Images of the Nine Gods are never made
and displayed—possibly because they never reside on earth, but only visit
temporarily. The mystery surrounding the Nine Gods and their hidden character
is unique in Taoism to this set of deities.
A group of Spirit Mediums, called Song Mah (entranced horses in Thai), all
men dressed in white will wade into the water to receive the Nine Gods. These
Mediums are soldiers of 5 spirit armies that guard the 4 cardinal points of
earth (North, South, East, and West) plus the center. The commanders of the
spirit armies are represented by 5 large colored, umbrella-like cloth vessels
on poles—black (north), red (south), green (east), white (west), and yellow
(center)—carried high by some of the Song
Mah.
The
spirit armies and their generals grew out of rebellious time during the
Qing dynasty when Han Chinese were trying to depose the 'alien'
Manchurian rulers. Sacred brotherhoods developed (Triads) that used the
power of the spirit armies to influence their communities.
These
secret societies permeated Chinese communities in Malaya during the
British colonial rule, and it is probable that they developed in Phuket
also. In recent years, a secret society was discovered training high
school students in Krabi how to enter into trances. As a result of this
history, there are many aspects of the ceremonies that remain secret,
and the role of secret societies not know to outsiders.
The details of the welcoming
ceremony are among those kept secret, but it appears that the Mediums make pledges to the
Nine Gods. At this point, it is also revealed which of the Nine Gods will act
as the leader during the ceremonies. This is never divulged to anyone outside
of the small Medium group. Once the spirits of the Nine Gods have been received,
a slow procession wends back to the temple.
At the temple gate, all the devotees step over
a pail of water and an urn of burning wood. This is a purification ritual
related to the Taoist Yin and Yang concept of achieving balance in the natural
world. Yin is represented by water and Yang by fire. At the temple, the Nine
Gods are installed. An altar is set up with 9 sets of fruits. Urns of burning
wood and incense are prominent. Selected Mediums and temple officials perform
another secret ceremony, and then the devotees are invited to receive
blessings.
The ceremonies of the eve of the 1st
day are spectacular and profoundly spiritual, representing centuries of Chinese
traditions and their holding power even when transported to overseas Chinese
living in another culture and interpreted from a different perspective.
Ceremonies and rituals take place over
the duration of the festival. On midnight of the eve of the first day, 9 oil
lanterns are lit and hung high above the temple on very tall bamboo poles.
These indicate that the Nine Gods are in residence 9 (and allude to their
origin high in the skies).
They
are taken down on noon of the 9th day before conducting the farewell
ceremony.
During some of the 9 days, the temple
organized processions into the community to give them an opportunity to make
merit, gain luck from the Nine Gods, and to conduct purification rituals for
the community. The Spirit Mediums are active during these rites.
There are three types of Mediums in the
Krabi ceremonies.
The Spirit Medium soldiers protect the
Nine Gods and the community. While in trances, they prove their strength and
purity by dancing on large strings of exploding Chinese firecrackers (500 or
1,000 per string), or hanging them around their bodies. Their purpose is to
ward off any evil influences and personally take on divine punishments on
behalf of the community at large.
A 2nd
group of Spirit Mediums also allow themselves to be possessed by deities. They
may be male or female and usually have traditional Chinese colored robes or
aprons. They enter into trances and take on the character of their particular deity
as the spirit enters them. Secrecy surrounding the role of the these Mediums
and their practices shrouds some of the meaning of the rituals, but it appears
that the spirits of the Nine Gods are never involved in the possession
entrancement. Rather, it is the spirits of other deities, especially those
specific to a particular temple, that are manifested. One of their main roles
is too cleanse an area—to expel impurity and dirt that is associated with ghost and spirits. This
will ensure the health of the community over the next year.
While in trances, the Spirit Medium
dance with unique movements, and many participate in the mutilation practices. Some
carry demon-whips of braided cloth to chase away and bad spirits. Some pierce
their body with lances and other items, mostly through a cheek. (The fact that
some piercings now include things like satellite dishes, fire extinguishers,
and other odd items, takes the ceremonies far from their original form.) There
is little blood, but a display of discipline, focus, and strength. They have to
endure any discomfort and carry the weight for the length of the parade—up to 4
hours.
Another common practice is to cut the
tongue with knives, swords, and razor blades. These Mediums usually group
together and actively cut themselves at key points along the parade. They stop
and sit or crouch on the ground. Blood flows freely. There seems to be some
connection with the concept and role of the spirit soldiers as most of the
instruments used relate to military weapons (lances and swords). There is also
an old tradition is China around blood contracts and the belief that Spirit
Generals need blood to sustain their existence.
The 3rd group of Spirit
Mediums is the traditional mediums. They act as intermediates between a deity
and individuals. They are dressed in costumes characteristic of their God, and
display characteristic behavior and poses. (Again, none represent the Nine
Gods.) These are the main Mediums for conferring the beneficial powers of the
Gods. They visit the altars along the route and carry out rituals. They may
drink some of the tea on the altar, and take pieces of fruit. Some write
Chinese characters on paper or cloth and give them to the altar devotees to
hand above the entrance to their house or shop. Sometime they give some of the
fruit on an altar to an individual. This is especially auspicious.
During the Festival the temples are all
open to visitors who can eat ‘Jeh’ meals for free. People sponsor these
meals to make merit. By definition, Jeh food can only be prepared at
temples where the kitchen and all utensils have been properly purified by
temple priests. The practice is not so strict for most participants who are
happy to eat at roadside stalls and temporary Jeh restaurants. Many
visitors donate money to the temple, and it is during this period that most
temples receive their largest donations.
On the 3rd or 4th
day in Krabi, all the temples will combine for a grand procession of devotees,
deities, Gods, and Mediums. The procession starts with a major ceremony of
local dignitaries at Krabi’s Lak Muang shrine or city pillar which house
the guardian spirits of the city. Lak Muang are found in most Thai
towns.
This kick-off ceremony at the Lak
Muang is interesting, and indicative of Thailand’s supremely integrative
culture, because the Lak Muang derives from ancient Indian and Hindu
practices. The pillar, or lingam (from Sanskrit), represents the Hindu God
Shiva. At Hindu/Buddhist temples like Ankor Wat in Cambodia, the lingam is
common. (Historically many people have interpreted the lingam to be a
figurative penis associated with fertility. This is one of those common
incorrect myths. See the section on the Lak Muang under Krabi Town Sights.)
At this ceremony the various spiritual
strands of Thai culture come together: Taoism, Hinduism, Theravada and Mahayana
Buddhism, and animism.
Once the initial invocation is
completed the parade begins. The procession is fascinating, full of color,
sound, and meaning. For hours the various temple contingents (66 groups in
2011) walk through the center of Krabi. Firecrackers by the thousands are set
off, with long strings exploding on the street. Devotees dance on top of the
burning firecrackers, impervious to the noise, heat, and fire.
Mediums, in their trances, walk slowly with
devotees helping them to keep cool with water or relieve some of the weight of
heavy piercings by helping to hold whatever has been used: spears, tree
branches, deer horns, grass cutters, small satellite dishes, fire
extinguishers, and any number of other weird and wonderful items. Some
continuously cut their tongues with razors and knives, bleeding copiously down
their bare chests. They all visit the hundreds of altars along the way and
carry out their rituals. Loud drums and cymbals accompany the celebrants. In
spite of the display of mutilation and blood, the parade creates a feeling of
happiness and hope for the spectators.
On the eve of the 8th day, devotees
gather at the temple for a final purification ceremony. In some temples, it
involves fire-walking. For those who have followed their pledges taken at the
start of the Festival, there will be no pain or burning as the fire purifies
the participant. Women do not participate in most temples because of a harmful
conflict between their female Ying and the male Yang of the fire. The historic
restriction applies only to women of childbearing age. Post-menopausal women could
participate.
At most temples, the devotees ‘cross the bridge’.
This may be an actual bridge or a virtual one, but the purpose is the final
purification of mind and body. As they cross barefoot, holding 3 unlit incense
sticks, the main Spirit Mediums bestow blessing in various forms: placing a red
dot on the forehead, covering a devotee’s head with a special banner, or
sprinkling water or flowers on him or her. At the end of the bridge, each
devotee steps over a censer of burning wood. Again, the water represents the
Ying element of the universe, and the fire the Yang.
On the 9th day the Nine Gods are
returned to the sea where they will return to their home in the starts. This
farewell ceremony is a mirror image of the welcoming one where the rituals are
performed in a reverse order. Again secrecy surrounds the details of the
ceremony. When the procession returns to the temple, the Mediums end their
Festival induced trances, and the ceremonies end.
There are few places in the world where a person
can view this form of the complex and profound ceremony associated with the
Nine Emperor Gods, with centuries of history behind it, that includes the
extreme forms of self-mutilation. All are along the western Andaman Coast of
the Malay Peninsula. Visitors are welcome to participate in the 10-point pledge
and maintain a vegan diet during the period. Photographs may be taken during
daytime processions, but at night flashes are disruptive to the Mediums. At
most temples, photos are prohibited, especially inside during ceremonies, and
of symbols like the 9-light lanterns. These restrictions should be honored.