As Chinese New Year draws to a close, some Chinese families are about to have one last hurrah before the festival finally ends.

And with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, what better way to end the festivities than by attempting to snag a significant other soon?

Chap Goh Mei is a day mostly observed by the Hokkien community, with festivities most prominent in Penang, with its large Hokkien Chinese population.

The word “Chap Goh” in Hokkien means fifteen and “Mei” means night.

The name refers to the fact that Chap Goh Mei is celebrated on the 15th and last day of Chinese New Year.

In China, this festival is actually called the Lantern Festival, which is not to be confused with the one synonymous to the Mid-Autumn Festival here in Malaysia.

There is an old myth that is told about the day itself, which revolves around the Jade Emperor, the central figure of Chinese folk religion.

According to the myth, a pet crane of the Emperor’s was killed by a few villagers, which angered him enough to plan to rain down fire on the village on the 15th day of the lunar year.

To save themselves, the villagers were advised by an elder to hang red lanterns and set off firecrackers to make it look like the village had already been set ablaze.

Deceived, the Jade Emperor left it untouched and from then on, people celebrated the 15th day of Chinese New Year with lantern parades and firecrackers.

As such, lanterns are a big part of Chap Goh Mei with people coming up with creative and more elaborate designs.

Some write riddles on their lanterns and let their family and friends take guesses at solving them.

Another legend tells of how women in ancient China used to be disallowed from roaming about on the streets freely.

However, on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, they were free to make their way to temples, dressed in their best to attract potential suitors.

Chinese families gather for a grand meal, during which glutinous rice balls, known as “Yuan Xiao”, are normally served.

Religious devotees also pay their respects to the God of Prosperity at temples to ask for blessings of good fortune for their family.

In Penang, Chingay processions are held with performers balancing flagpoles atop their foreheads.

In Malaysia, the signature activity of Chap Goh Mei sees young unmarried people writing their names and contact numbers on mandarin oranges which they then throw into rivers or lakes.

Hopefully, the mandarin oranges they threw would be picked up by a potential significant other who would contact them soon.

Interestingly enough, this practice is a Chinese Malaysian one that cannot be found in mainland China.

Hence, some people consider Chap Goh Mei to be the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day – at least in Malaysia.