Title: Nine Emperor Gods Festival
Description: "Pak Tiam Keong in Melaka"
Description: "Pak Tiam Keong in Melaka"
javewu - June 13, 2006 12:11 AM (GMT)
An Article by James Khor from Malaysia
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Nine Emperor Gods Festival
The Nine Emperor Gods (or Kiu Ong Yah in the Hokkien dialect) festival is an annual affair, beginning every year at night, on the eve of the dawn of the ninth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The celebration continues everyday 24 hours until the night of the ninth day of the same month. During this time devotees would throng the temples bringing vegetarian food offerings. They would also burn joss-sticks, joss papers and white candles seeking spiritual guidance and help for their worldly problems.
The faith first arrived during the last century with the Chinese immigrants seeking their fotunes in the Malay peninsula . From a single temple the faith spread until today there are many temples dedicated to the deities throughout the length and breadth of the peninsula. There are also temples dedicated to the nine emperor gods in south Thailand as well as Singapore but I am not certain if they branched from the first temple in Malaya or came to be by a separate route. In the early days it was mostly the Hokkiens who prayed to the nine emperor gods but these days it is common to find Chinese of other dialects among the many devotees who come to pay obeisance. Occasionally, you can also find Indians among the devotees.
This year the celebrations began on the 8th of October, 1999 and ended on the 18th . As in every year in all the temples in Malaysia dedicated to these deities the festival was celebrated with much pomp and pageantry. It is a very popular Taoist festival among the Chinese and in many of the temples thousands pay homage to them during the nine days.
It is believed that the nine emperor gods are brothers and the nine sons of the heavenly mother. They are said to reside in heaven among the stars. Each year during the ninth month they would journey down to earth and reside in the temple interior, granting wishes to those who ask (and who are worthy of receiving it). During these nine days a strict vegetarian diet must be adhered to by the temple workers and the most fervent devotees. These people should also dress only in white.
The interior of the temples honouring the deities are usually divided into outer and inner chambers. While anybody can move around in the outer chambers only a select few are allowed within the inner quarters. These few must observe a strict vegetarian diet for ten days, dressed always in white and sleep in the temple only. During the nine days they are also to abstain from sexual relationships, foul languages, alcohol ... you get the picture.
On the night of the last day of the eight lunar month devotees gather at the temple in preparation to receive the nine deities as they descend to earth. Those following in the procession would have taken only vegetarian food the whole day and are now dressed fully in white. On their heads will be tied white or yellow kerchiefs. Before the procession, a prayer session will begin led by the head priest of the temple. He is the man in the centre picture above. In the picture above on the extreme right the man upfront is the "loh chu", a person elected by the nine emperor gods the previous year. He is an important person as he has the honour of bearing the holy urn that serves as the carrier of the divine spirit.
When all is ready and the time is due, the head priest will play the drums before he begins a different chant to invite the gods into the bodies of the medium who have assembled. Drums beat and gongs clang in a repetitious three beat tune accompanying the priest's chant. In between chants the priest will crack his whip and blow the bull's horn. In the third picture from the left you can see on the table facing the priest all the religious paraphernalia used in a Taoist temple. In the background you can see a medium in a trance as a deity enters his body. The deities in the mediums' bodies will accompany the welcoming procession to personally invite the nine emperor gods back and also to keep evil spirits (out to create mischief) at bay.
A note to those unfamiliar with Chinese religion. The nine emperor gods are considered to be emperors and treated accordingly as per the Chinese emperor hierarchy, albeit not as strict. The "loh chu" bearing the urn would move within a covered umbrella and devotees not assigned any task must go on bended knees and bow their heads before the umbrella. The umbrella is screened in front by two black flags, one on each side. On the flags are sewn the Taoist pa-kua, shields against evil spirits that might disrupt the happy occasion. The medium in front (picture on the right) grips the flag edges making sure the umbrella is always shielded. In the picture on the left you see the medium and helpers guiding the "loh chu" within the umbrella as he walks out of the inner chamber. Incidentally, the umbrella is held up by another helper. The author (yours truly) held the umbrella for over a decade until his "voluntary retirement" a couple of years back. The task might look menial but it bears a lot of responsibility and is considered an honour. Nobody dares take away the job as long as the bearer still wants it. The vacancy is considered open only when the bearer gives it up voluntarily or shirks his responsibility and not turn up at all.
When all is ready the procession will proceed by foot to the nearest riverbank or seaside. The gods descend via a waterway and leaves by the same route. At the riverbank the head priest, "loh chu" and helpers will go through a ritual to invite the gods. As far as I know no one has ever shot a picture of the going-on here as it is forbidden. Some have tried but they were always caught by the ever vigilant mediums and chased away. Those up front who knows don't tell either.
When the priest is satisfied that the gods have arrived the procession returns to the temple and the celebration begins. On the night of the ninth day the procession returns to the riverbank again but this time it is to send the gods back. This time a new "loh chu" (elected by the gods) sends the gods off and will invite them back the next year.
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Nine Emperor Gods Festival
The Nine Emperor Gods (or Kiu Ong Yah in the Hokkien dialect) festival is an annual affair, beginning every year at night, on the eve of the dawn of the ninth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The celebration continues everyday 24 hours until the night of the ninth day of the same month. During this time devotees would throng the temples bringing vegetarian food offerings. They would also burn joss-sticks, joss papers and white candles seeking spiritual guidance and help for their worldly problems.
The faith first arrived during the last century with the Chinese immigrants seeking their fotunes in the Malay peninsula . From a single temple the faith spread until today there are many temples dedicated to the deities throughout the length and breadth of the peninsula. There are also temples dedicated to the nine emperor gods in south Thailand as well as Singapore but I am not certain if they branched from the first temple in Malaya or came to be by a separate route. In the early days it was mostly the Hokkiens who prayed to the nine emperor gods but these days it is common to find Chinese of other dialects among the many devotees who come to pay obeisance. Occasionally, you can also find Indians among the devotees.
This year the celebrations began on the 8th of October, 1999 and ended on the 18th . As in every year in all the temples in Malaysia dedicated to these deities the festival was celebrated with much pomp and pageantry. It is a very popular Taoist festival among the Chinese and in many of the temples thousands pay homage to them during the nine days.
It is believed that the nine emperor gods are brothers and the nine sons of the heavenly mother. They are said to reside in heaven among the stars. Each year during the ninth month they would journey down to earth and reside in the temple interior, granting wishes to those who ask (and who are worthy of receiving it). During these nine days a strict vegetarian diet must be adhered to by the temple workers and the most fervent devotees. These people should also dress only in white.
The interior of the temples honouring the deities are usually divided into outer and inner chambers. While anybody can move around in the outer chambers only a select few are allowed within the inner quarters. These few must observe a strict vegetarian diet for ten days, dressed always in white and sleep in the temple only. During the nine days they are also to abstain from sexual relationships, foul languages, alcohol ... you get the picture.
On the night of the last day of the eight lunar month devotees gather at the temple in preparation to receive the nine deities as they descend to earth. Those following in the procession would have taken only vegetarian food the whole day and are now dressed fully in white. On their heads will be tied white or yellow kerchiefs. Before the procession, a prayer session will begin led by the head priest of the temple. He is the man in the centre picture above. In the picture above on the extreme right the man upfront is the "loh chu", a person elected by the nine emperor gods the previous year. He is an important person as he has the honour of bearing the holy urn that serves as the carrier of the divine spirit.
When all is ready and the time is due, the head priest will play the drums before he begins a different chant to invite the gods into the bodies of the medium who have assembled. Drums beat and gongs clang in a repetitious three beat tune accompanying the priest's chant. In between chants the priest will crack his whip and blow the bull's horn. In the third picture from the left you can see on the table facing the priest all the religious paraphernalia used in a Taoist temple. In the background you can see a medium in a trance as a deity enters his body. The deities in the mediums' bodies will accompany the welcoming procession to personally invite the nine emperor gods back and also to keep evil spirits (out to create mischief) at bay.
A note to those unfamiliar with Chinese religion. The nine emperor gods are considered to be emperors and treated accordingly as per the Chinese emperor hierarchy, albeit not as strict. The "loh chu" bearing the urn would move within a covered umbrella and devotees not assigned any task must go on bended knees and bow their heads before the umbrella. The umbrella is screened in front by two black flags, one on each side. On the flags are sewn the Taoist pa-kua, shields against evil spirits that might disrupt the happy occasion. The medium in front (picture on the right) grips the flag edges making sure the umbrella is always shielded. In the picture on the left you see the medium and helpers guiding the "loh chu" within the umbrella as he walks out of the inner chamber. Incidentally, the umbrella is held up by another helper. The author (yours truly) held the umbrella for over a decade until his "voluntary retirement" a couple of years back. The task might look menial but it bears a lot of responsibility and is considered an honour. Nobody dares take away the job as long as the bearer still wants it. The vacancy is considered open only when the bearer gives it up voluntarily or shirks his responsibility and not turn up at all.
When all is ready the procession will proceed by foot to the nearest riverbank or seaside. The gods descend via a waterway and leaves by the same route. At the riverbank the head priest, "loh chu" and helpers will go through a ritual to invite the gods. As far as I know no one has ever shot a picture of the going-on here as it is forbidden. Some have tried but they were always caught by the ever vigilant mediums and chased away. Those up front who knows don't tell either.
When the priest is satisfied that the gods have arrived the procession returns to the temple and the celebration begins. On the night of the ninth day the procession returns to the riverbank again but this time it is to send the gods back. This time a new "loh chu" (elected by the gods) sends the gods off and will invite them back the next year.
TSK - October 20, 2006 06:04 PM (GMT)
hmm.. from my home town - Malacca...
this article shd be few years ago... cause the "Fa Shi" already pass away few
yr liao... anyway, just share abit infor...
The kitong is jump for "Tiam Du Yuan Shuai"（田都元帅）...
The temple invite JWY at the end of Month 8th, and invite 田都元帅 on 九月初六日
and last day (九月初九日）- 过火 at 8pm.. ard 11pm will send-off JWY.
this article shd be few years ago... cause the "Fa Shi" already pass away few
yr liao... anyway, just share abit infor...
The kitong is jump for "Tiam Du Yuan Shuai"（田都元帅）...
The temple invite JWY at the end of Month 8th, and invite 田都元帅 on 九月初六日
and last day (九月初九日）- 过火 at 8pm.. ard 11pm will send-off JWY.