During the span of nine days or while the festival is in full effect, one can say that Thailand turns vegan. While most Bang Neow Shrine in Phuket Town is one of Phuket's oldest and most revered Chinese shrines. For the next few days, the local Chinese/Thai community brings their household gods to the temple, along with offerings of food and drink. Also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival or the Kin Jay Festival, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual event celebrated primarily by the Chinese community in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia. 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. You have to refrain from all sorts of intoxication. One of the best things to do in Phuket is attending the Vegetarian festival. Raising the Lantern Pole, as stated earlier, is the very first event of the festival and is meant to notify the nine Chinese gods that the festival has started. During this time, locals take part in parades, street processions, temple ceremonies, and food offerings to honor their ancestors. During these nine days, participants abstain from eating meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products, as well as pungent vegetables, such as onion and garlic, which are believed to be "heating" and contribute to aggression and lust. There are over 40 chinese shrines in Phuket and all of them take out a parade during the festival. This is mostly because the festival involves self-mutilation by a few participants in order to show their loyalty to their Deities aside from adopting a special diet for the duration of the festival. Fireworks are stopped at all the establishments and thrown at the devotees. Many tourists come from Malaysia. The worship of Dou Fu Yuan Jun has declined strongly as proper teachings of Taoism degenerate since being exported out of China. Today, most Nine Emperor God temples do not acknowledge the existence of Dou Fu Yuan Jun. Its crunchy, flavorful, and filling, and its quite affordable at three pieces for only 20 THB. The street is filled with dense smoke and the loud noise of fireworks. This ceremony is usually calm and quiet.However, you can see a lot of buzz later in the week during the parades. The airport is well-connected to Bangkok with daily flights. While Jui Tui literally translates to water mortar, this shrine is of great significance during the celebration of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. After graduating from the univesity of language in Hanoi, I started the exploration with a travel agency and learning more about travel, especially responsible travel. These dishes also use protein substitutes such as soybeans which makes them almost impossible to distinguish from local dishes. Phuket Sandbox reopening plan & What to Expect? The ninth day of the festival is its climax. As humans attempt purification using fire, they are actually overcoming their yin and making amends for their sins. The peak of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is on the ninth, or last, day as the ceremony becomes a farewell frenzy for sending the gods home to the sky. How to register for Test & Go on Thailand Pass system? [6] Vegan food is prepared because it is considered the most pure. Get ready to wait and feel the heat for an hour or so: you have to save a place near the burning charcoal early not to have anyone in front of you, which means sweating for at least an hour. Apart from the visual spectacle of this festival, you can partake in vegetarian dishes, which are sold at street stalls and markets around the island. Flight: The Phuket International Airport is the second busiest airport of Thailand after the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. According to an early-nineteenth-century interpretation of Chinese Taoism by a local community of Chinese immigrant miners, the Nine Emperor Gods descend from poles located in the shrines yards and incarnate by using the bodies of the participants as shells for walking on Earth. 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). A few of the major shrines in Phuket for witnessing ceremonies include: The festivities move between various temples throughout the celebration; picking up a schedule of events will help you be in the right place at the right time. You can observe and even participate in the lighting of joss sticks and candles, before placing them around the various gods. Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2022 Image Source Phuket Vegetarian Festival schedule for the year is from 25th September to 5th October in Phuket and holds a plethora of ceremonies and includes the participation of most of the shrines. The festival is celebrated by Chinese Hokkien descendants for the purposes of purifying body and mind, also to ensure a year of prosperity. The dishes are prepared without the use of garlic, chili, or strong spices. Some of the airlines with frequent routes between India and Phuket are Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Jet Airways. Long Beach Vegan Festival VIP Pass. Phuket is another 5 hours by bus from Phun Phin, which is located in the Surat Thani Province of Thailand. According to Priest Long Hua, this information is inaccurate and considered derogatory to the actual teachings of Taoism as the. During these nine days, there are various activities such as traditional dances, theatrical performances, martial arts demonstrations, firewalking rituals, and more to celebrate Chinese culture. Now is the best time! Did you know this program is available ON-Demand by visiting the Science in Action Page, it will be available until Thursday the 2nd of March.It will also be broadcast on Sunday the 26th of February in Phuket at 9:00 AM on 91.5 FM and 102.5 FM and Online via the Internet radio portals. This is because while the most spectacular activities are conducted on Phuket Island, the entire country observes the said festival as well. Pure vegetarian food stalls are set up on all major streets of Phuket that strictly serve vegetarian dishes. San Diego's biggest vegan festival is held at Encinitas' own outdoor bazaar. Inland Empire IE Vegan Sundays. Aside from major events and activities happening at this shrine for the entirety of the nine-day celebration, it is also here that nine Chinese lanterns are lit, signifying that the festival has started. The festival celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival takes place in the streets of Phuket Town, so visitors can expect to experience a vibrant atmosphere filled with culture and tradition. Thailands largest island with some of the most popular beaches. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival begins on the first day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, so dates change annually. Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2023 | Tickets Dates & Venues - CarniFest.com Festival Phuket Street Parade Thailand Traditional Events Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2023 Where: Phuket, Thailand When: Friday, October 13, 2023 - Sunday, October 22, 2023 Add Comment Photo: www.tourismthailand.org They must undergo a period of physical and spiritual preparation before the festival, including fasting and abstaining from meat and other stimulants. Now lets take a look at accommodation options for your stay in Thailand. In addition to eating pure food, festival participants must keep their thoughts pure and wear white as a symbol of purity. The Royal Ploughing Ceremony (Khmer: Preah Reach Pithi Chrot Preah Neangkol; Sinhala: Vap Magula; Thai: Phra Ratcha Phithi Charot Phra Nangkhan Raek Na Khwan) also known as The Ploughing Festival is an ancient royal rite held in many Asian countries to mark the traditional beginning of the rice growing season. Established in 1904, this shrine boasts dragon pillars and colourful paintings of stories and creatures believed to bring good luck and prosperity to devotees. They believe that they will be protected by the Chinese gods and that these injuries should leave no scars and cause little to no bleeding. Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 16:13, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Celebrating Navaratri and the Nine Emperor Gods festival", "When is the best time to visit Thailand? Food offerings play an important role during this time too as its believed that offering vegetarian dishes will bring good luck to those who partake in them. According to Long Hua, this information is inaccurate and considered derogatory to the actual teachings of Taoism as the Nine Emperor Gods are actually high-ranking Star Lords who preside over the movement of planets and coordinate mortal Life and Death issues. It is assumed that the household gods will benefit from an annual injection of spiritual energy that fills the temple. The festivities in Phuket include a procession of masong wearing elaborate costumes who pierce their cheeks and tongues with all manner of things, including swords, banners, machine guns, table lamps, and flowers. If youre looking for something more affordable, there are also plenty of hostels and guesthouses located throughout the city that offer comfortable lodging at an economical price point. Explore the Wonders of Scuba Diving in Thailand! Your guide to the perfect holiday in Thailand. The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket is a unique spectacle that attracts thousands of visitors every year.There are no hard and fast rules for viewers except that you must not do anything that is a sign of disrespect to the belief and custom of the people.If possible, put on white clothes to blend in with the local community. 855 Elm Ave Long Beach, CA. Chiang Mai is already packed with vegan and vegetarian restaurants, but for Vegetarian Festival, the city takes things to another level. Visit the empty Angkor Wat? This was done to ensure that the body and the mind are cleansed or purified. One of the most popular events during this festival are colorful parades with participants dressed in traditional costumes carrying ornate floats. The Thailand Piercing Festical It was the fourth day of The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket Town, Thailand - also known as the Thailand Piercing Festival. It is a nine-day Taoist celebration starting on the eve of the ninth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. There are participants who-as a medium of God- indulge in the act of self-mutilation. The Nine Emperor Gods Festival (Chinese: ; Malay: Perayaan Sembilan Maharaja Dewa; Thai: ) or Vegetarian Festival or Jay Festival is a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, celebrated primarily in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand by the Peranakans (not the entire Overseas Chinese community). Do not eat meat or other animal-based products during the festival. 4.San-ching Three Pure Ones The festival begins with a parade from Jui Tui Shrine to Sapan Hin, a public park located near the beach. It draws thousands of visitors each year, many of whom come from China and Asian destinations. Por Pia Tod Jay () Deep-fried spring rolls. The best place to celebrate this festival in Phuket is Phuket Town, where the majority of the Chinese shrines are located and where most participants gather. Then for the past 29 years, my passion for photography has taken me to every corner of Thailand. In the past, monks were not even allowed to leave the temple, but today, most monks just refrain from traveling during this period. We believe you have the right to arm yourselves with as much information as possible before making any decision. However, the two biggest processions are taken out from the Bang Neaw and Jui Tui shrines.Besides volume, the thing that sets Jui Tui apart is featuring women as Chinese Goddesses. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a unique and exciting experience that will leave you with lasting memories. I run Phuket101.net and manage large international online travel guides. The festival culminates with a parade featuring colorful floats decorated with lanterns that are carried through the streets accompanied by music and chanting. Phuket is renowned for its vibrant and colourful festivals. To achieve this, soybean and protein substitutes are used to replace meat and are shaped to look like the animal products they represent, often with a cartoon-like aesthetic. The irony is that real vegetables are hard to find: you mostly will find noodles, deep-fried stuff, and tofu shaped like meat, but no vegetables. The Bung Fai festival is not only found in Isan or Northeasthern Thailand and North Thailand and Laos, but also in Amphoe Sukhirin, Narathiwat. Presently, it is a public holiday in some of these countries. To achieve peace of mind and good health, participants need to follow certain commitments and rules during the interval of the festival. Sumber foto: AFP. It has been proposed in Thailand as a more spiritual alternative to the celebration of Valentine's Day. OC VEGAN FEST @ THE DEN DTSA - JUNE 25, 2022. They are also referred to as Jiu Huang Da Di (The Nine Great Emperors) in the Taoist pantheon. What is the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2022? Where to Experience the Phuket Vegetarian Festival? Each day of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, processions start from one of the leading shrines around Phuket island. While it is often associated with blood and gore, the festival is deep-rooted in tradition and the ancient beliefs of the local Chinese community. For starters, the festival should start on the very first day of the Chinese lunar calendars ninth month. Then, the Ma Song demonstrate their submission by presenting their expressive forms of self-mutilation in a public procession. In 2021 the festival was 5 - 15 October. It was also reported that Chinese temples in Hat Yai stockpiled vegetarian food in advance of the festival and hired more people. My dream has been growing bigger and bigger day after day, and I do not miss a chance to make it real. In Cambodia, ancient and modern worlds collide to create an authentic adventure. These include invoking the gods through different self-mutilating acts such as body piercing and fire walking. Celebrate one of the most famous and spectacular cultural events in Phuket. Each day, the street procession starts from one of the leading Shrines in Phuket. Subsequently, the festival has grown and developed into a spectacular yearly event in Phuket. What is happening if you have a positive Covid test result when traveling in Thailand? The Nine Emperor Gods should not be mixed up with the Wang Ye or Princes of the Ming loyalists. [9], During the festival, food stalls sell Thai and Chinese food made without animal products. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is an invocation of blessings from the Emperor Gods of the Chinese community. Super Ekstrem, Festival Vegetarian di Thailand Bikin Merinding. [10] Many varieties of tofu are prepared and sold during the festival. It is mostly celebrated in South-Eastern Asian countries but particularly in Thailand. Both air-conditioned as well as non-air-conditioned buses are available at different prices. OC VEGAN FEST @ THE DEN DTSA - JUNE 25, 2022. The dates change every year, as it's based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Tourists can join in the lighting of candles and joss sticks before they are placed around the household gods. What is the Phuket vegetarian festival all about? As such, tourists who want to experience the full-on spectacle of the festival should proceed to Phuket Island. 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. 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. These can be found in various forms such as stir-fried or soup-based dishes with vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and other plant-based ingredients. The role of ma song at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a unique and intriguing aspect of the event, and their participation in the spiritual rituals adds an extra layer of cultural significance and tradition to the festival. Phuket Vegetarian Festival is celebrated all across the town. Please feel free to, Ma Song Spirit Mediums, Ritual Piercings, and Self, FAQs in Relation to Phuket Vegetarian Festival. The walk on the fire is another challenging photo to capture, as you must come early to secure the best spot. Men and women puncture their cheeks with sharp items, including knives and skewers. For other festivals, see, Nine Emperor Gods Festival celebration in popular folk culture. Vegetarian Festival Phuket 4.5 37 #16 of 38 things to do in Patong Cultural Events Visit website Write a review About Celebrated over 9 days in October, this Chinese festival dictates a strict vegetarian diet and period of abstinence whilst locals pray to the Nine Emperor Gods. As such, tourists who fancy eating meat dishes such as steaks or grilled meats wont really be deprived of their protein source during the festivities. Women experiencing their menstrual cycle should not attend the rituals. This procession symbolizes the purification of the body and soul before entering into a period of abstinence from meat consumption during the festival days. It is believed that while they are possessed the masong will not feel any pain. The 2022 Phuket Vegetarian Festival (aka Nine Emperor Gods Festival) will take place from 25 September - 5 October 2022. Popular dishes are vegetarian pink noodle soup, which uses mushrooms to substitute pork blood cubes, fried tofu, deep-fried spring roll, and fried taro.[8]. The architecture is heavily European, and the streets are lined with Sino-Portuguese buildings, quaint mansions, charming cafes and boutique shops. Location: Phuket Town. How many days do you need and how to plan the best itinerary in Thailand? There are a number of rituals or events to see during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Phuket has the largest festival, but many other cities in Thailand celebrate the festival as well. Thousands of people will pay respect to their ancestors. Songkran in Phuket: Where to join the water fight? There's a magic about this charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors. Hope that you love it too! The Vegetarian Festival is an internationally known event, and while it also happens modestly in Bangkok around the same dates, it is mostly a Phuket event. Once the pole is erected, the Hindu God Shiva descends, as per the celebrants belief. Yellow chinese flags are put up in the entire city. 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. The festival in Thailand also includes special programs and specific local patterns like Bung Fai (Parade dance) and a Beautiful Bung Fai float such as Yasothon the third weekend of May, and continues Suwannaphum District, Roi Et on the first weekend of June, Phanom Phrai District Roi Et during the full moon of the seventh month in Lunar year's calendar each year. For this unique occasion, a crowd of devotees assemble in every Chinese shrine around the island, followed by an even bigger horde of photographers avid to get the shot of their life. These are in the old streets, not expensive, renovated recently but small and bare. Developed into a period of abstinence from meat consumption during the span of Nine or... 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