Nine Emperor Gods festival in Penang ends with grand send-off of emperor boats at sea

The Star

Thousands of devotees gathered at various temples across Penang to witness the grand send-off of the Nine Emperor Gods on the final night of the festival.   Read more at https://tinyurl.com/43mseeyy  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00Driven by deep devotion and gratitude, some devotees had long skewers pierced through

00:11their cheeks during the 9 Emperor Gods Festival.

00:14This act of sacrifice, performed in a trance-like state, was a personal offering in exchange

00:19for the protection and well-being of their families.

00:24Kenny Song, chairman of the Fuyin Guan Association, who coordinated Toh Mukyong Temple's procession

00:29in Lebu Norden in Georgetown, said four devotees underwent the skewer-piercing ritual this

00:34year to ward off malevolent spirits and seek divine blessings.

00:39As part of the ceremony, a Gate of Peace, a symbolic archway, was erected for devotees

00:43to pass through, representing spiritual cleansing and safety under the protection of the 9 Emperor

00:48Gods.

00:50Hundreds of devotees dressed in white gathered at the temple to participate in the procession,

00:55which culminated in sending off the Emperor Boat to sea, marking the end of the nine-day

00:59festival that began on October 3rd.

01:05The two-hour procession, featuring decorated floats, wound through the city before releasing

01:09the boat at sea near Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.

01:13Similar send-offs were also held by other temples, including Toh Bo Keong Temple in

01:19Jalan Hong Kong and Kwan Im Si Temple in Burma Road, where devotees also launched their respective

01:25Emperor Boats back to sea.

01:27The 9 Emperor Gods Festival, celebrated by Taoists, is dedicated to the nine sons of

01:33Toh Mu, the goddess of the North Star, believed to control the books of life and death.

01:40Devotees believe the gods arrive through waterways, so processions typically move from temples

01:44to rivers or the seashore as a symbolic gesture.

01:49During the festival, devotees observe a strict vegetarian diet to purify their body and mind.

01:56Seeking spiritual cleansing and alignment with the gods by abstaining from meat and

02:00impure substances.

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