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Civilization Object No. 062
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Ong Chun / Wangchuan Ceremony

送王船

A Minnan ritual of sending a decorated boat to sea or fire to dispel plague and misfortune — shared heritage across the Chinese diaspora.

dna Heritage DNA
history Origin

Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE)

category Domain

folk customs

verified Level

UNESCO Intangible Heritage

pin_drop Region

Southeast China

pulse Status

active

The Ong Chun (Wangchuan) ceremony is a centuries-old ritual practiced by Minnan communities in Fujian and the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia. A beautifully crafted wooden boat, laden with offerings, is paraded through the streets and then set adrift or burned. The ceremony sends away plague gods and bad fortune, invoking protection from the King Lords (Ong Yah). It reinforces community bonds through collective participation in ritual preparation and feasting.

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Relationship Constellation

This heritage item connects to 5 entities across the atlas — masters, places, festivals, and stories.

pin_drop Fujian Province location pin_drop Quanzhou location person Mazu Belief and Customs ich person Ming Dynasty dynasty person Southeast Coast region
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