Many Chinese descendants joined the joss stick walk ritual to mark the important occasion of Chinese New Year 2018.
The ritual is annually held on the eighth night after the beginning of the Chinese New Year, closer to midnight of the ninth day. The ritual starts with worshiping gods and goddesses by walking around the shrine in a circle three times with joss sticks while praying for gods and goddesses to bless them with good fortune all year round.
On the ninth day -- the last day of the Chinese New Year -- people make merit from dusk to dawn and hold street processions three times to ask for good blessings. Attendees make merit to get khanom pia -- a kind of Chinese cake with sweet red bean filling -- as a symbol for good fortune and ring the bells for brighter future.
They also get to make merit by donating money to buy coffins for the poor, which is the signature merit-making activity of the Por Tek Tueng foundation.
