Trigger Warning: This story contains images (self-mutilation and gore) that may be distressing to some readers. Proceed at your own discretion.
Southeast Asia is chock-full of diverse and wonderful traditions that our Western counterparts might find a little bizarre.
But because of the multitude of faiths being observed in this region, we get to expose ourselves to new customs, ideas, and beliefs that we might not be able to learn about elsewhere.
Welcome to the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
One celebration currently taking place in Thailand is, as the headline says, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival (also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival). A simple Google search will retrieve photos of people getting their faces pierced with what seem to be the most random objects.
Despite the graphic nature of these rituals, there's a much deeper meaning and significance to the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The festival is held over a period of nine days, beginning on the first day of the ninth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. This means the dates are different every year, with 2022's celebrations taking place from September 25 to October 4.
Observants of this Taoist event honor the 'Nine Emperor Gods' by abstaining from all animal products, offering their own bodies to the deities as a form of cleansing – banishing all the bad luck they may have. For devotees who volunteer to be "perforated" – or to put it bluntly, to be pierced – engaging in the extreme act is akin to having a personal connection with one of the gods. These devotees are called 'mediums' because of that.
While the exact origins of the Vegetarian Festival are unclear, theories based on folklore suggest the celebration dates back to the year 1825, when a visiting Chinese opera troupe fell ill with malaria in Phuket. Of course, at the time, malaria was considered a highly-fatal disease.
In an effort to recover quickly, the members of the troupe adopted a vegetarian diet, cut out alcohol, and carried out a few Taoist rituals to ensure they were able to regain their health. This also involved praying to the aforementioned Nine Emperor Gods. Since then, the tradition has carried on for generations, becoming one of the most popular annual tourist attractions in Phuket.
It's also celebrated in other parts of Thailand, like Bangkok (with a slightly more muted tone), but the majority of festivities take place in Phuket. Despite its supposed Chinese origins, it's celebrated by people both with and without Chinese ancestry, so long as you're Taoist by faith.
A loud and lively affair.
IMAGE: Shanghai Mansion / Tourism Authority of Thailand
As far as traditional religious festivals go, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival doesn't differ drastically from other Asian celebrations (aside from the perforation aspect of the occasion). During this time, the streets of Phuket are lined with food stands selling vegetarian dishes, and some even take things a step further and go completely vegan (though it's not necessary). Out of respect, restaurants that usually sell meat-based dishes will stop offering them during the festivities, with many choosing to temporarily close their shops altogether.
During the festivities, people light firecrackers as loud traditional music blares from speakers. Devotees and other participants march down the streets, in the vicinity of six Chinese temples scattered across the island, with the main temple being the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town.
IMAGE: Bangkok Post
Local participants also take advantage of this time to bring their household gods to the temple for an 'injection' of more spiritual energy. Other activities include running across a bed of burning coals, as well as climbing an eight-meter ladder made of sharp blades.
But as a TL;DR, here are nine rules people have to observe during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival:
1. Ensure the cleanliness of the body throughout the festival.
2. Non-participants of the festival aren't allowed to use any of your clean kitchen utensils.
3. You must wear white during the festival.
4. Maintain decorum, both physically and mentally.
5. Avoid eating meat.
6. Avoid having sex.
7. Avoid drinking alcohol.
8. Those in mourning should not participate.
9. Pregnant or menstruating women are not allowed to attend ceremonies.
As for the perforation of mediums – the 'main attraction' for visitors, so to speak – some people believe it takes inspiration from Thaipusam, a festival celebrated by Hindus of Tamil descent in India, as well as the Tamil diaspora across the world. Malaysia and Singapore are some of the most popular spots to observe it in this region.
Men and women puncture their cheeks with all sorts of objects, including skewers, knives, swords, and just about anything they can think of – it can get very creative. Just take a look at these photos for yourself:
IMAGE: AFP / BBC
IMAGE: AFP / BBC
IMAGE: AFP / The Straits Times
IMAGE: AFP / The Straits Times
IMAGE: AFP / India Times
It goes without saying – but we'll spell it out for you anyway – this festival is definitely not for the faint of heart. Aside from the self-mutilative rituals, the atmosphere can be generally quite dynamic, in the sense that it's extremely busy and crowded. If you're agoraphobic, definitely not the place to be.
But if you want to experience a new culture and expose yourself to differing beliefs and traditions, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is surely one thing you should add to your bucket list.
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