Moments of Muar Mid-Autumn Gathering

Posted by Your Melaka September 22, 2018

Moments of Muar Mid-Autumn Gathering

Credits : Roger Sim +6 010 533 6688
Professional Photographer
Facebook Messenger
https://www.facebook.com/roger.sim.90

Round orangy reflected light wobbled in front of my the feet and glided over grasses, to sands, to mud, and stones; separated by puddles of water. The dimming sun was making the last call before submitting to swallowing darkness moderated by the full moon.

Though the full moon could only reflect seven percent of the sunlight onto Earth, the brightness is enough to let man do what they can’t do in darker skies, like lighting up a lantern and hold a garden party. The same brightness had cast beautiful shadows of Bamboo Trees onto paper window screen. Near and far, in China, some Bamboo Tree grows 80 feet in just six weeks.

Suddenly, the candle flame was blown dead by a gush of wind and to light it up again, I had to lower the paper lantern stringed to a dried bamboo stick onto the ground.

When the bamboo stick was lowering, the red candle unveil itself as the lantern kept folding until the top cover clasp softly with the bottom cover. A Kelantan's Cili-Brand matchstick burned the wick of the candle and the colorful lantern rises again. Up above my head, the lantern is hooked to a galvanized wire in harmony with other lanterns lining the street from Muar Art Gallery to a restaurant at the other end of a row of shop-houses. I come back to the Mid-Autumn Gathering in Muar from a dream of yesteryear moments of the Mooncake Festival in the village of Bukit Gedong in Melaka.

I pressed the Samsung S6 Edge button, and screen tell me it is seven, an hour after I flew the DJI Smart above Muar Art Gallery and savored two Pineapple Lemonade served by Muar Art Café. [The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has a santapan on malam jumaat, at this cafe two days ago]

The voice of a lady, the Master of Ceremony, lead me inner into the street from Jalan Hang Tuah, and I halted my quick steps in front of a roundtable of six skilled Chinese artists. They are about to describe how their skills could render immersive talents to new learners.

Among them are Muarian Lee Fuk Aw, reowned calligrapher, Law Meng Liang, reowned artist Chong Chen Chuan, the Chairman of Chinese Ink Painting Malaysia, Muar, Mr. Lee Leong Yeu and two others.

A large crowd, seated in rows from end to end below the full moon got engrossed with the speakers and in the seas of heads, I was lucky to spot a smiling Irene, the owner of New Good Restaurant located in Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka. I am also lucky to befriended Puteri Elia from Tourism Muar who is introducing the event through her office on Jalan Petri, Muar.

Three girls from the Yok Bin Primary School stroked the Pipa and a young man strummed the Guzheng. Together, they cooked up the Muar Mid-Autumn airs, making ripples of pretty melodic sound and filled the area with the feelings of Chinese history.

Once the ancient China's Imperial Court instruments, these instruments timely get everyone together in the Muar Art Exhibit Hall, and the Chinese brushes started to "dances and sway" with the hearts of the calligraphers. The Chairman of Tourism Muar, En. Sallehudin Satar is amazed with the skills of the calligrapher, enjoyed their works and has discovered that Chinese words is written from the top to bottom in addition, of the standard right to left. He is accompanied by Ken Lee and Leong Yeu. [ Watch ]

ZhongQiuJie or Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for togetherness.

Kuih Bulan, kuih warisan,

Di dalam kuih, tersirat sejarah,

Hari ini masih di makan,

Silaturahim dan kekeluargaan di semarak.

Dari Melaka ke Bandar Maharani,

Perhimpunan kesenian Festival Bulan,

Kaligrafi tulisan dakwat berseni,

Muar Art Galeri sudi mempamerkan.

~ An Original Malay Pantun created

by Daniel Ong