KBRN, Slawi: The annual Cultural Parade became the highlight of the Grand Celebration (Seng Thian) honoring Kongco Liem Thay Soe, a revered deity in Chinese-Indonesian tradition, at the Hok Ie Kiong Temple in Slawi, Tegal Regency, Central Java, on Sunday, November 16, 2025.

The celebration, observed in the lunar year 2576/2025, featured 68 kiaw (litters) carrying statues of deities, paraded through the streets of Slawi. Thousands of participants joined from across Indonesia, including delegations from Tangerang, Bandung, Bogor, Banyumas, Jakarta, Semarang, Bekasi, Rembang, Purbalingga, Brebes, Banjarnegara, and other regions.

The procession began at the Hok Ie Kiong Temple courtyard on Jalan Ahmad Yani, continued towards P.T. Teh Gopek Cipta Utama building, circled the Gerakan Banteng Nasional (GBN) Monument, passed through Jalan Hos Cokroaminoto and Jalan Mayjen Sutoyo, before returning to the temple.

Tegal Regent Ischak Maulana Rohman praised the event, describing it as a symbol of interfaith harmony in the regency. “We strongly support this celebration as a representation of inter-religious unity in Tegal. It ensures that peace and harmony within our community will continue to thrive,” he said.

Alongside the spiritual festivities, a Culinary Festival was held from November 14 to 16, 2025, boosting the local economy. According to the regent, 118 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) participated, alongside hotels, tourist destinations, and local culinary businesses.

“This festival reflects the resurgence of our MSMEs and spreads blessings across Tegal’s economy,” Ischak added in a press release on November 17.

The regent also joined the parade by helping carry the litter of Kongco Hok Tek Ceng Sin, the host deity of Hok Ie Kiong Temple, who is venerated as the god of blessing, luck, and fortune. The litter weighed 110 kilograms and was borne by four people, each carrying 27.5 kilograms.

Indra Kurniawan, Chairperson of the Adhi Dharma Slawi Foundation, said the parade involved 68 temples from across Indonesia, each sending around 50 participants. In total, over 3,000 people participated.

Indra explained that the event was held to honor Kongco Liem Thay Soe, who is revered as a Great Master in the Chinese-Indonesian spiritual tradition.

“This cultural parade is the peak of the celebration. It is expected to conclude around 5 p.m. local time, followed by art performances at the temple until evening,” he said. (Annaila Azzahra/Ed. Lasti Martina)