{ Vegetarian Festiv al – Phuket, Thailand}
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the Vegetarian Festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local Chinese residents strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples, and aesthetic displays such as walking barefoot over hot coals and climbing ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as ma song.
Local Chinese residents strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making