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