Kuala lumpur: As 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.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, 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. The art installation, curated by Kwai Chai Hong co-founder Javier Chor and running 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.
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. Founded and restored by space management company Bai Chuan Management Sdn Bhd in 2019, Kwai Chai Hong is home to the centrepiece of the Moonlit Blossom art installation-a luminous moon situated across its 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. 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.
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 marveling at the golden blossoms raining gracefully from the osmanthus tree. 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.
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!, showcasing a fusion of drumming traditions and rhythms from various cultural heritages.
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.