The Human Barbecue

Human Barbecue

The Vegetarian Festival, or "Ngaan Kin Je", dates back to the early 19th century when the word "tourism" hadn't even entered locals' vocabulary. Tin mining was the main business then and it attracted hard-working Chinese miners.

Legend has it that sometime in 1825 a travelling Chinese opera troupe performing for the miners fell ill with a mysterious fever. The troupe embarked on a ritual purification of vegetarianism and rites honouring their emperor gods, and quickly made a full recovery.

Overawed, the islanders sent a mission to China to study the rites - it returned with the festival that has been celebrated ever since.

This year the vegetarian revelry runs in town from September 28 to October 7.

On the eve of the festival, a large pole is raised in each of Phuket's Chinese shrines, and the nine emperor gods are invited to descend from the heavens and take part in the ceremonies. At midnight, nine lanterns are hung on the poles to signify that the festival has begun.

The morning after, the town becomes a sea of yellow and white. Restaurants and stalls fly yellow banners to show they serve only vegan food - free of dairy products and strong flavours like garlic and chilli. Meanwhile people young and old don white to signify they are abstaining from sex and alcohol along with the killing or eating of animals.

The rituals then take on a festive form with hundreds of thousands turning up for the processions of maa song, the devotees possessed by the gods.

The maa song manifest supernatural powers and perform self-mutilation so they can absorb evil from other individuals and ensure good luck for the entire community. Aside from piercing their cheeks and other parts of their anatomy, they also bathe themselves with hot oil, lie on beds of nails and climb blade-rung ladders.

Each morning begins with processions through the town. At dawn, scores of young men throng the inner sanctums of the temples, preparing themselves for self-mutilation.

At the base of the shrines, they enter a trance state, start speaking in tongues and then don colourful aprons adorned with Taoist symbols. Doctors then make cuts on either side of their mouths.

Once the incisions have been made, various sharp objects - knives, skewers, even bicycle frames - are inserted into their cheeks. Many of the men try to outdo each other with other items such as rifles, fishing rods and parasols.

The shops and houses along the parade routes put tables out front covered with baskets of fruit, joss sticks and Buddha images. The entranced are then invited to come and bless each individual and their business as they pass by.

Spirit mediums walk through the streets, while young men carrying miniature shrines run alongside.

The shrines are filled with fireworks, which explode as spectators toss entire lit packs of firecrackers into them. The shrine carriers swathe themselves in towels for protection while photographers chasing the procession often compare the procession with a war zone.

One of most popular events of the festival is fire walking, which usually takes place in the Saphan Hin stadium near the sea. Coals are flamed, raked and turned for hours, in preparation for teams of entranced men, who gyrate and crack whips to the accompaniment of loud drums, preparing themselves for walking on the hot embers.

While most of the men show at least some sense of mortality, dashing across the coals as quickly as they can, others strut, without a care in the world. In either case, the participants show nary a burn or a blemish on their feet after the event.

As the week progresses, the street processions become crazier, the noise more thunderous and the devotees more outlandish.

Groups of men swing hatchets, machetes and spiked balls across their backs, whipping themselves in a mad frenzy. Women too jump in the fray as the festival draws to a close, performing the same facial shish kebab acts as the men.

On the final night, the fireworks are deafening and the entire town makes its way toward the sea. The shrines of the emperor gods are loaded into boats and launched adrift, while a monstrous bonfire is lit onshore.

The following morning, the debris of ash that engulfs the town is swept up, the restaurants start serving meat again, people put on colourful clothes and Phuket goes back to being a tourist resort.

At a glance

Check these Chinese shrines out for the jawdropping street processions.

October 1, Sapa Shrine

October 2, Samkong Shrine

October 3, Ban Tha Rue Shrine

October 4, Bang Neow Shrine and Cherng Thalay Shrine

October 5, Jui Tui Shrine

October 6, Chao Kathu Shrine and Yokkekeng Shrine

October 7, Sui Boon Tong Shrine

For more information, visit www.PhuketVegetarian.com.