Pek Kong Cheng (Bukit Mertajam) has a notable Chinese New Year decoration setup this year featuring lots of red lanterns plus a special āLeaping Fishā theme using fish-shaped lanterns. The installation consists of more than 300 fish-shaped lanterns in the area around Pek Kong Cheng Temple (also known as Hock Teik Cheng Sin) at Jalan Pasar.
Raja Uda (Butterworth) is Penangās well-known CNY ālantern street,ā with thousands of red lanterns spanning roughly a few kilometers and best enjoyed after nightfall. At night, the lanterns form a continuous red canopy thatās become a major ācheck-inā / photo spot in the area. Itās also a long-running local tradition that has been done annually (with pauses during the pandemic period). The lit-up stretch runs from the south junction of Jalan Telaga Air through Jalan Raja Uda.
Thnee Kong Seh (Jade Emperorās Birthday / Pai Thee Kong) in Penang is observed on the 9th day of Chinese New Year, with main prayers typically done on the night of the 8th day (leading into the 9th). In Penang, a major public-facing celebration spot is Chew Jetty, where a long altar and offerings (notably sugarcane) are traditionally set up for the Jade Emperor.
Thnee Kong Seh (the Jade Emperorās Birthday celebration) in Penang is especially significant for the Hokkien community and is observed on the 9th day of the Chinese New Year, with preparations and prayers starting on the night of the 8th. A commonly told local-origin story traces the practice to a time of persecution when Hokkien refugees escaped pursuers by hiding in abundant sugarcane plantations; when they safely emerged on the ninth day, they credited the Heavenly God (Jade Emperor) for protection, which is why sugarcane became a āmustā offering and the ninth day is remembered as a kind of salvation day.
Penang Miaohui (ę§ååŗä¼) is Penangās major Chinese New Year ātemple fairā held around George Townās UNESCO World Heritage streets, where clan halls, guilds, and cultural groups open their doors for public open houses, performances, exhibitions, and hands-on heritage activities. It typically spreads across about 12 heritage streets and features cultural showcases plus large food and interactive booth areas, highlighting Penangās Chinese heritage in a multicultural, community-focused way.
Lion dance on poles performance for GAMA Departmental Store during Chinese New Year opening.
During Chinese New Year in Penang, lion dances fill public and temple spaces with percussion-driven, acrobatic performances meant to welcome prosperity and chase away negative energy, often culminating in the cai qing blessing for homes and businesses.
In Malaysia, Master Siow Ho Phiew is a Malaysian lion dance coach and lion-head craftsman, widely called the father of Malaysiaās high-pole lion dance for creating a high-pole sequence that became a new standard and for spreading the style internationally through teaching.
Tai Por Kong Temple in Penang commonly refers to San Jiang Temple (äøę±åŗ) at Macallum Street Ghaut, a Chinese temple that began as a small shrine founded in 1920 and was later rebuilt after fundraising when the old premises aged. It is associated with the Huiāan Hokkien community, and the name āSan Jiangā is said to come from the original Tai Por Kong temple in Huiāan, China, which overlooks three rivers.
āThe temple is also one of the famous temples that conducts the Tai Sui rite, especially during the Chinese New Year. A Tai Sui rite (ęå¤Ŗå² / å®å¤Ŗå²) is a Taoist-style prayer/appeasement ritual done to seek protection, smoothness, and to āmake peaceā with the yearās Tai Sui (the annual celestial authority linked to the lunar year), especially if your Chinese Zodiac is believed to be āoffending Tai Suiā that year.
A blessing ceremony for the lions which takes place at the old Kuan Yin Temple in George Town during Chinese New Year. Several vibrant southern-style lions in turquoise, pink, and yellow can be seen performing at the temple courtyard as part of the blessing ceremony.
Penangās southern-style lions trace back to southern Chinese migrant roots, were sustained by local martial arts and community groups, and later evolved in Malaysia into a highly trained, competition-driven performance tradition while remaining central to festive and blessing ceremonies.
Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam, Penang, comes alive for Chinese New Year 2026 with a dazzling nightly light-up that turns the hillside complex into a glowing āsea of lanterns,ā perfect for an evening visit and festive photos. The CNY light-up season runs from 13 February to 16 March 2026, with the official light-up ceremony on 13 February (7:00pmā8:00pm) featuring prayers and fireworks, and the lights typically shining nightly from 7:00pm to 12:00am throughout the periodāmaking it one of Penangās most iconic Lunar New Year traditions and a must-see stop if youāre on the island this season.
Sunshine Central Penangās CNY 2026 dĆ©cor concept spotlights the Five Chinese Arts (ē“ć»ę£ć»ä¹¦ć»ē»ć»č¶) and uses the Horse as the central auspicious motif, framing the mallās festive experience as elegant, culturally rooted, and focused on togetherness and blessings. These five arts combine the traditional āFour Arts of the Chinese scholarā (ē“ę£ä¹¦ē»: qin music, Go, calligraphy, painting) with č¶ (tea culture), forming a refined, literati-style set of cultural pursuitsā.
Sunshine Central is a mixed-use complex with a shopping mall podium located in Air Itam (near Farlim/Paya Terubong) in George Town, Penang, and the mallās published address is along Jalan Thean Tek in Bandar Baru Air Itam.
Gurney Plazaās Chinese New Year 2026 dĆ©cor is themed around āLuminous Flair of Prosperityā (åēÆēēØ) for the Year of the Horse, with a strong red-and-gold ālantern festivalā feel. A standout feature repeatedly mentioned in local posts is rows of glowing fish lanterns (åå é±¼ēÆē¬¼) that create a very photogenic walkway/atrium setup.
There were also promotions tied to the theme, including a āglowing processionā event described as involving participants carrying illuminated fish lanterns within the mall area.