Chinese New Year Tradition Serves as Character Education at Viriya Bala Temple
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Chinese New Year (Imlek) tradition has become a means of character education for dozens of Sunday School children at the Viriya Bala Temple on Jalan Lewa II, Pekayon Sub-district, Pasar Rebo District, East Jakarta.
“Dozens of Sunday School children at Viriya Bala Temple held the traditional cleaning of Buddha statues ahead of the Chinese New Year celebration, which also serves as a means of character education,” said Liana, the Education and Socio-Cultural Affairs officer of the Viriya Bala Temple Foundation, in Jakarta on Monday.
The sacred activity is not merely about cleaning Buddha statues. According to Liana, the event is routinely held before Imlek and carries a deeper meaning.
“This moment symbolises the purification of the soul and cleansing oneself of all negative things,” Liana said.
Furthermore, the occasion also serves as a time of reflection for devotees to cast away inner impurities, welcome the new year with a pure heart, and as an expression of reverence towards the Three Jewels (Tri Ratna).
Five Buddha statues were cleaned during the activity, comprising four small statues and one medium-sized statue. Participants cleaned the statues using water and their hands.
The meaning behind this time-honoured tradition, Liana explained, is closely linked to human activities throughout the year preceding the Chinese New Year.
The cleaning of statues is also closely connected to the tradition of “Toapekong dapur naik” — the kitchen god ascending to heaven to report on human activities during the year before the Chinese New Year.
“When they ascend, we clean everything. After Imlek, the gods are believed to descend again in a cleaner state,” Liana explained.
She further noted that the tradition serves as a symbol for devotees to open themselves up and cleanse their inner selves before Imlek, so they may receive better circumstances. “So that blessings may flow more freely,” Liana said.
Ahead of the 2026 Chinese New Year celebration, 15 officers from the Urban Infrastructure and Facilities Management Unit (PPSU) of Pekayon Sub-district focused on cleaning the grounds surrounding Viriya Bala Temple on Jalan Lewa II, RT 01/RW 10, Pekayon, Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta.
The officers swept the temple grounds, cleared weeds from the car park area, and removed rubbish that had accumulated in drainage channels and on the roof of the place of worship.
The community service effort represents a form of care towards residents who will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, and is hoped to strengthen the spirit of inter-religious tolerance in the surrounding neighbourhood.
“We wish to foster tolerance, helping one another in religious activities. We hope our assistance can be beneficial and make the environment cleaner and more comfortable for the upcoming Imlek celebration,” said Pekayon Sub-district Head Akhmad Bakri in Jakarta on Monday.