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s the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as the Mooncake Festival, draws near, the charming heritage alley of Kwai Chai Hong in Chinatown here comes alive with vibrant decorations.
This year, the festival falls on Oct 6, which marks the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Celebrated as the second most significant occasion after the Chinese New Year, it is traditionally a time of thanksgiving for the harvest season.
Kwai Chai Hong – also known as Ghost Lane or ‘Lorong Hantu’ – once again brings timeless folklore to life through Moonlit Blossom, an immersive art installation that has transformed the area into a dazzling stage where heritage, technology and imagination intertwine.
Kwai Chai Hong – also known as Ghost Lane or ‘Lorong Hantu’ , comes alive with 'Moonlit Blossoms' for Mid-Autumn Festival this year
The art installation, curated by Kwai Chai Hong co-founder Javier Chor and runs until Oct 12, reimagines an ancient tale behind the Mooncake Festival.
According to legend, Wu Gang, a woodcutter, longed for immortality and expressed his wish to the Jade Emperor. Displeased with his request, the emperor banished him to the moon with a final task: to cut down the osmanthus tree, after which he would be granted eternal life. But the tree was no ordinary one – it healed itself after every strike. To this day, Wu Gang is said to remain on the moon, axe in hand.
LUMINOUS MOON
Kwai Chai Hong, incidentally, is a perfect setting for the celebration of Chinese culture due to its location: behind the row of pre-war shop houses on a nearly century-old alley called Jalan Panggung in the Chinatown area of the capital city. (Kwai Chai Hong was founded and restored by space management company Bai Chuan Management Sdn Bhd in 2019.)
The centrepiece of the Moonlit Blossom art installation, meanwhile, is a luminous moon, situated across Kwai Chai Hong’s iconic Red Bridge beneath the glow of 100 hanging flower lanterns.
A closer look at the ‘moon’ reveals depictions of Mid-Autumn folklore: the determined Wu Gang endlessly striking the osmanthus tree, alongside the celestial goddess Chang Er and her companion, the Jade Rabbit, guarding the moon.
A luminous moon, situated across Kwai Chai Hong’s iconic Red Bridge beneath the glow of 100 hanging flower lanterns, reveals depictions of Mid-Autumn folklore
Kwai Chai Hong co-founder Zeen Chang said the lesson learned from Wu Gang’s story is that true success and enlightenment require dedication, sacrifice and effort.
“Intention alone isn’t enough and this is reflected in our journey at Kwai Chai Hong. Moonlit Blossom reminds us to focus on creating meaningful and innovative experiences. We hope to preserve the fleeting beauty of the osmanthus blooms and share Chinese folklore with future generations,” she told Bernama.
AR INSTALLATIONS
Adding a digital twist, Kwai Chai Hong collaborated with award-winning creative studio Seeing Artelier to develop two augmented reality (AR) filters, available on TikTok.
By scanning QR codes in the alley, visitors can immerse themselves in Wu Gang’s legend – watching him struggle endlessly with his task, or marvelling at the golden blossoms raining gracefully from the osmanthus tree.
By scanning QR codes in the alley, visitors can immerse themselves in Wu Gang’s legend with the AR technology
Led by Seeing Artelier founder Wong Si Ying and lead motion designer Chia Yuan Hong, the studio reinterpreted the myth through a fusion of art and technology.
Chia and Wong admitted that developing the AR was challenging but rewarding.
“Even small details, like whether the blossoms should fall in front of or behind viewers, took careful thought. As designers, our goal is to get the story across, no matter the medium,” Wong explained.
She added that the biggest challenge was meeting audience expectations.
“We wanted especially young people to connect with Mid-Autumn folklore through AR. Kwai Chai Hong gave us the freedom to express our creativity and it has been a very rewarding experience.”
Kwai Chai Hong's co-founder, Zeen Chang (middle, front) and 'Moonlit Blossoms' production team (Pix credit to Kwai Chai Hong)
DRUM UP JB
Meanwhile, Drum Up JB! was also in Kwai Chai Hong to liven up the festive atmosphere.
A mixed percussion ensemble combining drumming, movement and theatre elements to create a powerful sensory experience, Drum Up JB! is led by Johor Bahru groups JB Drums and Orang-Orang Drum Theatre (OODT).
On Aug 28, members of the media were treated to a 10-minute performance by Drum Up JB! They opened their show with ‘24 Festive Drums’, a vibrant drum performance showcasing a fusion of drumming traditions – weaving together the beats of the Malay kompang and Indian percussion, and the rhythms of indigenous Borneo communities.
A mixed percussion ensemble combining drumming, movement and theatre elements to create a powerful sensory experience, Drum Up JB, led by Johor Bahru groups JB Drums and Orang-Orang Drum Theatre (OODT)
Drum Up JB! held another show in Kwai Chai Hong on Sept 7 in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebrations.
OODT performance tour manager Damien Leow said ‘24 Festive Drums’ originated in Johor Bahru in 1988, founded by Tan Chai Puan and the late Tan Hooi Song.
Leow also said ‘24 Festive Drums’ was formally recognised in 2009 under Malaysia’s National Heritage List as an ‘Intangible Object’.
“We are also proud to support the government’s move to nominate ‘24 Festive Drums’ for UNESCO’s 2026 Intangible Heritage List.
“We want to preserve and promote our ‘24 Festive Drums’ as Malaysia’s national intangible cultural heritage,” he said, expressing hope that Johor Bahru will one day be recognised as a hub for cultural heritage.
The Moonlit Blossom art installation is open to the public daily from 9 am to midnight, running from Aug 29 to Oct 12. For updates, please follow Kwai Chai Hong’s social media accounts on Facebook or Instagram @kwaichaihong.
