The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a colorful annual event held on the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, usually in September or October. The festival celebrates the Chinese community’s belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.
Though the origins of the festival are unclear, it is commonly thought that the festival was bought to Phuket by a wandering Chinese opera group who fell ill with malaria while performing on the island.
They decided to adhere to a strict vegetarian diet and pray to the Nine Emperor Gods to ensure purification of the mind and body. To everyone’s amazement the opera group made a complete recovery. The people celebrated by holding a festival that was meant to honor the gods as well as express the people’s happiness at surviving what was, in the 19th century, a fatal illness.
This festival is not only celebrated in Phuket but is also celebrated in various locations around Thailand by Thai Chinese. This year it will be observed from October 2nd to October 12th.
There are many Thai Chinese who are Christians, please pray for these Christians to stand firm in Jesus and not to be forced into participating in this festival by unbelieving family members.
