The history of Chinese New Year in Bali

 The unique story behind a celebration of Hari Raya will always color every celebration in Indonesia, especially the Island of the Gods, or the Island of a thousand temples, the Island of Bali. The island of Bali is indeed unique, both the temples, the nature with the large banyan tree that adorns the temple grounds as well as a series of Hari Rayas that includes its uniqueness. Likewise, the Chinese New Year in Bali is very significant in terms of numbers so that there are many Buddhist buildings in Bali such as the existing pagoda. at Buleleng Harbor, the Yang Di Banjar Temple or the Temple in Pebeyan Temple, the Pulaki Grokgak Temple, Buleleng. The following uniqueness is one of the remaining Buddhist ancestral relics and is celebrated for generations in Kayu Putih Village, Banjar District, there are as many as 250 families of native Hindus Balinese Celebrate Chinese New Year in a Konco with Balinese architecture Inside the building contains Chinese paintings, prayers are addressed to Dewa Konco. The prayers are a combination of Balinese Hindu Trisandya and Incense Offerings like the Chinese Chinese. Prayers are also performed on full moon and Tilem but not as busy as on Chinese New Year, unique story It started with a merchant from China being robbed and killed in Kayuputih Village by the Aryan clan, Pasek and Pande. Long story short, there was one member of the clan who fell ill and finally asked a smart person / Shaman that in the past their ancestors made mistakes to their ancestors Chinese and their mistakes are really brave and too killing and robbing so that they accept the Karma of their ancestors in the past for that it is recommended to build a Konco building to atone for past mistakes. Chinese New Year celebrations in Bali are called Galungan Cina, what is its origin? Chinese New Year as Galungan China is like a holiday celebrated by Hindus in Bali every 6 months, namely Galungan and Kuningan. So what is the origin so that Chinese New Year celebrations can be called Galungan Cina? Quoted from Bisnis.com, According to Mangku IB Adnyana, Reverend Kongco Dwipayana, the closeness between Balinese and Chinese cultures makes them acculturate and celebrate each other.

During the Chinese New Year celebrations, the Hindu community also celebrates by praying. In Konco Dwipayana, Denpasar, for example, there are not only statues of gods believed by the Chinese people, but also religious leaders of the Hindu community.

In total, there are four main buildings at Kongco Dwipayana, namely a special building for worshiping Chinese gods, Gedong Sang Buddha and Dewi Kuan In, a temple to worship Hindu gods, and a pool of 7 goddesses. There is also a Nyai Roro Kidul palace in the courtyard.

People who come, Hindus, Buddhists, and Confucians, perform prayers in every building. They did not limit their worship to the gods they used to worship daily.

"We do it in Hinduism and also in Buddhism and Confucianism," he said.

Worship is also done by delivering offerings. Hindus who come to pray even bring special prayer facilities such as Pejati and fruit. People of Chinese descent also do the same thing by bringing fruit to be offered.

After completing their prayers, people will be given holy water as Hindus usually do. In addition, as reported by Balebengong.id, Hindus in Bali even often associate Galungan Cina with extreme weather, such as hurricanes and heavy rain.

Because almost every Chinese Galungan celebration, the wind blows very hard. The term Galungan Cina may feel more familiar, closer, and more related than the word Chinese New Year, which is foreign to Balinese ears.

Moreover, during the New Order era, the government banned Chinese New Year celebrations in public. The prohibition is enshrined in Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967, in which the New Order regime under the administration of President Soeharto forbade all things Chinese, including Chinese New Year.

With the ban it is estimated kREAD ALSO:

ata Chinese New Year is afraid to be spoken, at least since 1968 until 1999. The term Galungan Cina slowly faded away. This happened especially when the Chinese community in Indonesia regained the freedom to celebrate Chinese New Year in 2000 when President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) revoked Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967.

Then why is the Chinese New Year called Galungan Cina in Bali? When the question is asked to residents in Bali, they will answer innocently. Their answer is partly because knick-knacks to celebrate Galungan are also present in Chinese New Year celebrations, such as Penjor (from sugar cane), Tamiang, Endongan, and hanging Sampian.