A devotee of a Chinese shrine pushes multiple decorated skewers through his lips and cheeks during a procession for the annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket on Thursday, A Taoist man slashes five knives through his cheek for the religious event, which is also known as the Nine Emperor Gods festival, A young girl holds four skewers, decorated with golden heads and papers, as they pierce her lips and cheeks for the festival, The event begins in Phuket on the first evening of the ninth Chinese Lunar month each year, and takes place for nine days. It’s mind-boggling to observe. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival (or Nine Emperor Gods Festival) happens once a year, during the ninth lunar month, and is one of the most auspicious events on the island. Bizarre face-piercings to demonstrate one's devotion to their gods and ancestors are a featured part of the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival, that also includes sacrifice and spirit mediums. The Chinese community in Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore and Malaysia believe that abstinence from meat and the accompanying sacred rituals during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar help bestow good health and peace of mind. From there on inwards, scenes of gory self-mutilation were the order of the day. I watch as participants remove their piercings and enter the temple to expel the spirits. How do I vote in my state in the 2020 election? The Phuket Vegetarian Festival involves extreme body piercing: men and women puncture cheeks, tongues and other body parts with a bizarre range of items. There are many Chinese temples located in the city which is home to many Thai Chinese people. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Read on at your peril. A devotee of the Chinese Samkong shrine walks with knives and metal objects pierced through his cheeks during a procession in Phuket, October 16, 2015. Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc.All rights reserved. I have a questions about the tongue hacking, what exactly was it for? The festival is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to the southern Thai island, according to Kanokkittika Kritwutikon, the Phuket tourism authority director. Will the King of Thailand's death affect your Thai holiday? How do I vote in my state in the 2020 election? Battleground Tracker: Biden gains edge in Arizona, leads big in Minnesota, With more mail-in ballots, officials urge patience on election night, Americans and the right to vote: Why it's not easy for everyone, Why some mail-in ballots are rejected and how to make sure your vote counts. Trump will "begin quarantine process" after Hope Hicks contracts COVID-19, Trump campaign says debate structure should not be changed, House passes COVID relief bill, but it's unlikely to pass Senate, Extremist group "emboldened" by Trump's language, ex-member says, U.S. stops holding migrant children in hotels, Texas drastically limits ballot drop off sites before election, Trump administration sets refugee cap at 15,000, a record low, 2024 primary is already in sight for Mike Pence, Military report shows steady rise in suicides, Battleground Tracker: Latest polls, state of the race and more, 5 things to know about CBS News' 2020 Battleground Tracker, CBS News coverage of voting rights issues. The more the merrier. They are believed to have adopted a vegetarian diet and carried out Taoist rituals in an effort to improve their health. Did they cut their tongues off? Participants in Phuket - which has a sizeable Chinese population - also have a bounty of vegetarian food options to choose from, as many vendors switch out meat offerings. Other worshippers pushed the stems of flowers through their cheeks for the religious procession on Thursday, Many work themselves into a trance before piercing, which is said to numb the pain of the gruesome intrusion, Men carry a palanquin housing a deity through smoke in a procession during the annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, Participants wear elaborate, colourful clothes as they take part part in processions during the annual Vegetarian Festival, Dozens of men in white carry a palanquin through the procession as smoke fills the air behind the busy procession, Another worshipper sits as he has a skewer pierced through his skin ahead of taking part in the busy festival on Thursday, Participants also have small skewers pierced through their arms as they undergo ritualised mutilation for the event. A devotee of the Chinese Jui Tui shrine sits while his arm and cheeks are pierced in Phuket, October 19, 2015.

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