It always has been my favourite Phuket event / festival and I always used [] In Thailand, this festival is called thetsakan kin che (), the Vegetarian Festival. Road: Buses to other regions of Thailand including Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Na and Surat Thani operate at the BKS terminal located just off Thanon Phang Nga in Phuket Town. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival could be Thailand's answer to the Tamil festival of Thaipusam celebrated in neighboring Malaysia. Those in a state of mourning should not participate in the festival. Yen Ta Fo () is a pink-coloured soup with noodles served in a broth seasoned with fermented and pungent red bean curd. OC VEGAN FEST @ THE DEN DTSA - JUNE 25, 2022. 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. These include invoking the gods through different self-mutilating acts such as body piercing and fire walking. Some of the feats performed include piercing cheeks with swords, walking on nails or hot coals, and climbing ladders made of knife blades! How many days does the Vegetarian festival in Phuket last? Women experiencing their menstrual cycle should not attend the rituals. It is to be seen once in your life, but it attracts a crowd of photographers who want their share of weird photos to take back home with such eerie views. In pre-modern times, Magha Puja has been celebrated by some Southeast Asian communities. Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a colorful annual festival held in September or October in China.The festival is celebrated because of the Chinese community's . The festival is becoming more eventful year after year. It falls usually in the month of September or October. The dishes are prepared without the use of garlic, chili, or strong spices. According to tradition and belief, the purpose of the vegetarian festival is for participants to obtain peace of mind and good health. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also referred to as the Kin Jay Festival or the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is a yearly event celebrated in Thailand primarily by the Chinese community. No matter what type of accommodation option you choose while visiting Phuket for the Vegetarian Festival, be sure to book early if possible since rooms tend to fill up quickly during this time of year due to high demand from tourists who come from all over the world just for this event. Tao Hu Phad Phed: Stir fried Tofu with chili past, Jee Jo (), a famous snack in Phuket, Look Chin Sarai Tod () Deep-fried crispy seaweed balls with sweet sauce, Tao Hu Song Kruang () steamed tofu sauteed in thick Chinese sauce with baby corns and carrots, Phuket Town A Walking Guide to Old Phuket Town, Songkran Festival Phuket 2023 April 13 to 15, 17 Questions People Always Ask about Phuket (and a couple of stupid ones). That is where I can best use my software development skills to help the world. Those photos are easy to take, follow and enjoy the parade. Its crunchy, flavorful, and filling, and its quite affordable at three pieces for only 20 THB. 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. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is commonly celebrated from late September to October and the exact dates can change depending on the lunar calendar of the Chinese. The participants who prepare to volunteer their bodies to the gods are called the Ma Song. If you want to write for us, please get in touch. There are also performances by local musicians playing drums and gongs to accompany the procession. What to see at Phuket Vegetarian Festival? Most devotees stay at the temple, eat vegetarian meals, maintain celibacy and recite continuous chanting of prayer. To achieve this, participants refrain from taking various stimulants and avoid eating meat. Anything goes; the weirder, the better. Get the latest news, inspiring blog articles, or promotion, Boun Bang Fai - Rocket Festival in Thailand and Laos, Buddhist Lent & Khao Phansa Day in Thailand & Laos, Hmong New Year - The Celebration of Colors, Everything you need to know about Magha Puja (Makha Bucha), All about Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Thailand and Cambodia. The peculiarity of this festival lies in its extreme celebrations that include body piercing, fire walking, climbing tall leaders of sharp blades, throwing firecrackers on the devotees etc. Popular folk culture has it that the Nine Emperor Gods are actually sea pirates of the Ming dynasty that plotted to overthrow the Qing dynasty. Tourists are invited to attend the procession and take photographs. 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). This ceremony is usually calm and quiet.However, you can see a lot of buzz later in the week during the parades. The streets of Phuket island are crowded with the thousands of visitors, mostly from Asia and China, that visit to participate in the festival every year. We post the unavoidable piercing photos everyone has already seen or shot themselves here. For other festivals, see, Nine Emperor Gods Festival celebration in popular folk culture. 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 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. [12] While in Western cultures dominance is seen as a cherished goal, Schneider observed an unusual appreciation of submission amongst the Ma Song. The festivities will occur in and around the area of the six Chinese temples on Phuket Island. After ceremonially crossing the bridge, a red stamp of the gods is then placed on the back of participants to show they are already free from calamities and sin. In 2021 the festival was 5 - 15 October. 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. A Guide to Thailand for Families With Kids. 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It always has been my favourite Phuket event / festival and I always used to take too many photos! All Rights Reserved. During this 9-day period, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a vegetarian or vegan diet for the purpose of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. The streets are lined with colorful decorations and flags as people walk through carrying statues of gods or goddesses while chanting prayers and playing music. Asia Reopening Which countries are open for tourism and travel now? 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). Pure vegetarian food stalls are set up on all major streets of Phuket that strictly serve vegetarian dishes. It is believed that there will be rain throughout the nine days of celebration. Hmong New Year celebrations have Hmong ethnic traditions and culture and may also serve to educate those who have an interest in Hmong tradition. This festival can trace its origins to the belief of the Chinese community that abstaining from various stimulants and meat products can help in obtaining peace of mind and good health. The Thailand Piercing Festical It was the fourth day of The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket Town, Thailand - also known as the Thailand Piercing Festival. The annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket always starts off at the Jui Tsui Chinese Shrine in Phuket Town when the Chinese spirits and gods come down to participate in the 10 day festival. Where to Experience the Phuket Vegetarian Festival? by tripsavvy. 16. 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. Injuries during the festival, though, are mostly caused by the firecrackers being indiscriminately used by the festival participants. White clothes must be worn during the festival. Each day, the street procession starts from one of the leading Shrines in Phuket. Your guide to the perfect holiday in Thailand. What to eat during Phuket Vegetarian Festival? "Vegetarian Festival" redirects here. The popularity of this fantastic island comes from the incredibly vast range of attractions, activities and tours, from fabulous beaches and natural wo jQuery(document).ready(function() { if (typeof(p1subscriber_handler)=="function") { WARNING! Unlike other festivals and celebrations, this festival involves a lot of gory scenes besides fireworks and fancy attires. The sight of blood and mutilation is gory and might be very disturbing to some. What is the vegetarian festival in Thailand? Phone: 088 169 2595. 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. if(typeof(Boxzilla)!='undefined') {Boxzilla.on('box.show', function(box) { jQuery(".boxzilla input#btnNewsletterJoinUs").bind( "click", p1subscriber_handler ); });} }}); Jui Tui Shrine (Kew Ong) is one of the oldest and most important on Phuket Island. WHAT MORE? 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. Phuket Town A Walking Guide to Old Phuket Town Rang Hill in Phuket 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. One of the oldest shrines on the island, Kathu Shrine is believed to have been the first shrine to observe the festivities of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Mio Cade on Flickr, Phuket, Thailand Fire Walking on Vegetarian Festival 2013, Jamie Monk on Flickr, Crossing the Bridge, Bertrand Linet on Flickr, Farewell ritual at the Phuket Vegetarian festival 2015. The festival dates use the Lunar Calendar, and the festival's exact dates change every year, so if you plan to travel to Tha Rua Shrine is one of the oldest Chinese shrines in Phuket, found in Thalang District on Thepkasattri Road about 800m south of the Heroines Monument. [4] [5] Shops in Phuket and throughout Thailand display red and yellow jay flags to indicate they are serving appropriate vegan food for observant participants. On their arrival, the entire band got inflicted with a deadly Malaria pandemic. The procession walks from an ahm to Phuket town. Typically the festival is held in autumn, near the end of September and beginning of October. Devotees come out in bright traditional Chinese costumes and carry their household Gods to the big temples. Vegetarian Festival is not limited to Phuket, as it is celebrated throughout Thailand, particularly in cities with large Chinese populations, such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai. During the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Thai restaurants serving meat are open as usual. It is celebrated by the religious devotees to honor the Gods and express gratitude to them for saving the peoples lives and granting them good health. Explore the Wonders of Scuba Diving in Thailand! If you're looking for advice on planning the perfect trip to Thailand, I'm your man and can help you with everything from finding the best beaches and diving spots, to booking accommodation and tours. How many days do you need and how to plan the best itinerary in Thailand? Street processions often involve participants walking in a trance, running across a bed of burning coals, and climbing an 8-metre ladder of sharp blades. Today, most Nine Emperor God temples do not acknowledge the existence of Dou Fu Yuan Jun. For 2023, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival will be celebrated from October 13 to October 22. Vietnam or Thailand Travel: Which one should you visit? It is called the Raising of the Lantern Pole. San Diego's biggest vegan festival is held at Encinitas' own outdoor bazaar. We are looking for writers. Srah Srang - Chasing the Sun at the Royal Bathing Pool, Ta Keo Temple - The Mountain with Golden Peaks, Ta Prohm: Cambodia's 'Tomb Raider' Temple, Ta Som Temple - Home to the Propitious Holy Elephant Jewel, Tad Yuang Waterfall Wins ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award, Thailand eases entry rules from May 1st, 2022, Thailand Scraps More Covid-19 Rules to Welcome Tourists, The Best Spots & Tours to Catch Angkor Wat Sunrise & Sunset. And as you may have already inferred, Thailand's Veg-fest is not a meat-abhorring, food-loving, happy-go-lucky celebration. Celebrations typically include preliminary music and dance performances, competitive processions of floats, dancers and musicians on the second day, and culminating on the third day in competitive firings of home-made rockets. Devotees dressed in traditional white, carrying incense and candles, await for their arrival. Held at various locations throughout Phuket Island, this festival offers something for everyone to enjoy whether you are looking for delicious food or thrilling entertainment! They can also be seen shaking their heads back and forth continually, and usually do not seem to "see" their surroundings. Where to Celebrate Your New Year's Eve in Phuket, Xe Champhone Loop - the hidden beauty of central Laos, Cleanliness of the body during the festival, Clean kitchen utensils not to be used by others who do not participate in the festival, Behave correctly, both physically and mentally, People in mourning should not participate, Pregnant women and menstruating women should not attend ceremonies. Tourists can look for yellow-coloured flags with red Thai or Chinese characters to find the stall selling these vegetarian dishes. A Message from VegEvents. All the Chinese shrines on the island are cleaned, painted, and decorated with Chinese Ancestry inspired decorations. The shrine is located in the subdistrict of Kathu in the islands interior, between Phuket Town and Patong Beach. Popular folk culture has it that the Nine Emperor Gods are actually loyalists of the Ming dynasty who fought against Qing dynasty. 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