Cho Cheo Ceremony at Yong Chuan Tian Temple Wangkang

 It is an ancient Chinese custom that every big temple in the city holds the Cho Cheo ceremony once in 12 or 15 years and usually prior to Wangkang.

Before the ceremony begins the temple buildings should be repainted and all the paraphernalia of the ceremony should be entirely new.

In the special throne room the altar of the Almighty will be erected and this should be facing the main entrance before the second hall; in the case of the Buddhist Temple, 5 altars of dais should be erected in the second hall; the centre one is for Sakya Muni, the Buddha, and the other four for his chief disciples.

The decoration for the first and second hall consist of richly embroidered Chinese tapestries and some of the decorations are made of paper.

Before the Cho Cheo ceremony begins, three big bamboo plants are buried in front of the Temple with three lanterns and red banners being attached to each of the bamboo plants known as the Kiah Koh Teng.

These are put up as an announcement to the Heavenly and Earthly saints as a special ceremony and prayer is offer in that particular temple when all the devotees would be praying for the salvation of mankind.