THE Teong Guan Phor Thor Festival, better known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, has been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (Festival) item of Penang under the Penang State Heritage Enactment 2011 (Enactment 14).
In addition to the festival, the Kwangtung & Tengchow Cemetery No. 1 is also recognised as a heritage site in the state.
This makes Penang the first state to make such a recognition.
The festival, which lasts for a month in the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar and culminates on the 15th day, is among the cultural heritage of the Chinese community that has been recognised by the state government for having significant historical and cultural value.
According to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, the festival involves rituals to pay homage to ancestors and spirits believed to roam throughout the period.
“During the festival, ‘Tai Su Yeah’ (King of Hell) tents and opera or getai performance stages are set up in public areas, and the organisation is jointly driven by the local community and traders under the coordination of the area head.
“Based on the historical and cultural value, on April 8, the state government approved the nomination of the Teong Guan Phor Thor Festival to be declared as a State Heritage and subsequently gazetted as a Penang State Heritage effective June 25, 2026,” he told a press conference at his office today.
Chow added that the nomination went through detailed screening and vetting by experts through the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Sociocultural) Expert Committee before receiving confirmation from the State Heritage Council and approval from the State Executive Council.
"The recognition is not only aimed at preserving and conserving the traditional practices but also at promoting the diversity of festivals of the pluralistic community as part of the Penang identity.
"This Intangible Cultural Heritage item has historical and cultural value that has long been practised by the Chinese who adhere to Taoist teachings and Buddhism in Penang.
In a similar development, Chow said, the state government also approved the designation of six sites as Heritage Sites under Enactment 14.
"The six sites are the Upper and Lower Stations and the Bukit Bendera Funicular, Dato Koyah's Tomb, Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Thai Temple, King's Road, Fooi Chew Association Building, Loo Pun Hong Temple and Kwangtung & Tengchow Cemetery No. 1.
"All the sites have a significant historical background in the development of Penang and have undergone strict screening by the Tangible Cultural Heritage (Built Environment) Expert Committee," he said.
He added that the state government hopes that more of Penang’s cultural heritage can be identified, documented and elevated as State Heritage in the future. – September 3, 2026
