Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Thailand

The Nine Emperor Gods Festival, also known as Vegetarian festival, a Chinese festival to celebrate the return from heaven to earth of the Nine Emperor spirits. The festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar.

In Thailand, this festival is called Tesagan Gin Je, the Vegetarian Festival. Over the nine days from October 11 to Octoer 19, Chinese in Phuket Island celebrate the festival by holding a massive street processions by ‘Carrying Gods‘, they are believed to be ‘possessed by the spirits of gods’, so that they can perform some outstanding stunts.

To be able to participate in the events, one must have No Meat, Smoke, Alcohol and Sex for 10 days, to be Cleaned from dirty sins. Hundreds of believers pierce their cheeks, nose, lips, using different kind of sharp objects such as swords, daggers, rods, and M-16 Machine Gun!

Among other self-flagellation, walking on hot coals and bathing in hot oil. Many of them flow into the trance, some to such an extent that one of the Festival nights easily climbing on the ladder with sharp blades instead of steps, not leaving them no drop of blood.