Phuket spirit mediums pierce cheeks during nine-day Vegetarian Festival
Devotees at Phuket’s nine-day Vegetarian Festival have pierced their cheeks with objects including a pistol, swords and ukuleles as part of acts of religious devotion. The displays are performed by spirit mediums, known as Ma Song, who believe they are chosen by deities; the rituals are intended to ward off evil spirits and bring blessings.
The Taoist celebration, also called the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, includes vegetarianism and purification practices, with participants abstaining from meat, alcohol and gambling. Mediums are assessed before taking part and enter trances during processions. The festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and generated more than nine billion baht, or $272 million, in 2023.
- Phuket festival mediums pierce their cheeks with unusual objects.
- Participants say the rituals show devotion and cleanse bad deeds.
- The festival drew hundreds of thousands of visitors in 2023.
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Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival is a Taoist celebration also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. It lasts nine days and includes vegetarian food and purification practices; participants traditionally avoid meat, alcohol and gambling.
Some devotees, called Ma Song, serve as spirit mediums and believe deities have chosen them. During the festival, they enter trances and take part in processions, including rituals in which they pierce their cheeks with objects.
These practices are intended to ward off evil spirits and bring blessings. The festival is also a major event for Phuket, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and supporting local tourism.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Feeling lucky, monk? Devotee shoves a handgun through his cheek as worshippers show devotion at Thai festival”.