Chingay is an annual street parade held as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. The word “Chingay” is derived from the Chinese term zhuangyi, meaning "the art of costume and masquerade". It originated in China's Fujian province, and refers to the decorated floats depicting religious and historical scenes that were carried on the shoulders of men.
Originally a religious festival, it is believed that Chingay was brought to Penang by 19th-century Chinese immigrants.
In Singapore, Chingay processions were known to have taken place in the late 19th to early 20th centuries.
The modern Chingay parade was mooted by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. After firecrackers were banned in 1972, he had the idea of holding a parade similar to those held in Penang.
The noise of a parade could whip up the festive mood like the firecrackers, which was a Chinese New Year custom to drive away evil spirits.
The first parade, organised by the People’s Association and the Singapore National Pugilistic Association was held on Feb 4, 1973.
Early parades were held in the heartlands. In 1985, it was held for the first time in Orchard Road. In 1987, the parade featured its first foreign acts when The Straits Times sponsored four Japanese performers.
Through the years, the parade has evolved into a national celebration, attracting local and international participants.
Pictures curated by Simon Ker who was assisted by Zarinah Mohamed and Doris Goh.
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1973: Chingay parade is held for the first time. The procession is led by a float bearing a statue of a bull and two giant firecrackers. The parade is organised by the People’s Association and the Singapore National Pugilistic Federation to celebrate the Year of the Ox.
ST FILE PHOTO: JUNID JUANI
1973: "Bighead dolls" drawing laughs during the parade. Thousands of people throng the streets to watch the procession make its way from Jalan Besar to Outram Park. Some 2000 performers from different Chinese associations took part.
ST FILE PHOTO: JUNID JUANI
1973: People of different races and nationalities gathering to watch the street procession.
ST FILE PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER LOH
1973: Stilt walkers are one of the highlights of the parade. Performers dressed in Chinese period costumes display acrobatic moves on long peppermint striped stilts. The parade is telecast live on television.
ST FILE PHOTO: JUNID JUANI
1973: Crowds lining both sides of the street as they watch a procession of floats.
ST FILE PHOTO: JUNID JUANI
1973: A statue of the Merlion on a float. Resident from the flats enjoying a wonderful view of the parade.
ST FILE PHOTO: JUNID JUANI
1975: Thousands of people in holiday mood lining the roads in Queenstown to watch the Chingay parade. Drawing applause from the enthusiastic crowd are the Kong Chow pugilists on wheels, performing tricks on their unicycles.
ST FILE PHOTO: MAK KIAN SENG
1976: Over 1,500 participants, including these Indian dancers, taking part in the parade. The procession follows a route from Circuit Road to Sims Avenue. The parade takes on a multicultural flavour from this year.
ST FILE PHOTO: YOW WUN WOH
1976: Malay participants beating their kompang (traditional drums) as they add to the colour and sound of the procession.
ST FILE PHOTO: YOW WUN WOH
1981: A performance by children during the Chingay parade held in Bedok North. This year’s Chingay features a number of performances from various cultural and school groups, and entertains a 35,000-strong crowd.
ST FILE PHOTO: WAN SENG YIP
1983: A crowd packed on a pedestrian bridge along Jalan Bukit Merah watching the Chingay parade.
ST FILE PHOTO: NGHAI CHEE WAH
1985: Prancing lions in Orchard Road. The parade makes its debut in downtown Singapore, and some spectators, eager to get the best view, are there early in the morning long before the show begins. Besides crowd favourites such as stilt walkers, and lion dances, there are also breakdancers and jugglers.
ST FILE PHOTO: ARTHUR LEE
1986: Performers wearing Japanese costumes and carrying an omikoshi (portable shrine) during a Chingay parade rehearsal in Orchard Road on Feb 2. The shrine is used for certain Japanese ceremonies in the summer or autumn. The actual parade is held on Feb 16, for the second time in Orchard Road.
ST FILE PHOTO: JACKIE HO
1987: The procession is led by a Straits Times Press float with Japanese pop singer Eri Murata and Japanese dance trio, The Schoolmates. This is the first time that foreign acts have taken part in the parade and they have since become part of Chingay celebrations.
ST FILE PHOTO: JACKIE HO
1999: A dance item by performers from the SAF Music and Drama Company, Leisure World dancers, community centres and Jitterbugs Swingapore. The parade draws a crowd of over 200,000 spectators.
ST FILE PHOTO: KEN TAY
2001: An acrobatic performance that thrills the crowds at the Chingay parade held at City Hall.
ST FILE PHOTO: ALAN LIM
2008: A Red Bull Formula One (F1) racing car adding to the excitement of the parade at City Hall. The car is making an appearance to promote the F1 night race, to be held later in the year in Singapore.
LIANHE ZAOBAO: KWONG KAI CHUNG
2009: Performers at the Chingay 2009 rehearsal. Some 3,800 local and international performers are taking part in the parade, along a route from City Hall to Marina Bay.
ST FILE PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
2009: A student togged up in “sky-running” gear taking a leap into the air at the end of the Chingay parade. An after-parade party, called City Alive!, is organised by the People’s Association Youth Movement (PAYM) to give the youth an opportunity to celebrate in the heart of the city.
ST FILE PHOTO: SAMUEL HE
2011: With a spectacular background of fireworks in the sky, thousands of lanterns are being released at the end of the Chingay parade at the F1 Pit Building. The parade made a permanent move to the Marina Bay area in 2010 to accommodate bigger crowds.
LIANHE ZAOBAO: THONG KAH HOONG
2012: An exuberant dance by performers from the Japanese Association in Singapore.
LIANHE ZAOBAO: LIM KOK MENG
2014: Spectators having fun with a puppet during the Chingay parade.
THE NEW PAPER: BENJAMIN SEETOR
2015: Can-can dancers from 11 community clubs and residents’ committees twirling in their colourful costumes bedecked with “We Love SG” plastic flowers at the opening of Chingay 2015. The flowers are made using recycled plastic bags.
ST FILE PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
2015: Representatives from 230 local and 17 international groups taking part in the parade, raising their "We Love SG" flowers under a shower of confetti. In celebration of Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence, the Chingay parade is the biggest one yet, with 11,000 performers.
ST FILE PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
2016: A stiltwalker becomes partially silhouetted as a quick pyrotechnic display emanating from the back of his body dazzles the crowd during the opening night of the Chingay parade.
THE NEW PAPER: GAVIN FOO
2016: A 66m-long helium-filled flying LED dragon, held by performers from China’s Shaanxi province, makes its world debut on the second night of the Chingay parade.
LIANHE ZAOBAO: THONG KAH HOONG