Chingay 2012 - A Waterway Parade Of Love & Care

11:24 AM  , , , ,  

F1 Pit Building
Marina Bay
South, Singapore
February 2012 


Chingay Parade Singapore is known for its resplendent floats and multi-cultural local and international performances that are an insight to our festive traditions and delight the hearts of many Singaporeans and tourists.
 


The word Chingay is from the Hokkien dialect, of which the Mandarin equivalent is Zhuang Yi (妆艺） meaning "the art of masquerade". The festival began as a neighbourhood parade with only Chinese elements in 1973. Today, the Chingay Parade has evolved to be the grandest street and floats parade in Asia, showcasing the rich, vibrant multi-culturalism of Singapore and exciting cultures all over the world. 
 

 
  The majestic dragon flies in from the left, the phoenix from the right;
They meet in a dash of splendour and colour to open the parade of dreams...
[ Performers : China Shaanxi Huaxia Air Art Development Co Ltd (陕西华夏空中艺术开发有限公司) ]

A speedboat ferries the Guest-of-Honour into the arena...


 Beautiful maidens prance in and dance in the blue waters...
[ Performers : China Red Star Dance Troupe ]


A storm of fire ensues as the contingents march in...
[ Performers : PAYM ]



A water dragon flows in and splashes away the flames...


More dragons enter the foray...




 Including one made of young men entwined together... 
[ Performers : China Zhanjiang Human Dragon Dance Troupe
(中国广东湛江人龙舞艺术团) ]  

And another with a head of joss sticks...
 


 Aided by the Gods of Longevity on stilts...
[ Performers : Tian Loong Koong Stilt Walking Group (天龙宫高跷队) ,
Johor Bahru Hong Yang Sports Association, Malaysia (柔佛州洪扬体育会) ]




In flew maidens in green accompanied by cranes of white...

Our counterparts from other ethnic groups participated enthusiastically too...
[ Performers : Narpani , Tamil Language & Cultural Society ]
 
 Hailing from Kagoshima are the tourist ambassadors from Japan
performing the local folk song "Ohara-Bushi"...
[ Performers : Young Odoriren Team Kajyotan ]
 
 








Fairies trapped in Zorg Balls rolled by...

Then there were participants whose equipment malfunctioned...




  Chingay is a celebration of vitality, of colour, of culture, of age, and of size...
 
 
 
 
  
More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa at :
Events - Chingay

Sources