The Gruesome Vegetarian Festival in Phuket

What I witnessed this day, I will never forget. I had no idea what I was seeing or why it was happening. The images right before my eyes where intense, ghastly, grotesque and incredibly unique. After doing some research, I realized I had seen part of the gruesome Vegetarian Festival in Phuket.

Timing

This festival usually happens in October and November depending on the Chinese lunar calendar and is a massive event. Why I saw this single event in February? I have no answer for that. It did not appear to be a pre-planned event, the streets were not closed down, there were no barricades, it was simply a stream of people and vehicles, walking in amongst the traffic, down a street in Phuket. There were no spectators of any type. It was me darting in between vehicles blocked by the procession, trying to get what photographs I could.

What This Festival Is

What I witnessed is the Nine Emperor Gods Festival or Vegetarian Festival that happens in Phuket each year. During a period of nine days, the Chinese Taoist participants will dress in white, abstain from eating any type of meat or dairy, maintain celibacy, consume no drugs or alcohol and recite a continuous chanting of prayer. The last day of the nine, is the culmination and ends with self-mutilation and a procession through the streets, from one Chinese temple to another.

Ma Song

In Phuket, the Ma Song are the people who invite the spirits of gods to inhabit and possess their bodies. They conduct ritualized mutilation upon themselves while in a state of trance. This usually takes the form of placing objects through their face and sometimes their arms. And these are not small items. I witnessed swords, daggers and spears up to three feet long.

Many of the Ma Song with multiple piercings, were accompanied by a caretaker, who was stabilizing the items. The piercing is performed inside the temple, without the use of antiseptic. Only petroleum jelly, iodine and gloves are used to insert these objects. Most Ma Song are back to work the next day, without need for stitches or any other medical intervention.

The Procession

At first, I thought I was going to see a little parade. A few vehicles were driving down the street, blasting traditional music and decorated with a banner of sorts. There were no spectators, no one watching and no one blocking off the street.

I began to notice people in the procession were shaking their heads back and forth in a rhythmic trance like way. They were not making eye contact, merely staring straight ahead.

Then quite suddenly, I look behind one vehicle and there were a group of males walking. My eyes were utterly shocked into submission by the sight of blood running down their chests. I though it must be fake! Or are they being publicly tortured? Don’t laugh, my brain was trying to justify the sights I was seeing.

Up Close

Within seconds I began to see people with swords, knives, daggers and all manner of blade driven through their face! Imagine my shock. Others were rhythmically hitting their foreheads with the blunt sides of the axe, blood dripping down their face.

And yet other males were slicing their tongues, moving their blade back and forth across their lips and mouth, blood dripping down their chin.

After this group of Ma Song, came younger people, all male, all dressed in white. They were struggling to carry deities upon their shoulders.

And just like that? It was over! I was left in a state of confusion and disbelief. I paused at the side of the next intersection, to collect my thoughts. The images haunted me for the rest of the day. Even though I have now read extensively about this ritual, I am still in disbelieve that I saw it. For how can humans be in such a state that they can pierce their face, walk through city streets and be okay the next day? What level of control must one have of one’s body and mind?