Phuket Vegetarian Festival
Date : 29 September – 7 October 2008
Venue : Various Chinese shrines, Mueang District, Phuket
The Thai-Chinese in Phuket have long passed on the vegetarian festival to purify mind and soul by refraining from meat consumption and meditating. Symbolising the presence of the deities throughout the festival are 9 lanterns lit up and placed aloft on Ko Teng poles. On the 6th day of the festival, there will be religious processions and incredible displays of face-and-body piercing. On the last day, there will be a “Koi Han” ceremony to exorcize ill fortune and a farewell ceremony for the deities at night.
Contact:
TAT Phuket, Tel : 66 (0) 7621 1036, 66 (0) 7621 2213
Website : www.tourismthailand.org
http://www.tourismthailand.org/festival-event/grand-content-4827.html
![2907665142_1345f451ba Phuket Vegetarian Festival](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2907665142_1345f451ba.jpg "A Thai-Chinese devotee pierces his cheek with swords as he displays his supernatural powers while marching in a rally to mark the annual Vegetarian festival in Phuket, southern Thailand, 01 October 2008. The Thai-Chinese in Phuket are devotees who believe the gods take over their bodies during the festival, manifesting supernatural powers and then perform self torture in order to shiftly remove any evil brought upon themselves and to bring the community good luck.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the vegetarian festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals and ascending ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as "Ma Song".")
![2907819818_6fc3b99fc3 Phuket Vegetarian Festival](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/2907819818_6fc3b99fc3.jpg "A Thai-chinese devotee parades with its cheeks pierced by the trident and axe during the annual Phuket vegetarian festival on 01 October 2008, Phuket Thailand.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the vegetarian festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals and ascending ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as "Ma Song".")
![2906923259_81af11a285 Phuket Vegetarian Festival](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2906923259_81af11a285.jpg "A Thai-Chinese devotee pierces his cheek with long sword as he displays his supernatural powers while marching in a rally to mark the annual Vegetarian festival in Phuket, southern Thailand, 01 October 2008. The Thai-Chinese in Phuket are devotees who believe the gods take over their bodies during the festival, manifesting supernatural powers and then perform self torture in order to shiftly remove any evil brought upon themselves and to bring the community good luck.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the vegetarian festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals and ascending ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as "Ma Song".")
Festival Phuket Thailand
