Taoist believers praying inside a Chinese temple in Ampang, Malaysia during the Nine Emperor Gods festival
The Sect of the Jiu Wang Yeh is dedicated to the nine sons of Tien Hou or Queen of Heaven (also known as Tou Mu, the Goddess of the North Star), believed to be in control of the Books of Life and Death. Her nine sons, known as the Nine Emperor Gods, are worshipped as patrons of prosperity, wealth and good health on their own right, especially in Fujian and Guangdong Provinces in southern China, a region also known for its ancient sacred rites of spirit mediumship. Worshippers of Jiu Hwang Yeh Sect believe that the Nine Emperor Gods visit the worshippers every year on this day for nine days, and during the duration of thevisit, the Gods have to be entertained with traditional opera and dances. It is also an occasion to declare one’s religious devotion and piety so that wishes and favours would be granted for the coming year. The festival is celebrated over the first nine days of the ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar. Devotees flock to the temples throughout the country for this religious festival. On the eve of the ninth moon, temples of the Deities hold a ceremony to invoke and welcome the ‘Jien Hwang Yeh’. Since the arrival of the Nine Emperor Gods is believed to be through the waterways, processions are held from temples to the sea-shore or river to symbolise this belief. Devotees dressed in traditional white, carrying joss-sticks and candles, await the arrival of their “Excellencies”. A carnival-like atmosphere pervades the temple throughout the nine-day festival. During this period of time, the constant chiming of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Most devotees stay at the temple, take vegetarian meals and recite continuous chanting of prayers. A procession to send the Nine Emperor Gods home then takes place to complete the rites of this religious festival.
Size: 3542px × 5556px
Location: Malaysia
Photo credit: © Bare Essence Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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