No Pain, No Gain
Every October, the quiet streets of the Phuket Old Town come alive with the sound of ritual chanting, the smell of incense, and the sight of grown men impaling themselves
It is believed that Phuket's gory Vegetarian Festival began more than 150 years ago.
As the story goes, every single member of a touring Chinese opera troupe became sick while in Kathu district, where a community of Chinese migrants had settled down to work on the tin mines. The sickness reminded the company of their negligence in not respecting the vegetarian festival they had conducted annually in China. Alarmed by their illness, the company then arranged a local vegetarian festival to honour two of the emperor gods, Kiew Ong Tai Tae and Yok Ong Hong Tae. The ill performers then miraculously recovered, and the local Chinese community decided to mark it annually.
According to Theerawut Sritularak, president of the important Jui Tui Shrine, the vegetarian festival began at Kathu, subsequently spreading to other shrines around the island. From that, the festival has become one of the most important Chinese religious events in Phuket and Thailand, attracting tourists from around the world.
Although the date varies slightly, the festival is held on the first evening of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, and is the annual date that Chinese Gods Kiew Ong Tai Teh and Yok Ong Sone The will visit the earth. The afternoon before the festival begins, a great 'Go Teng' pole will be raised in each shrine to invite the gods to descend. At midnight, nine lanterns are hung from the poles to signify the start.
The reason people wear white is for purity and the fact white clothes are easy to stain, so wearing this colour makes people be aware and act calm – apart from the devotees. Sritularak says that piercing and the other bloody performances are the way the gods uses devotee’s bodies to embrace pain. However, these days it’s become fashionable to try and outdo others, and has become a competition among devotees. The popular fire walking, however – which is meant to purify the participants of vegetarian festival – still serves its original purpose. Fire is seen as holy, cleansing both body and soul.
The Shaman (‘Hok Guan’ in Hokkien): Booncheeb ‘La’ Chotepadungthong, age 73
What is a shaman's role?
The hok guan acts as an intermediary, helping to communicate with the gods, and also serve them if they require anything to be done or said during the ritual. In a normal ritual, the hok guan chants to open heaven’s gate. However, during the Vegetarian Festival, there is no need for the chanting because god already knows to come to earth at this time. Instead, the hok guan will call god's name to invite god into a devotee, who will be dressed up in ritual costume. When the ritual is over, the hok guan will cite another rural chanting to bade farewell to the god and call a devotee's spirit back to his or her body (when the god leaves the body, a devotee will often faint and fall over). However, the steps and pattern of chanting included in the ritual can vary slightly among different hok guan, as it depends on where they learned the ritual. Some hok guan are known to use a drum or whip to create sounds to invite the gods to earth.
How do you prepare for the festival?
A hok guan must wear white during the ritual, to show his respect for the gods. As for the way to behave, it depends on each person. In my case, I observe the precepts to keep the good inside me. Many hok guan choose to be vegetarian during the holy days.
How did you become a shaman?
Over the years I was asked by many people to learn rituals from different masters, but at the time I didn’t want to. But after I became a hok guan, I found that I could help people. Sometime I conduct a ritual for people – who ask me to conduct a ritual for particular purposes such as for luck, for getting help from a god – without charging money, because some people can't afford to pay for a hok guan to conduct a ritual.
Are there many shamans left?
Today, there are fewer hok guan in Phuket, most of them are old. Younger folk are also not so interested in the job, because once you became a hok guan, you can’t ever quit.
Male devotee: 'Ae', age 32
How did you start being a devotee?
It happened almost 20 years ago while I was following my friend, who was a devotee in that year's Vegetarian Festival parade. My master (as devotees call god) suddenly took over my body in the middle of the parade, and I have been a devotee ever since.
What does it mean to be a devotee?
There is a belief that if a god possesses someone’s body it’s because that god wants to help that particular person by lengthening their life. Perhaps something bad might have happened to me if my master didn’t come. It’s like a mutual relationship - a devotee helps god by devoting his body, while god helps him by sparing his life.
How do you prepare for the festival?
Before the festival, I have to be vegetarian for a certain period of time, depending on what my master tells me. My master will possess my body, and tell other people how long I have to be vegetarian before the festival begins. In some cases, god may not come to tell a devotee, but that person still has to be vegetarian during the festival - also drinking alcohol, having sex, eating meat and pungent food are all forbidden.
What happens in the ritual?
In the ritual, incense and candles will be lit up. A shaman will invite god to come to devotees’ bodies through a chant that sounds like a song to me. For body piercing, it depends on objects I prepare to bring to the ritual, and also depends on my master’s decision. For example, if I bring a metal stick, my master, while possessing my body, may ask for piercing. Or if I prepare incense, my master may burn parts of my body.
Any good or bad memories?
In terms of good memories, after I became a devotee I felt much safer, because now it feels like holy things always watch over me to protect me from any dangers in my life.
I never had any bad memories for being a devotee. After the festival, I continue with life as normal, as the wounds from piercing will all be completely healed. However, though it's never happened to me, I have heard that sometime things can go wrong.
It sometimes happens with some devotees that the gods suddenly leaves their bodies during piercing, or leaves their bodies before they take objects out of their bodies. We can assume that those devotees might have done something wrong before the ritual took place. Leaving their bodies while piercing is like a punishment from the gods.
Female devotee: Prapaipan Tantiwit, 34
How did you come to be involved?
When I was in grade 6 Secondary school, my family rented an apartment from another family who occasionally organised religious rituals there. One day, I was observing the ritual, and suddenly, my master came into my body. I became a devotee on that day.
Do you feel protected by the gods?
If you are a good person, you deserve a good life. Being a devotee is based on the same philosophy. If you are a good devotee, you deserve care from the gods. I always feel a good shadow just behind me, which takes care of me and protects me from danger.
Are there any customs to follow?
Before the Vegetarian Festival, I have to be completely vegetarian for three months beforehand in order to cleanse my body and spirit. However, some devotees could be vegetarian for only 10 days in advance. I never eat beef at all, as I respect the cow as an animal that has contributed a lot to humankind. As a representative of god and heaven, I also don't eat food at funerals or any ritual related to ancestors or death.
Has anything bad ever happened?
I've never had any bad memories about being a devotee. For me, it's always good. For example, the something that always warns me about the dangers or bad things ahead.