24 Festive Drums was created by two talented Malaysians; Mr Tan Chai Puan, a cultural activist, businessman, poet and cartoonist, and the late Mr Tan Hooi Song (passed away in August 2008), a renown musician who was bestowed the Warisan Orang Hidup award, by the ministry for his role in creating the 24-Festival Drums. They shared the same vision and, with missionary zeal, worked together to create the 24 Festive Drums in 1988.

The two based their creation on the 24 festivals in the lunar calendar of the Chinese agricultural community. With each drum representing one festival, a full team completes the cycle of 24 festivals in the lunar calendar that for thousands of years has guided the agricultural activities of the Chinese. There are two bold Chinese characters written on each drum representing each of the 24 festivals. 'These are integrated into an art form to pay tribute to our ancestors for their wisdom and contributions to natural science,' says Tan Chai Puan.