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.
