Nine Emporer God Festival

The Nine Emperor Gods Festival, also known as the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, is an annual Taoist celebration held in Phuket, Thailand, during the ninth lunar month (typically late September to early October). It is dedicated to the Nine Emperor Gods, believed to bring health, longevity, and spiritual purification. The festival lasts nine days and is marked by elaborate rituals, street processions, and acts of extreme devotion.

Participants follow a strict vegetarian diet to cleanse their bodies and spirits. Devotees, often in a trance-like state, perform self-mortification rituals, including piercing their cheeks with sharp objects, walking on hot coals, and climbing bladed ladders. These acts are believed to transfer evil spirits and bad luck away from the community.

The festival’s heart is Jui Tui Shrine, where prayers and ceremonies take place. Street processions feature spirit mediums, firecrackers, and traditional performances, creating an intense and mesmerizing atmosphere. The festival concludes with a farewell ceremony to send the Nine Emperor Gods back to the heavens.

This vibrant event is a major cultural attraction, drawing thousands of visitors. Despite its extreme rituals, it is a deeply spiritual and symbolic festival, emphasizing purification, faith, and community unity.