9 Emperor Gods grand procession - Muar, Johor.

Every year, on the 8th day of 9th lunar month, a grand procession is held in conjunction with the 9 Emperor Gods Festival, with participation from temples around Muar. As expected of any Chinese religious procession, there would be mediums and floats bearing religious icons.

 The antics of the hell gods, very lively and entertaining :)

Shrine setting : Yellow or White?

 Kau Wong Kong, Bukit Cina, Melaka : the theme is yellow

Nam Thean Keong, Bachang, Melaka : the theme is white

Kuan Imm Teng, Burmah Road, Penang : the theme is yellow

 It is interesting to note while worship is centred on the Nine Emperor Gods, each temple has got its own set of handed down longstanding rites and rituals. One of it is the theme colour - yellow, which focuses on the gods' high status equivalent to that of royalty, while another - white, a sombre colour of mourning, in memory of the gods' history as robin hood of China whereby they were sentenced to death by the emperor for robbing the rich to feed the poor. Their heads were flung into the sea, hence the tradition of welcoming the gods through waterways.

Addressing the Nine Emperor Gods

九皇爺  ~ Kew Ong Yah ~  The 9 Emperors

 

九皇大帝  ~ Kew Ong Tai Tay ~  The 9 Grand Lord Emperors

 

 

The Koh Teng. the tall lamps

If I recalled correctly, my mother told me it is here at the Koh Teng where the 9 Emperor Gods are. It is here where we pay our homage to the 9 Emperor Gods. There's one spot at the base of the Koh Teng where we make our prayer requests and stick our joss sticks there. This could be a belief for the devotees of this temple only as I didn't notice other temples having this tradition.

My late paternal granny also told me of how people in the olden days would observe the Koh Teng to determine the beginning and ending of the vegetarian fast. Once the 9 lamps are put up on the eve of the festival, abstinence from meat and a strict 9 day vegetarian fast begins. On the last day, again, the devotees would check on the Koh Teng to end the vegetarian fast. Once the lamps have been taken down, the vegetarian fast ends traditionally with a bowl of bak moi (pork porridge) served at the temple.

The base of the Koh Teng where prayer requests are made.

In Penang, the theme is yellow while in Melaka,the theme is white

In Penang, the 9 Emperor Gods are worshiped by way of royalty. Everything is yellow, as can be seen from the altar and the yellow themed items used in worship.

 Joss sticks are yellow

 More yellow themed ritual worship items

Yellow lotus lamp offering

*picture taken at Kuam Imm Teng, Burmah Road, one of the main focal spots of worship in Penang.

Everything is white in Melaka  

 

Some worshipers say the whole temple is arranged as if a funeral, hence the use of white candles in ritual worship. In the same vein, most of the worshipers are dressed in white, and cover their heads with a piece of white scarf, another mark of mourning.

Devotees, all in white, head covered with a piece of white scarf. 

*picture taken at Nam Thean Keong, Bachang, Melaka.

 

Happy Nine Emperor Gods Festival 2014

九
皇
爺

 Allow me to grace the first posting for this year's festival with this picture, taken at the Nam Thean Keong temple, Bachang, Melaka. A very befitting snap,methinks, as this was taken at the sacred sanctum with the sacred urn containing the spirits of the Nine Emperor Gods enshrined at the background. Taken on the first day of the festival.

Sacred halo,

Divine sight,

Nine times in number,

Blessings abound!

May all be blessed!

Food and shopping :)

Offering gold joss paper