By MOOK Travel Life Network, Li Xinyi, compiled and reported
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival runs from today (the 15th) until October 23. Its origins date back about 180 years to Amphoe Kathu, when members of a Chinese opera troupe traveling through the area fell ill with fever. They practiced fasting as a way to honor the gods, and their illnesses subsequently disappeared. As a result, locals came to believe that a vegetarian diet brings good fortune, leading to the annual celebration of the Vegetarian Festival.
During the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, people abstain from meat for 10 days to purify their body and mind. (Photo provided by Tourism Authority of Thailand)
It is widely believed that refraining from meat for 10 days during the festival can purify the mind and soul, as well as bring good luck. The festival is mainly held at Chinese temples. Before the festival begins, there is a ceremony called Ko Tengpoles, where bamboo lanterns are hung on tree branches and erected at 18 temples across Phuket, symbolizing the presence of the gods. When the bamboo poles are raised on the first day, and the deities descend into the temples at midnight, it marks the official start of the festival.
The highlight of the festival takes place on the sixth day, when a religious procession is held in the city. Some processions even feature body and face piercing performances. Throughout the festival, many locals wear white clothing as a symbol of purity.
● Read more: Draw good fortune with divination poetry and rice noodles at Hsinchu Rice Noodle and Meatball Festival on October 20
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