621 Years of Cheng Ho’s Legacy Celebrated with Grand Procession in Semarang

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Admiral Cheng Ho is well known in Chinese history as a Muslim admiral who led a series of major voyages in the early 15th century. During his expeditions, Cheng Ho is recorded to have visited various parts of the Nusantara region, leaving an important legacy in the history of relations between China and Indonesia.

The legacy of Admiral Cheng Ho continues to be commemorated through various cultural traditions and celebrations. One of them is the Cheng Ho Festival in Semarang, Central Java, which this year marks 621 years since Cheng Ho’s journey to the Nusantara region. The festival is also part of the 2026 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN), a flagship program of the Ministry of Tourism showcasing Indonesia’s diverse cultural and tourism attractions.

The 621st anniversary of Cheng Ho’s journey serves as an opportunity to commemorate his historical legacy while highlighting the cultural acculturation that developed through interactions between Javanese and Chinese communities. One of the sites often associated with Cheng Ho’s legacy in Semarang is the Sam Poo Kong Temple, which remains one of the city’s important historical and cultural landmarks.

One of the traditions preserved as part of the Cheng Ho Festival is a cultural procession. On August 15, 2026, the Cheng Ho procession will begin at Tay Kak Sie Temple in the Gang Lombok area and end at Sam Poo Kong Temple on Simongan Street, Semarang.

This year’s Cheng Ho Festival will also be held on a larger scale with support from the Semarang City Government, the Central Java Provincial Government, and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia. The support further strengthens the festival as a cultural event expected to attract both local communities and tourists.

The festival’s series of events will begin on August 14, 2026, with a culinary bazaar and an entertainment stage running from the afternoon into the evening.

The entertainment stage will feature various cultural performances, including the Naga Sakti Lion and Dragon Dance, Naga Damai Lion and Dragon Dance, Putra Mataram Lion and Dragon Dance, and Nacha Dharma Lion and Dragon Dance. The event will also feature national artists, including Lavora, Cici Fei, and Pertelon Koplo, followed by a fireworks display.

Meanwhile, on August 15, the festivities will continue with a religious ceremony and the Cheng Ho procession from Tay Kak Sie Temple to Sam Poo Kong Temple.

This year, the organizers are targeting around 10,000 visitors throughout the Cheng Ho Festival. The participation of local communities and tourists is expected not only to enliven the celebration, but also to contribute to preserving the history, traditions, and cultural acculturation that have developed in Semarang.