A wooden seal linked to an 1819 cholera outbreak in Penang has been unveiled at the Hong Kong Street Tow Boh Keong Temple on Jalan Cheong Fatt Tze in George Town. The seal, over 200 years old and about the size of a brick, was used to stamp talismans believed by devotees to offer protection from the deadly disease.
According to temple trustee Datuk Seri Choot Ewe Seng, the artefact was brought to Penang by early migrants from Fujian province, China. It was later entrusted to Qiu Macheng, an early custodian of the Nine Emperor Gods tradition in the region. The temple is dedicated to Dou Mu, a Taoist deity regarded as the divine mother of the Nine Emperor Gods.
During the early 19th century cholera outbreak, when medical understanding of the disease was limited, many people turned to spiritual remedies. The seal was reportedly used to imprint cloth talismans that devotees kept as blessings. Paper talismans stamped with the seal’s mark were also burned; the ashes were sometimes mixed with water and ingested as part of religious rituals. The festival associated with these practices emphasized vegetarianism and cleanliness, which adherents believed could aid in preventing illness.
Choot explained that the original seal is now worn and retired from active use. The temple has updated the design over time and currently employs its sixth-generation seal, featuring a simpler motif. As part of the upcoming 184th Nine Emperor Gods Festival, the temple plans to exhibit both the original seal and a cloth talisman bearing its impression.
In addition to the seal, a ceremonial cloth banner known as chai in Hokkien, measuring 91cm by 200cm, has also been fully restored. The conservation effort spanned from May to September and involved cleaning, stabilizing the fabric, repairing damaged threads, and mounting the textile on additional support for preservation. This banner will also be displayed during the festival.
The nine-day Nine Emperor Gods Festival, locally known as Kew Ong Yeah, begins tomorrow, marking the first day of the ninth lunar month. Concurrently, Penang’s Hindu community will observe Navarathiri, a festival dedicated to the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi. This nine-night event, which runs until October 19 with major ceremonies continuing through October 20, involves prayers and a strict vegetarian diet as part of its observance. The Malaysia Hindu Sangam Penang Council oversees these celebrations.