CC Liu, Natalie Wijlaongporn, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit Vegetarian Festival
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| Symbol of vegan/vegetarian food |
During the festival in Theravada Buddhist Thailand, streets are filled with food stalls offering vegetarian Thai and Chinese food, like buns, dim sums, and mushrooms.
The Nine Emperor Gods Festival (Chinese 九皇爺誕, Jiu Huang Ye Dan, Malay Perayaan Dewa Sembilan Maharaja; Thai เทศกาลกินเจ, Thetsakaan Kin Je) is a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.
It is celebrated primarily in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand by the Peranakans rather than the entire Overseas Chinese community.
It takes place at the same time as the nine-day Hindu festival called Navaratri.
The Nine Emperor Gods
Jiǔ Huáng Xīng Jūn / Jiǔ Huáng Da Di (九皇星君/九皇大帝) are the nine sons manifested by Father Emperor Zhou Yu Dou Fu Yuan Jun (斗父周御國王天尊) and Mother of the Big Dipper Dou Mu Yuan Jun (斗母元君), who holds the Registrar of Life and Death
The worship of Dou Fu Yuan Jun has declined strongly as proper teachings of Taoism degenerate since being exported out of China.
Today, most Nine Emperor God temples do not acknowledge the existence of Dou Fu Yuan Jun. However, Dou Fu Yuan Jun is invoked alongside Dou Mu Yuan Jun in Great Dipper Honoring ceremonies known as Li Dou (禮斗).
According to Priest Long Hua, the 35th Generation Leader of Long Shan Men Taoist Sect (Singapore), honoring the Northern Dipper stars prolongs one's life, eliminates calamities, and absolves one of bad karma/sins and past debts for oneself and one's family [2].
The term Ye (爺) as in Jiu Huang Ye (九皇爺) loosely translates as "Grandfather," a title worshipers commonly use to bring a more intimate relationship between themselves and the Nine Emperors.
The Nine Emperor Gods should not be confused with the Wang Ye or Princes of the Ming rebels.
Popular folk culture has it that the Nine Emperor Gods are actually sea pirates of the Ming Dynasty who plotted to overthrow the Qing Dynasty.
According to Priest Long Hua, this information is inaccurate and considered derogatory to the actual teachings of Taoism as the Nine Emperor Gods are actually high-ranking Star Lords [celestial devas] who preside over the movement of planets and coordinate mortal Life and Death issues [3].
The Nine Emperors pantheon is formed by the seven stars of the Big Dipper of the North Ursa Major (visible) and two assistant stars (invisible to most people).
The Nine Emperor Stars are:
- Tan Lang Tai Xing Jun (貪狼太星君) 1st Star (visible) Bayer: α UMa
- Ju Men Yuan Xing Jun (巨門元星君) 2nd Star (visible) Bayer: β UMa
- Lu Cun Zhen Xing Jun (祿存貞星君) 3rd Star (visible) Bayer: γ UMa
- Wen Qu Niu Xing Jun (文曲紐星君) 4th Star (visible) Bayer: δ UMa
- Lian Zhen Gang Xing Jun (玉廉貞綱星君) 5th Star (visible) Bayer: ε UMa
- Wu Qu Ji Xing Jun (武曲紀星君) 6th Star (visible) Bayer: ζ UMa
- Po Jun Guan Xing Jun (破軍關星君) 7th Star (visible) Bayer: η UMa
- Zuo Fu Da Dao Xing Jun (左輔大道星君) 8th Star (invisible)
- You Bi Da Dao Xing Jun (右弼大道星君) 9th Star (invisible)
Nine Emperor Gods Festival celebration in popular folk culture
On the eve of the ninth moon, temples of the deities (
devas) hold a ceremony to invoke and welcome the nine emperors. Since the arrival of the gods is believed to be through the waterways, processions are held from temples to the seashore or river to symbolize this belief.
Devotees dress in traditional white, carry incense and candles, and await their arrival.
A carnival-like atmosphere pervades the temple throughout the nine-day festival.
During this period, the constant tinkling of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Most devotees stay at the temple, eat delicious vegetarian meals, maintain celibacy, and recite prayers in a continuous chant.
It is believed that there will be rain throughout the nine days of the celebration.
The ninth day of the festival is its climax. A procession that draws scores of devotees sends the deities (devas) back home.
Celebration in Thailand
"Vegetarian Festival"
The characters เจ as often shown on stickers or flags indicate that food is vegetarian. The characters have been stylized to be reminiscent of Chinese writing.
In Thailand, this festival is called thetsakan kin che (เทศกาลกินเจ) or The Vegetarian Festival.
It is celebrated throughout the entire Buddhist country, but the festivities are at their height in Phuket (pronounced \pooh-keht\], where over the half of the population is Peranakans.
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival attracts crowds of Western spectators because of many of the unusual and magical (impossible) religious rituals that are performed [4, 5] for all to see. Young men lance themselves with all kinds of spears, hook, shards, and swords without bleeding or scarring, for example.
Shops in Phuket and throughout Thailand display red and yellow jay (vegetarian) flags to indicate they are serving appropriate vegan food for observant participants [6].
During the festival, food stalls sell Thai and Chinese foods free of all dead animal products. Noodle dishes, stir-fry's, curries, and soups are prepared without flesh, fish sauce, eggs, or dairy.
Realistic vegetarian faux-meats (from the Chinese Buddhist temple kitchen tradition) are used instead. The dishes are prepared without the use of garlic, chili, or strong spices (in accordance with ancient yogic Indian instructions) [7].
The American chef Dan Sriprasert used the vegan recipes he learned to make at his mother's food stall in Nan, Thailand during the festival to create the menu for the popular Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro in the United States [8].
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