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Today marks the start of Phuket's Vegetarian festival, held every year during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar and lasting for ten days. It is believed that the festival and its rituals will bring good fortune to individuals and the community.
The Vegetarian Festival first began in 1825 when the Governor of Thalang moved the island's main town from Thalang to Kathu, in the centre of Phuket. The Kathu area at that time was a centre for tin mining and many Chinese miners were living in the area. It was also densely covered in jungle and f ever and disease was rife.
When a traveling Chinese opera company, who were performing in Kathu, fell ill with malaria they embarked on a strict vegetarian diet in homage to two of the Emperor Gods, Kiew Ong Tai Teh and Yok Ong Sone Teh who they hoped would cure them.
Their sickness soon disappeared and the astounded locals asked how they had been cured. The Chinese replied that their vegetarian rituals and ceremonies had cured them and the vegetarian festival was born. Since then it has always taken place on the first evening of the ninth lunar month and continued until the ninth evening.
At a later stage a local man, familiar with the festival, traveled to Kansai, in China. He returned with sacred name plaques and incense and also brought with him holy writings which were used in ceremonies. His return on the seventh night of the ninth lunar month was greeted with a procession of his supporters and is the origin of the processions we see at the festival today.
On the afternoon before the festival begins a large pole, the Go-Teng Pole, is raised at each Chinese Temple and the Gods are invited to descend. At midnight the pole is hung with nine lanterns, symbolising the opening of the festival. The two Gods, Yok Ong Sone Teh and Kiew Ong Tai Teh are invited to preside over the ceremony.
Other notable ceremonies take place throughout the course of the festival, such as The Invocation of the Gods, Lam Tao, who keeps track of the living and Pak Tao, who keeps track of the dead and various other processions carrying the images of the Gods.
The most spectacular and most gruesome events are the actions of the Ma-Song, or entranced horses. These are devotees who, it is claimed, the Gods enter during the festival. The Gods manifest supernatural powers and perform acts of self-torture in order to shift evil spirits from individuals to themselves. It is not uncommon to see Ma-song with various household objects piercing their faces including garden spades, ceiling fans and canoe paddles! They also climb bladed ladders, walk over hot coals and bathe in hot oil, in a trance like state.
There is a lot of loud noise during the festival from fireworks and drums, the louder the better, as the noise drives away the evil spirits.
Participants in the festival wear white and keep to a strict vegetarian diet, they must also refrain from all vices, including alcohol, sex and killing animals, use clean kitchen utensils and separate these from people who are not joining in the festival, this is believed to bring strength in body and mind.
The festival ends with merit making ceremonies at each temple and the sending off of the Gods on the last night. Apart from the visual spectacle of the festival, visitors can partake in specially prepared vegetarian cuisine available at street stalls and markets around the island during this time.
(c) Copyright Phuket Ocean Villas Co. Ltd 2009
Author: Rebecca Smith, Sales Director, Phuket Ocean Villas Co. Ltd
http://www.phuketoceanvillas.com
email: info@phuketoceanvillas.com
Tel 0066 (0)76527565
