Crossing the Fire Pit - Kuala Pilah Nine Emperor Gods Temple

Yesterday, on the 6th day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, Cheryl, Kirk and I decided to head down south to Kuala Pilah Nine Emperor Gods Temple (Si Thian Kong -  西天宫) as we found out that the Thai mediums which the temple had invited were going to do their fire crossing that night.

Of course we left for the temple early (3pm) from KL in anticipation that there will be quite some activity late in the evening before the actual fire-crossing ceremony, which usually happens at night.

One for the show...performing for the Nine Emperor Gods.

We managed to catch the opera troupe perform a ritual performance for the Nine Emperor Gods in the evening, before the Thai mediums went into trance and was performing many self-mutilation acts like tongue cutting and hitting their backs or stomach with knives and axes to draw blood to empower talisman for the devotees.

Cutting... Drawing blood for talisman.

I Believe I Can Fly!

Spray... When things get too hot to handle!

Run, run across the fire pit.

I will carry you through...

But the best part was the fire-crossing ceremony, as this type of fire pit made by burning wood into embers that is typical of Thai mediums is usually very much hotter than the ones done with compressed charcoal bed typical of Chinese temples in Malaysia.

Having crossed this type of fire pit before in Jinjang, I know that speed is essential and that mediums and people crossing it will end up running or literally flying through the hot embers.

At the end of the day, the local folks and Sing Sua Sifu kept us company with food and drinks until the wee hours of the next day, and it was truly an exhausting but fun trip.

It is a wrap...

Faces of Nine Emperor Gods Festival Jinjang - the Priest

The Taoist priest is an indispensable person during the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. Like many Taoist and syncretic Chinese religious festivals, the priest is responsible for all the consecration ceremonies of the ritual space and altar, which is done with the help of his assistants and accompanying musicians.

 

Despite his age, Mr Lim's movements are still full of energy and his voice always thundering above the cacophony of the drums, cymbals and bells during prayer sessions. If you visit Jinjang Nine Emperor Gods Festival, do try to catch a glimpse of the prayer ceremonies led by him, you will be amazed at his vitality and vocal power.

 

  

It has begun... the Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019

The sudden heavy downpour this evening at Ampang, which threatened to make this year's Nine Emperor Gods invitation ceremony a repeat of last year's rain drenched event, did not deter the participating devotees at all. Furthermore many had learnt a lesson from last year's event and thus came prepared with raincoats, ponchos and umbrellas.

Fortunately for them, the sky quickly cleared and by the time the procession was making its way back to the temple through the main road of Ampang old town, it was a clear and breezy evening. With the start of this festival, the usually quiet Ampang New Village is transformed into a hive of activity as devotees and casual visitors from near and far all pour in to see or participate in this festival.

Same same but Different - the Nine Emperor Gods Festival

If you ask me which temple is better to see or shoot Nine Emperor Gods Festival, my reply would be... they are all 'same same but different'. And if you ask me if what has changed over the years that I have followed this festival, my answer would still be... 'same same but different'.

In my opinion, this popular South-east Asian phrase 'Same same but different' very aptly describes this festival.... and here is why I feel it is so:

• Same same rites and rituals but there are (minor) differences...
• Same same schedule of event every year, with minor tweaks and additions or omissions...
• Same same people participate every year, except they are one year older...
• Same same deity but the invitation timing is different...
• Same same concept of invitation (from a body of water) but locations are different (river, sea, etc)
• Same same God that they pray to but rules of who can participate in the festival and/or fire walking is different from temple to temple
• Same same kind of vegetarian food, but prices are way way different.
• Same same shots taken... but many different stories can be told from the shots of the festival...

So my advice is... go and enjoy this 'Same same but different' festival and don't fret it if you miss something this year... there is always next year... as it will be... 'Same same but different'

So my countdown to Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019 posts comes to a close today with this post as tomorrow (28th Sept 2019) will be the eve of this festival... Remember that some temples will carry out the invitation ceremony tomorrow in the evening whilst some do it much closer to midnight... same same but different ya!

Almost time for.... Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019

Just a few more days to the start of Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019. So here is a survival checklist to help you gauge if you are ready for the festival:

1. White clothes, pants and head cover.
2. Vegetarian foodstuff - think of tofu and mock meat, fermented bean paste to seaweed
3. Camera and accessories
4. White candles, red tortoise buns and yellow talismans
5. Stamina
6. and even more stamina to last the nine days

For those who are looking for Ampang Nine Emperor Gods 2019 schedule of events, please visit Cheryl's post for the schedule of events and more info (link below):

• Haze Move Over! Dates for the 2019 Festival (Ampang Style).

Counting down to Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019

4 more days to Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019....well, 3 more days to the eve of the festival. Many who participate in this festival would most likely be starting their bland vegetarian diet today so as to be 'clean' during the invitation on the eve of the festival. Many temples that celebrate this festival would also already be bustling with the preparations for this annual festival.

Let the spirits descend - the Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019

The Nine Emperor Gods festival, which is starting is 5 days time, is associated with spirit mediums and trances of various deities including those of the Nine Emperor Gods. With these trances, acts of self mortification such as blood letting and body piercing are signs that the divine has taken over the body of the medium and that he or she does not feel any pain. Furthermore the blood letting is also both a sacrifice and purification of the space and surroundings, and thus is often carried out with great spiritual fervor. So let the spirits descend....

When (does it start): 29th Sept 2019 to 7th October 2019 (the eve falls on 28th Sept)

Where (can I see this festival): Nine Emperor Gods temples in South East Asia

What (to do): Eat vegetarian, see mediums perform rituals, watch parades, fire walking etc.

For those who are looking for the schedule of events at Ampang Nine Emperor Gods Festival, surf over to Cheryl's post in her site - Haze Move over! Dates for the 2019 Festival (Ampang Style) for the schedule and lots more info regarding the festival.

Ready to sek zhai (吃斋/gin je)? The Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019

The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is coming, hence the question of being ready to eat vegetarian (chi zhai/sek zhai/吃斋). This festival which is celebrated in South-East Asia is synonymous with a bland vegetarian diet and in Southern Thailand, Gin je (กินเจ) or literally ‘eat vegetarian’ is synonymous with the festival.

Whilst most people associate the festival with the first nine days of the ninth lunisolar month, the festival actually takes off on the eve on the ninth month (last day of the eight lunisolar month) and concludes on the 10th day of the ninth month. Some who participate in this event would have had started their vegetarian diet a few days before the festival, so as to be ‘clean’ when inviting the deity which happens on the eve of the festival or in the wee hours of the first day of the festival.

Conversely, after nine days of festivities, the flag pole and the armies of heavenly guardians called to protect the temple and devotees during the festival would be sent off on the tenth day of the festival, one day after the last day of the Nine Emperor Gods festival.

This year the first day of the festival falls on 29 September 2019 and the ninth day falls on the 7 October 2019. The most obvious signs that a temple is celebrating the festival are temple flags being erected on roads leading to the temple grounds as well as vegetarian food stalls being erected. These stalls that sell suitable bland vegetarian food are usually marked with yellow banners displaying the word zhai/斋 or su/素; or in Southern Thailand, je/เจ.

• When (does it start): 29th Sept 2019 to 7th October 2019 (the eve falls on 28th Sept)
• Where (can I see this festival): Nine Emperor Gods temples in South East Asia
• What (to do): Eat vegetarian, see mediums perform rituals, watch parades, fire walking etc.

See also my other post about this year's Ampang Nine Emperor Gods Festival:

It has begun... the Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2019

Be Spirited Away - Hungry Ghost Festival

Come August - September each year, a familiar sight fills the cities and countryside of East Asia and South-East Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia. Offerings of food litter the roadside, with joss-sticks and candles stuck to the ground or placed in small containers by the sidewalk. In some places, large makeshift altars pop up (commonly referred to as Phor Thor/Pudu celebration by locals), more often than not piled up with various food items as well as huge bundles of joss-paper as offerings - this is the Hungry Ghost Festival that the Chinese diaspora practices come the Lunar 7th month each year.

The celebration has its roots in the Buddhist Ullambana (盂蘭盆 - Pravāraṇā Day) prayers for pretas and/or departed spirits after the monks had completed their rainy season retreat), but is merged with the Taoist Zhong Yuan Di Guan Festival (中元地官节) or Zhong Yuan Festival, coupled with syncretic spirit worship. Regardless of the roots, this festival is strongly pivoted around the belief of filial piety and retribution. 

The festival basically runs for the entire Chinese lunar 7th month and on this year (2019) falls on August 1 untill Aug 29, but peaks on the 14th/15th of the lunar month as well as towards the end of the lunar month. In Part 1 of this festival, we bring you the essential elements of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

1. Offerings

Food, food and more food.... plus joss paper and hell bank notes, candles and joss-sticks

2. The King of Hades and paper effigies

When the ghost are roaming about, who do you call?? The King of Hades and the Underworld deities. The effigy is a common sight in large scale Phor Thor celebration.

3. Entertainment - Traditional Opera vs Modern Getai 

Traditional opera versus modern stage acts featuring scantily clad singers and suggestive gyrating moves (la mei).

4. Salvation Prayers (Chao Du)
This includes the symbolic act of Breaking the Walls of Hell (Hell is a paper fort with flimsy paper doors!!) by the priest and the sprinting of the deceased from Hell by their relatives to a ship waiting to set sail for Western Paradise.

5. Trances and spirit mediums
In some places, spirit mediums and trance sessions are part of the festival.

6. The Big Burn aka Sending Off the Deities and Spirits
All the paper effigies, unburnt joss sticks, candles, offerings plus lots of joss money are piled up and set on fire to return the King of Hades and his retinue back to where they belong as well as to send the deceased to heaven.

The Good Fight.... 1st Chetawan Muay Championship 2019

One on the face.... Muay championship at Wat Chetawan in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Lighting Up Kek Lok Si Temple for Chinese New Year

The lights of Kek Lok Si Temple in the blue hour during Chinese New Year

 

Come every Chinese New Year, the famous Kek Lok Si Temple (Temple of Supreme Bliss) in Air Itam, Penang will be lit with lanterns and LED lights, turning it into a sort of light display wonderland. This yearly tradition no doubt attracts a lot of tourist and photographers wanting to capture this beautiful light display.
 
The lights of the temple will come on with the following schedule:

• January 24 to February 8 2019 :  7.30pm till midnight
• February 9 to February 21 2019: 7.30pm till 10pm

 
In my opinion, the best times are during the blue hour, which last only 15min or so, plus at that time, the lights are just being turned on in stages, so you will probably have at most 10 mins to shoot the lights in the blue hour. It is best to go before dark and sort of scout out which angle you prefer, and you might need to go on several occasions to get a good sky. I was lucky to get some clouds this time around.

Parking space at this temple are available at three different levels, the first and the lowest actually consist of three tiers, and the entrance is just past the shops as you turn in to ascend the road up the hill. The second is a smaller car park with an entrance arch leading to the Goddess of Mercy Hall, and with a good view of the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. The final parking area is somewhat limited and is located at the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin) statue area. If you park there, it is some distance up the hilly terrain and you would have to take the tram down to the main temple to view the main temple complex.

Thaipusam 2019 - Steps to Purification

Colourful Festivals of Malaysia - Thaipusam

Thaipusam is one of the top colourful festival that is celebrated in Malaysia, usually either in late January to early February (in 2019 it falls on 21st January) as the dates are based on the Tamil/Indian calendar.

This festival commemorates the occasion of Lord Murugan being given the powerful Vel or spear by his mother the Goddess Pavarti, which he then uses to vanquish the evil Asura Soorapadman. Central to this festival is the Kavadi Attam or the Burden Performance carried out by devotees as a form of penance and devotion to Lord Murugan. 

The carrying of 'burden' can be as simple as a pot of milk, or extend to the elaborate and towering decorated altars that are carried via hooks and rods that pierces the body of the devotee. Hence the festival is sometimes known as festival of piercings. Whilst some devotees appear to be in a trance when pierced and carrying the burden, others appear to be deeply absorbed in meditative state of mind.

A female devotee rolling on the ground until the steps of the
caves as part of her penance. Helping her along the way are
her family members.

In Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves is a popular spot to observe this festival and be forewarned that the energy is really high and explosive, and the crowds maddening. Devotees take on their burden at a spot by the river across the main road, just follow the stream of devotees and you will find it.

In Penang, there are many locations where the devotees are pierced. The market area of Lorong Kulit (behind the city stadium) is where the large kavadis are placed onto the devotees and a good place to catch glimpses of those scary piercings.

Loy Loy Krathong...

วันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสอง
น้ำก็นองเต็มตลิ่ง
เราทั้งหลายชายหญิง
สนุกกันจริงวันลอยกระทง
ลอย ลอยกระทง
ลอย ลอยกระทง
ลอยกระทงกันแล้ว
ขอเชิญน้องแก้วออกมารำวง
รำวงวันลอยกระทง
รำวงวันลอยกระทง
บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ
บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ

wan pen deuan sìp sŏng
náam gôr nong dtem dtà-lìng
rao táng lăai chaai yĭng
sà-nùk gan jing wan loy grà-tong
loy loy loy grà-tong
loy loy loy grà-tong
loy grà-tong gan láew
kŏr chern nóng gâew òk maa ram wong
ram wong wan loy grà-tong
ram wong wan loy grà-tong
bun jà sòng hâi rao sùk jai
bun jà sòng hâi rao sùk jai

The Loy Krathong Festival is celebrated in Thailand on the full moon day of the twelve month in the Thai calendar (usually in mid November). This practice of floating decorated platforms with flowers and candles, has its roots in Brahminical practices and is tied to giving thanks to the water goddess but nowadays are carried out as a general wish and merit making activity. Here in Malaysia, wherever there is a strong Thai community presence, those communities would still practice this with the locals joining in as well in the festivities. Hence in Kelantan, Northern Kedah, Penang and as well as in Kuala Lumpur you can find the Loy Krathong festival being carried out, usually in association with a Thai Buddhist temple. Happy Loy Krathong!!

Welcoming the Nine Emperor Gods @ Ampang

Despite the heavy downpour, the invitation of the Nine Emperor Gods at Ampang Nan Tian Gong temple goes on as usual. The rain did not dampen the spirit and devotion of the devotees, who pushed on to invite the Nine Emperor Gods from the river back to the temple.

Going out to get the Nine Emperor Gods....

The Nine Emperor Gods, being represented by an urn held out of public sight under the royal yellow canopy, was escorted back to the temple with pomp and glory by an entourage of soaking wet and tired mediums, priest and devotees that arrived back at the temple around 9.30pm.

Here come the Nine Emperor Gods... escorting the urn back
to the temple.

The Festival begins at Ampang Nine Emperor Gods Temple

And so it begins, the start of the nine day vegetarian festival at Ampang Nan Tian Gong, with the raising of the lantern pole at midday today (8th Oct 2018). As per tradition, this temple will go out to 'invite' the Nine Emperor Gods from a nearby river later in the evening (7.30pm). Noticeably the temple grounds is filled predominantly with two very significant colours that are associate with this festival, yellow and white.

Yellow is of course the colour of royalty in the East, and hence things associated the Nine Emperor Gods or divinity during this festival would be clad in yellow. The other colour is white, being a symbol of purity (the strict vegetarian diet) or mourning (associated with certain stories of how the festival arose) and hence devout devotees/followers would wear all white including covering the head with a white scarf for the duration of the festival.

Time for Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2018

Yup, it is that time of the year again... the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is starting on the 9th until the 17th of October 2018. Of course the invitation of the Nine Emperor Gods happens on the eve of the festival, which falls on the 8th of October this year. At the Ampang Nine Emperor Gods temple (安邦南天宫九皇爷庙), preparations for the festival has been happening since two weeks ago. So do pop in and join in the festivities if you are nearby.

The View from Above - The Black Virgin Mountain

The Black Virgin Mountain or Núi Bà Đen in Tây Ninh Province of Vietnam is the highest peak in Southern Vietnam. The hill is actually an almost perfect cinder cone of an extinct volcano (which gives it its distinctive shape) and is a popular tourist spot. You can take the gondola up the hill and then opt to take the more exhilarating luge ride back down. The upper gondola station gives you a lovely view of the plains below.

View from the top station of the Núi Bà Đen gondola lift.

Roses are red....@ Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

Roses packed for sale at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Timeless Charm of Bà Thiên Hậu (Thien Hau Temple) in Saigon

If you are in District 5 of of Saigon, do make it a point to see the Thien Hau Temple there. Officially known as Chùa Bà Thiên Hậu (Pagoda of the Lady Heaven Empress aka Mazu), the temple is quintessentially Chinese in architecture. Whilst there are many Mazu temples elsewhere around the world that are bigger, or more grand, this temple is unique as it has that old school charm typical of Chinese diaspora temples.

 

Look at the roof ceramic diorama, the altar decorations and setup, and donation slips being hung in the temple, and you get transported back in time to when the temple was possibly the grandest ever built at that time in that area and was the focal point of the Chinese community in Saigon. Indeed this is one of the many temples that carries the timeless charm of old Saigon, Vietnam.