My name is Jolie, I am a Vietnamese girl growing up in the countryside of Hai Duong, northern Vietnam. The festival begins with a parade from Jui Tui Shrine to Sapan Hin, a public park located near the beach. It is celebrated annually during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, usually falling between late September and early October. The history of this festival may be a bit unclear but it is commonly believed to have been brought by a Chinese opera group that got hit by the Malaria epidemic of the time. The festival is becoming more eventful year after year. Participants, both women, and men will pierce their cheeks with skewers and knives, and other similar items. The Nine Emperor Gods. The BRUTAL Phuket Vegetarian Festival: Not for the faint of heart! According To Priest Long Hua, the 35th Generation Leader of Long Shan Men Taoist Sect (Singapore), honouring the Northern Dipper stars prolongs one's life, eliminate calamities, and absolves sins and past debts of oneself and his family. This area is usually closed-off during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and it is here that vegetarian food stalls abound. This temple is considered to be one of the oldest in Phuket and is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy. There are also fortune telling booths offering advice from monks or fortunetellers about ones future prospects based on palm reading or astrology readings. However, technically, only food prepared in the sacred kitchen of the Chinese temple (in Thailand, called sarnjao or um ) is jeh, as it must undergo a series of rituals before it can be given that name. Devotees are expected to wear white and keep pure thoughts; they give up meat, sex, alcohol, stimulants, and strong foods such as garlic and spice. The first event is called the Raising of the Lantern Pole, which notifies the 9 Chinese gods of the start of the festival. permission of the copyright owner except of the use of quotations in a book review. For several days, on both sides of Phuket Town streets leading to shrines, food stands display tons of vegetarian dishes in all imaginable shapes and sizes (but often have a very similar taste). The festival ends just after midnight when the devotees have sent back the Nine Emperor Gods. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, meaning late September or October. Its an important site during the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival, when thousands of devotees come to hold ceremonies and eat vegetarian food during the events nine days. It is celebrated by the religious devotees to honor the Gods and express gratitude to them for saving the peoples lives and granting them good health. All the Chinese shrines on the island are cleaned, painted, and decorated with Chinese Ancestry inspired decorations. And as you may have already inferred, Thailand's Veg-fest is not a meat-abhorring, food-loving, happy-go-lucky celebration. Then, the Ma Song demonstrate their submission by presenting their expressive forms of self-mutilation in a public procession. Vendors and proprietors of restaurants indicate that jeh food is for sale at their establishments by putting a yellow flag out with the word (jeh) written on it in red. It's considered as the number one auspicious event on the southern Thai island of Phuket, and may as well be one of the country's most eccentric and extreme festivals. Tourists can simply enjoy this visual spectacle and simply enjoy the vegetarian dishes sold in markets and street stalls on the island. We are looking for writers. Aside from the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Phuket also celebrates the Loi Krathong Festival, the Chinese New Year, and the Por Tor, or the Festival of the Hungry Ghost. This year, the event will take place from 15th to 23rd October 2023. Phuket Sandbox reopening plan & What to Expect? Therefore, it is important to come mentally prepared. During the main ritual at the temples, the Ma Song fall into a trance and pierce their cheeks with ritual objects, including knives, spears, relics, and other items of personal significance. While most Bang Neow Shrine in Phuket Town is one of Phuket's oldest and most revered Chinese shrines. Participants wear white clothing to signify purity while taking part in rituals such as fire-walking and body piercing with metal rods or blades. Now lets take a look at accommodation options for your stay in Thailand. The local Thai and Chinese community will then bring their offerings of food and drink along with their household gods to the temple in the next few days of the festival. Thursday, September 27, 2012. People gathering around an am from early morning to witness piercing ceremony and to participate in the parade afterwards, Masong are getting ready to participate in the morning parade starting from one of the am in Western Phuket, Masong pending to have his cheeks pierced, Piercing is supervised by medical staff and performed using special instruments. Cyclone Freddy has made landfall on Madagascar, leaving destruction in its wake. Super Ekstrem, Festival Vegetarian di Thailand Bikin Merinding. The 2022 Phuket Vegetarian Festival (aka Nine Emperor Gods Festival) will take place from 25 September - 5 October 2022. Below are some of them: There is this belief within the Chinese community that fire can repel evil influence and overcome impurity. How many days does the Vegetarian festival in Phuket last? To achieve this, participants refrain from taking various stimulants and avoid eating meat. The streets are lined with colorful decorations and flags as people walk through carrying statues of gods or goddesses while chanting prayers and playing music. Loy Krathong in Bangkok - Where to have the best celebration? The Phuket Vegetarian Festival begins on the first day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, so dates change annually. It offers a unique opportunity to explore Thai culture and cuisine in an exciting way. The procession walks from an ahm to Phuket town. Apparently, traveling monks were crossing through fields, thus destroying the crops of villagers and farmers. The Chinese observe the tradition of abstaining from telling lies, quarrelling, having sex, drinking alcohol, and eating meat. Today, most Nine Emperor God temples do not acknowledge the existence of Dou Fu Yuan Jun. During this period of time, the constant tinkling of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Koh Lanta island is one of the most popular destinations for new years eve party in Thailand for backpackers. Firewalking ceremonies can be seen where devotees walk across burning charcoal without being burned and spirit mediums perform rituals on stage. You can observe and even participate in the lighting of joss sticks and candles, before placing them around the various gods. Most devotees come here to pray for good health or simply pray for the healing of certain health issues. In the past, monks were not even allowed to leave the temple, but today, most monks just refrain from traveling during this period. There are also special ceremonies held at local temples where people can make offerings to Buddha statues or take part in religious rituals such as fire walking or piercing themselves with metal rods without feeling any pain. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is commonly celebrated from late September to October and the exact dates can change depending on the lunar calendar of the Chinese. The said food stalls will usually be located on Ranong Road, between the Jui Tui Shrine and Ranong market. Exercise self-control and behave in a respectful manner both physically and mentally. Those in a state of mourning should not participate in the festival. 6.San-yuan Three Epochs These events usually take place at temples throughout Phuket but some may also be seen in public areas like beaches or parks depending on where they are being held that year. The airport is well-connected to Bangkok with daily flights. In accordance with the traditions, many religious mediums will conduct ritualized mutilation upon themselves and one another while under a trance-like state, including but not limited to: impaling through cheeks, arms, face, legs, back etc., with everything from as small as syringes to as large as is agreed upon between all members; partial skinning (the skin is not removed, just cut and flipped over); slashing of limbs, chest, stomach and especially tongue with swords, axes and knives; bloodletting; removal of tissue (normally limited to cysts) and intentionally wrapping or standing near fire crackers as they are lit. Last 2021, the festival was celebrated from September 25, 2022, to October 4, 2022. Joss sticks and candles are lit before placing the Gods in the temples. Phuket's vegetarian festival traditions include macabre scenes of ritualised mutilation, impaling, cutting, partial skinning and bloodletting, as well as intentional wrapping or standing near fire crackers as they are lit - all without any anaesthetic! Stages, decorations and parade accessories gather near shrines, and hundreds of food stands are erected nearby. Anything goes; the weirder, the better. Once the 10-metre-tall pole is erected, celebrants believe that the Hindu god, Shiva, descends to bring spiritual power to the event. You can eat at the various vegetarian stalls set up on the street. Presently, it is a public holiday in some of these countries. Chiang Mai is already packed with vegan and vegetarian restaurants, but for Vegetarian Festival, the city takes things to another level. It is a nine-day celebration that takes place during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar and usually falls between October and November. While the origins of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival are unclear, it is commonly thought that it was brought to the island by a wandering Chinese opera group that fell ill from a malaria epidemic. Bamboo poles are removed from the shrines the following day and safely out back for the next year. All of the then medicine failed to cure them so they unanimously decided to adopt a strict vegetarian diet. From exploring stunning beaches to taking part in unique cultural activities, there is something for everyone. 16. The official Phuket Vegetarian Festival website has a schedule of events, but information may or may not be available in English. Get the latest news, inspiring blog articles, or promotion, Boun Bang Fai - Rocket Festival in Thailand and Laos, Buddhist Lent & Khao Phansa Day in Thailand & Laos, Hmong New Year - The Celebration of Colors, Everything you need to know about Magha Puja (Makha Bucha), All about Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Thailand and Cambodia. Established in 1904, this shrine boasts dragon pillars and colourful paintings of stories and creatures believed to bring good luck and prosperity to devotees. For other festivals, see, Nine Emperor Gods Festival celebration in popular folk culture. The shrine is located in the subdistrict of Kathu in the islands interior, between Phuket Town and Patong Beach. Police arrested a Swedish man in Phuket, southern Thailand, on drug charges today and are preparing to revoke his permission to stay in the kingdom, reports . The town has a number of major Chinese Shrines and a lot of the restaurants replace their menus during the festivities to only do vegetarian dishes. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival attracts crowds of spectators because of many of the unusual religious rituals that are performed.[4][5]. In Thailand, the Pli term Mgha-praam is also used for the celebration, meaning 'to honor on the full moon of the third lunar month'. You have to refrain from all sorts of intoxication. Since the arrival of the Nine Emperor Gods is believed to be descending through the waterways, processions are held from temples to the seashore or river to symbolize this belief. It is celebrated by Chinese Buddhists and Taoists who abstain from eating meat for nine days as a way to purify their bodies and minds. Train: Although there are no direct trains to Phuket, one can travel on trains going from Bangkok to Singapore and get off at Phun Phin railway station. Along with the restrictive vegan diet, they also vowed to pray to the Nine Emperor God known as the Kiu Ong Lah, for the reason of cleansing their body and soul. However, the art of "jay" food is that many of the dishes look and taste like meat. Otherwise it can land you in a mess. 2.San-ching -Three Pure Ones Tourists can join in the lighting of candles and joss sticks before they are placed around the household gods. A Guide to Thailand for Families With Kids. It falls usually in the month of September or October. During the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Thai restaurants serving meat are open as usual. It is an occasion when Buddhists go to the temple to perform merit-making activities, such as alms giving, meditation and listening to teachings. Most participants miraculously heal up without needing stitches or medical care. Segregate your utensils from those who are not participating. Not all those hotels are historical, but they have a style that fits the event atmosphere. [3] The Nine Emperors is formed by the seven stars of the Big Dipper of the North Ursa Major (visible) and two assistant stars (invisible to most people). 5.San-kuan Three Officials However, for those who want to try out the wide variety of vegetarian dishes offered during this festival, Phuket Town is definitely the place tourists should check out. Por Pia Tod Jay () Deep-fried spring rolls. Mio Cade on Flickr, Phuket, Thailand Fire Walking on Vegetarian Festival 2013, Jamie Monk on Flickr, Crossing the Bridge, Bertrand Linet on Flickr, Farewell ritual at the Phuket Vegetarian festival 2015. This dish comes with chicken or pork for the rest of the year. What is Nine Emperor Gods Festival? In 2021 the festival was 5 - 15 October. Born in France a long long time ago, I started to travel the world early and never stopped until I settled in Thailand in 1994. On their arrival, the entire band got inflicted with a deadly Malaria pandemic. The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival takes place during the 9th Lunar Month of the chinese calendar. Wat Phou - the Ancient Khmer Temple in Southern Laos. At the temple they undergo a series of rituals to protect them for the duration of the festival, during which flagellation and self-mutilation is practiced. The walk on the fire is another challenging photo to capture, as you must come early to secure the best spot. The Vegetarian Festival is celebrated to some extent in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and even Kuala Lumpur; however, the island of Phuket has the largest Peranakan Chinese population. Either are you wondering about best time to visit, visa policy, or how to get the cheapest flight, we have your back! The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a unique event that takes place annually in Thailand and draws visitors from around the world. [12] While in Western cultures dominance is seen as a cherished goal, Schneider observed an unusual appreciation of submission amongst the Ma Song. Then for the past 27 years, my passion for photography and my natural curiosity has taken me to every corner of Thailand, jumping frequently between Bangkok and Phuket and basically everywhere I could go. The role of ma song, or spirit mediums, is an integral part of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The Nine Emperor Gods should not be mixed up with the Wang Ye or Princes of the Ming loyalists. Processions on the streets will usually have participants climbing an eight-metre ladder full of sharp blades, running across burning coals, and walking in a trance. From the vibrant street processions to the delicious vegetarian dishes, there is something for everyone at this festival. Bang Neow Shrine is on Phuket Road, a Kio Thian Keng Shrine is a colourful Chinese shrine that is set on the seashore inside Saphan Hin public park in Phuket Town. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a colorful annual event held on the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, usually in September or October. Sign up for our newsletter to receive special offers, news and great events. This send-off ritual starts at 10:30 in the evening of the last day. Nine Emperor Gods are actually high-ranking Star Lords who preside over the movement of planets and coordinate mortal Life and Death issues. Phuket is famous worldwide for its mountainous interiors and exotic beaches.The mesmerizing picturesque scenery in, To pick one as the best beach is a herculean task since Phuket is the, Despite all the modern shops and air-conditioned malls that have sprung recently, the local night, Address: 66 Hussadhisawee Rd, Chang Phueak, Chiang Mai 50300 Ma is the word for horse in Thai, and the name masong refers to how the spirits of the gods use the bodies of these people as a vehicle, as one rides a horse. Your guide to the perfect holiday in Thailand. According to tradition and belief, the purpose of the vegetarian festival is for participants to obtain peace of mind and good health. If you find yourself in Phuket around September or October, spend some time at a colourful and unique festival. Bertrand Linet on Flickr, Golden Lantern pole raising at the Phuket Vegetarian festival. Phuket Vegetarian Festival is the most popular in town for a reason. Only pure, unmarried men or women without families of their own can become masong. The festival culminates with an extravagant procession featuring elaborately decorated floats and participants dressed in white or yellow clothing carrying joss sticks and firecrackers. Second: the walking is more of a jump as fast as you can above the charcoal, so with the lack of light, taking sharp images is difficult, so get ready to freeze the moment with a well-calibrated flash (too much flash would kill the atmosphere). Reopening Myanmar Tourism: What to expect? We post the unavoidable piercing photos everyone has already seen or shot themselves here. It's a new era for this extraordinary and complex land, where the landscape is scattered with gilded pagodas and the traditional ways of Asia endure. What is the Phuket vegetarian festival all about? On the last day, devotees from all the Chinese shrines assemble in Phuket town and walk towards the Saphan Hin. The main events are held at the Jui Tui Shrine in Old Town Phuket and other temples throughout the city. This was to ensure the purification of the mind and body. . The five most ancient Shrines are Put Jaw, Jui Tui, Bang Niew, Cherng Talay, and Kathu Shrine. Fireworks are stopped at all the establishments and thrown at the devotees. Inland Empire IE Vegan Sundays. The best place to book a hotel for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and be near one of the parades would be one of the heritage hotels in Phuket town. What to do in Phuket in 2023? What to see at Phuket Vegetarian Festival? The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. The participants who prepare to volunteer their bodies to the gods are called the Ma Song. In Cambodia, ancient and modern worlds collide to create an authentic adventure. Sat, Jun 25, 11:00 AM. Yen Ta Fo () is a pink-coloured soup with noodles served in a broth seasoned with fermented and pungent red bean curd. 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