Extreme Piercing At Thailand's Vegetarian Festival - Amazing Places
The Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine-Emperor Gods Festival, is an extreme nine-day event takes place in Phuket, Thailand. (Warning: Graphic Content) | Subscribe to Getty Images TV on YouTube: http://gtty.im/2r0Jgyx
Over a week, participants abstain from eating meat, and spirit mediums and devotees parade through the streets using firecrackers and drum beats to ward off evil spirits. The participants undertake rituals, including extreme piercing, climbing ladders made of blades and firewalking.
This is a Taoist celebration to ensure good health and peace of mind. It is thought to have originated 150 years ago when a potentially fatal disease was sweeping through Phuket and a troupe of visiting Chinese performers fell ill. They engaged in these rituals to pay homage to the Nine Emperor Gods, supposedly putting an end to the epidemic. Head to Phuket on the eve of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar - a date that is usually in fall. But only if you’re not easily made queasy.
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