TULUNGAGUNG – Festive Lunar New Year celebrations in Tulungagung blended spirituality and cultural tradition as hundreds of Chinese-Indonesian worshippers gathered at Tjoe Tik Kiong Temple. They attended year-end and New Year transition rituals marking Lunar New Year 2557.

Worshippers began arriving Monday afternoon. They took part in prayers symbolizing the farewell to the old year. The temple complex soon filled with families and devotees seeking blessings for the year ahead.

After the main rituals, a vibrant barongsai performance animated the temple courtyard. The show attracted both worshippers and local residents.

Tjio Jing Jing, a temple caretaker at Tjoe Tik Kiong, said barongsai forms an essential part of annual Lunar New Year observances.

“After the prayers, we hold barongsai performance,” she said.

She explained that barongsai carries deep symbolic meaning beyond entertainment. Communities believe the performance brings positive energy, fortune, and protection in the coming year.

“We also perform prayers before barongsai begins. Everything must start well so the year ahead will also go well and free from misfortune,” she said.

As midnight approached, worshippers gathered again inside the temple. They performed the New Year opening prayer exactly at 00:00 local time on Tuesday. The moment marked the official start of Lunar New Year 2557.

Devotees prayed solemnly for health, prosperity, and better fortunes. Many attended with relatives, creating a warm and communal atmosphere throughout the temple grounds.

High public enthusiasm marked the celebration. Families participated together, reinforcing cultural continuity. For many attendees, the event represented not only religious devotion but also the preservation of Chinese-Indonesian heritage passed down through generations.