar Holidays, Birthdays and Festivals

* Bold type denotes worshipping ceremony at Khoo Kongsi *
1st MOON
Day 1 Chinese New Year
Day 4 Chi Sin worshipping ceremony at Khoo Kongsi, normally at 11am
Day 7 Human’s Day or Mankind’s Birthday
Day 8 Birthday of Chor Soo Kong, Snake Temple, Bayan Lepas
Day 9 Birthday of Jade Emperor, God of Heaven
Day 15 Guan Seow Festival
Day 15 Chap Goh Meh – first full moon day in the new year
2nd MOON
Day 2 Birthday of Tudigong, Lord of the Earth
Day 3 Birthday of Wenchang, God of Literature
Day 15 Birthday of Lao Zi, Founder of Taoism
Day 19 Birthday of Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy
3rd MOON
Day 3 Birthday of Xuantian Shangdi, God of Rain
Day 3 Sar Guat Cheh
Day 15 Birthday of Poh Seng Tai Tay
Day 23 Birthday of Macu, Goddess of the Sea
4th MOON
Day ? Cheng Beng Day (Pure and Bright Day, Qing Ming Day, All SoulsDay) – from 10 days before to 10 days after the actual day which is 106th day after winter solstice which normally falls in the early part of April.
Day ? Khoo Kongsi worshipping ceremony is on 5th April – at the Khoo Kongsi Columbarium
Day 14 Birthday of Lu Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals
Day 15 Wesak Day – Penang Buddhists celebrate on “first full moon day in May”
Day 18 Birthday of Huato, Patron Saint of Medicine
5th MOON
Day 5 Birthday of Patron Saint of Khoo Kongsi, Tua Sai Yah – worshipping ceremony at Khoo Kongsi
Day 5 Dragon Boat Festival – Chang (Dumpling) Festival
Day 8 Anniversary of the establishment of Khoo Clan Society in Penang (Founded in 1835) – worshipping ceremony at 11 am
Day 13 Birthday of Kuan Tay Yah
6th MOON
Day 7 Thean Boon Khai
Day 24 Birthday of Guan Gong, God of Warriors
7th MOON
Day 1 to 30 Hungry Ghost Festival
Day 7 Cowherd and Weaving Maiden Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day)
Day 15 Phor Thor
8th MOON
Day 5 Birthday of Ong Soon Yah Yah
Day 15 Tian Chiew / Mid-Autumn Festival – moon cake and lantern festival
Day 16 Birthday of Sun Wugong, the Monkey King
Day 27 Birthday of Confucius
9th MOON
Day 1 to 9 Nine Emperor God Festival – vegetarian festival
Day 9 Birthday of Loh Chiah Kong
10th MOON
Day 1 Sending off the Winter Clothes
Day 5 Birthday of Damo, Founder of Chan Buddhism
Day 15 Birthday of Sam Kuan
11th MOON
Day 1 Tung Cheh Festival – worshipping ceremony at Khoo Kongsi, normally at 10.30 am. Khoo Trustees attend wearing ceremonial suits. The real Tung Cheh day is “the shortest day in the year”, normally between 21 to 23 December.
12th MOON
Day 23 to 25 Kitchen God ascend to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor
Day 24 Sung Sin
Last Day Last Day of Year Ceremony at Khoo Kongsi