The vegetarian festival soaked in blood

Observing the grit and ritual of Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival.

The vegetarian festival soaked in blood

Every year, a peculiar tradition takes hold of Thailand. It begins quietly, with yellow flags fluttering above street food stalls, signaling vegetarian dishes are on offer. But the food is just the start. This is the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, an exhibition of devotion and pain.

Rooted in the Chinese-Thai communities who brought it here centuries ago, the festival honors the Nine Emperor Gods, celestial beings believed to govern health, prosperity, and balance in the universe. What began as a simple act of purification, abstaining from meat, alcohol, and other impurities, has evolved into a visceral display of faith that culminates in Phuket.

In this final act, the streets erupt in firecrackers, smoke, and blood as worshipers transform into spirit mediums, living vessels for the gods. In trances, they pierce their faces with increasingly extreme objects,swords, spears, bicycle frames, parasols, even household appliances. It’s both a public offering of faith and a test of endurance.

The mediums march through the center of town, their white robes streaked with blood, carrying grotesque adornments with an eerie calm. Firecrackers explode at their feet, filling the air with gunpowder and the roar of the crowd. Each display is like a challenge to the other participants, an unspoken competition to see who can endure the most, push the limits of their body further, and leave the strongest impression.

A nighttime street scene with thick smoke as a young man in a white shirt and shorts ignites firecrackers on the ground while a woman dressed in a pink traditional outfit with a floral design walks forward, holding a flag.
A devotee with a yellow-painted body and pink apron holds a ritual flag while standing amidst fireworks and smoke. His face appears intense as firecrackers explode at his feet.
A medium in a trance-like state holds two ritual flags while walking through a street filled with smoke. Firecrackers explode at his feet, sending sparks flying in all directions.
A devotee in a red embroidered robe walks through a festival procession with a long metal rod piercing through both cheeks, while onlookers in white attire surround him.
A man with a stoic expression participates in the festival procession with two fuel nozzles pierced through his cheeks. The intricate details of his red and gold robe contrast with the solemn intensity of his gaze.
A devotee in a green and gold embroidered robe carries two large, curved blades pierced through his cheeks while marching in a crowded procession.
A black and white version of the previous image, emphasizing the intricate details of the devotee’s tattoos, facial expressions, and the sharp swords that pass through his cheeks.
A devotee in a black and gold embroidered robe marches forward with five sharp knives protruding from his mouth, his eyes rolled back in a trance-like state as the festival crowd follows behind.
A man dressed in a red ceremonial apron has multiple metal rods pierced through his cheeks and mouth. Small doll figurines hang from the rods, while a young woman beside him stares solemnly into the camera. The street is packed with onlookers and participants.
A tattooed man in a yellow apron has two ornate swords piercing through both sides of his mouth. Surrounding him are other festival-goers, many in white clothing, some wearing masks. A decorative crown-like shrine is held in the background.
A black and white photo of a man with a long metal rod piercing through his cheeks, adorned with small tassels and figurines. He clutches a basket while others stand closely around him, including a man with a serious expression.
A man wearing a green and gold embroidered apron has two large swords piercing through his mouth. He grips the hilts tightly while another man helps support one of the blades. The background is busy with participants and onlookers.
A young man in a red floral apron has a thin rod through his cheeks, holding a decorative lotus and feather ornament in each hand. His calm expression contrasts with the bustling scene behind him, where participants wear white attire.
A muscular man with a shaved head has two large metal rods skewered through his cheeks, each one ending in a red apple. He is closely followed by other participants, some wearing gloves or holding ritual objects.
A man in a red dragon-embroidered apron has two curved swords pierced through his mouth. Blood and saliva drip from the wound as others in ceremonial clothing surround him, some looking on with quiet concern.
A devotee dressed in green stands with dozens of black metal blades protruding from both cheeks in a fan-like pattern. A man beside him carries a golden deity statue on his head. The crowd appears reverent and focused.
A devotee with a shaved head and ceremonial attire pierces his cheek with a long sword during a street procession, surrounded by onlookers in white clothing.
A young man with his cheeks pierced by numerous metal skewers holds miniature statues, flanked by supporters wearing white shirts and sunglasses.
A woman in ceremonial white dress calmly bears a long metal skewer through her cheeks, as a crowd follows behind during a religious festival.
A muscular participant grips red firecracker cords amidst a smoky street scene, as others cover their faces from the smoke and debris.
A group of shirtless men, wearing green sarongs and eye protection, brace themselves amidst a smoke-filled street during a firecracker-heavy ritual.
Devotees endure firecracker blasts, with cloths and goggles for protection, as a religious statue is carried through thick smoke.
A black-and-white image of a devotee with swords pierced through both cheeks, solemnly walking in procession while gripping the blades, surrounded by symbols of spiritual protection.
A young woman with a pierced cheekbar adorned with tassels stands prayerfully amidst a crowd, as an elderly woman offers blessings with folded hands.
A monochrome version of the yellow-clad procession, highlighting the solemn expressions and ritual atmosphere as participants move through firecracker smoke.
A devotee pierces his cheeks with numerous long skewers, decorated with tassels and miniature statues, in an elaborate display of devotion.
Black-and-white image of bare-chested men carrying a ceremonial shrine, their expressions intense and focused amid thick smoke and ritual fervor.
A group of young male devotees, shirtless and wearing matching white headwraps, carry a statue through the street as part of a crowded festival procession.
A tattooed man in a red and yellow ceremonial apron leads a procession through the street, gripping a ritual flag with a determined expression.
Two masked men carry a wooden shrine adorned with incense and statues, their bodies marked by tattoos and ritual adornments, captured in striking black-and-white.
A devotee in a red ceremonial costume is guided through a cheek-piercing ritual involving large decorated knives, while vibrant flags and garlands adorn him during a street procession.
Participants dressed in white, many with towels over their heads and faces, walk through smoky streets while carrying offerings and a small shrine during a religious festival.
Devotees endure a firecracker barrage while carrying a shrine through the streets, surrounded by thick smoke and red paper fragments in a chaotic, sacred atmosphere.
Men draped in yellow towels and covered in soot carry an ornate shrine through the streets, their expressions a mix of focus, fatigue, and reverence.
In a powerful black-and-white moment, a shirtless young man grits his teeth while carrying a heavy shrine on his shoulder with fellow devotees during a fiery procession.