NINE EMPEROR GODS FEATIVAL AT TAIPING 2023

      The Nine Emperor Gods celebration was held from the 15th October to 23rd October 2023. This coincides with the 1st to the 9th day of the Chinese lunar calendar.  At Taiping the celebration for this event is carried out at a few temples around town.  The festival is observed by the Taoists and is dedicated to the nine sons of Tou Mu, the Goddess of the North Star, who is believed to control the Books of Life and Death. The festival that I describe here is the one that was organised by the Kor Boo Beow Temple.  During the nine days of the festival, devotees went on a vegetarian diet and thus the temple is also known as the Tokong Sayur (Vegetarian Temple) to the non-Chinese in town.

 

 Stalls selling vegetarian food

Tortoise buns with smaller tortoises symbolise family with a lot of children

Related to a legend, a giant red turtle came to the rescue of the Nine Emperor Gods and ferried them to safety of Tow Boo Keong island.

 

On the 8th day (22 October), a procession was held to carry the Gods around and to bless the people of Taiping.  The procession was more than a kilometer long and participants were members from temples, associations, and various informal groups.  

 

People went under the God's sedan chair to get blessed.

 

The Green shirts

 

The Red shirts

 

The Blue shirts

 

This young lady saw me taking her picture, decided to acknowledge.  Thank you, girl.

 

The devotees from the Hindu temple of Goddess Durga 

Devotees from Sri Maha Mariamma temple, Kamunting 

 

Devotees from Wat Dewa Raja Banphot, Pondok Tanjung

 

ON THE LAST DAY OF THE FESTIVAL 7.00pm

Preparing the pit for fire-walking ceremony

 

Fireworks 

 Temple priests chanting prayers around the fire-walking pit

 

The fire-walking ceremony begins

 

It's the ladies turn

 

Painting the eyes of the horses which are going to transport the Gods home

The Gods were sent home, as the horses burn.

 

 Thick smoke rose from the flame and transported the Gods back to their heavenly abode. 

What a Wonderful Birthday Party!

It was a special morning in early July when I was invited to a birthday party by my friend, Wah Kuan.  She was the wife of the owner of the famous Ipoh Bakery in Taiping.  I thought that it would be just another birthday party, but I was wrong.  It turned out to the a totally different event that surprised all the guests.  First of all, it was not held inside any hall or room.  It was held in a garden!  A rare garden party!  The place was  a picturesque hillock beside the New Club, shaded by the huge banyan trees.   Next, was the food.  There were so many handcrafted cakes and goodies made by her son, specially for his mommy's birthday. There were muffins, sandwiches, cookies etc, each one being a piece of art.   Then, there were the buskers to provide the right live music for the occasion.  It was an event, not seen in this part of town, for a long, long time.  I can't even recall seeing a garden birthday party like this, taking place before.  Just take a look at some of the pictures.

 

This one was indeed a very wonderful birthday party.  It was classic.  And, many happy returns of the day, to you Wah Kuan, and the other birthday girls, too.