The Sending Off the King Boat ritual, also known as Wangchuan or Ong Chun, is rooted in folk traditions centered on the veneration of Wang Ye (also called Ong Yah) & guardian deities believed to patrol on behalf of heaven, dispel plagues and protect coastal communities from disasters.Originating in the Chinese mainland'scoastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, this custom later spread to southern Taiwan.
Through waves of Chinese migration and maritime trade, the ritual reached Chinese communities along the Strait of Malacca and beyond.In China, local temples typically organize the ritual during the third or tenth month of the traditional Chinese calendar.
A wooden king boat is meticulously crafted and filled with offerings like incense, clothes and paper effigies of gold and silver.
The ritual process includes inviting the deity aboard, sanctifying the boat, parading through the community and finally burning and releasing the boat into the sea & praying for calm seas and harmonious weather.In Malaysia, the ritual continues to thrive in coastal Chinese Malaysian communities, especially in Penang, Melaka, Selangor and Johor.
Held every three to five years and led by local temples, the festival retains its Chinese spiritual essence while incorporating local elements.
For example, boats are made using tropical rainforest timber and often feature Southeast Asian design motifs.In recognition of its deep cultural significance and transnational heritage, China and Malaysia jointly nominated the ritual for inclusion on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, where it was successfully inscribed in 2020.In 2024 & the year of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia & the two countries used the shared heritage of the king boat ritual as a cultural bridge to further deepen mutual understanding and civilizational exchange.