Kuching’s Lian Heng Wushu Association recognised by Malaysia Book of Records for 188-foot incense fire dragon

KUCHING (Sept 3): The Lian Heng Wushu Association has achieved four records in the Malaysia Book of Records for its 188-foot incense fire dragon.

The dragon was paraded during the Seng Ong Kong deity’s birthday celebration in March.

The four records were for the largest incense fire dragon parade involving 6,800 individuals, the most incense fire dragon amulets distributed in an event with 9,999 good fortune amulets distributed to the public, the longest incense fire dragon at a length of 188 feet, and the largest incense fire dragon head at a height of 10 feet.

Lian Heng Wushu Association president Master Ronny Chin, who designed and crafted the incense fire dragon, said the history of the fire dragon can be traced back over 1,000 years in China, when a pandemic struck a village.

“At the height of the pandemic, an old lady had a dream that a dragon made from a heap of grass bound together and incense sticks inserted into the body of the dragon should be crafted before being paraded around the village to ward off the pandemic. This was where it all started,” Chin told reporters at a thanksgiving dinner here last night.

He said the custom of the fire dragon was brought to the shores of Sarawak in 2017 by his association and the length of the dragon would be extended by seven feet every year.

A new record will be attempted again next year for the longest fire dragon.

Chin is regarded as the first person in Southeast Asia to create the incense fire dragon for the annual Seng Ong Kong deity’s birthday celebration parade.

Among the guests at the dinner were Kuching South mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng, Padawan Municipal Council chairman Tan Kai, and Kuching Hockien Association president Datuk Richard Wee.