OH MY ACTUAL BUDDHA!!!!
These people are insane! What kind of vegetarian festival has people mutilating themselves in the name of spiritual cleansing?
I get the whole alcohol, sex and meat abstinence as a method of self purification – but what on earth does ripping massive holes through your cheeks, climbing bladed ladders, smothering yourself in boiling oil and walking on hot coal have to do with being a vegetarian?
As mentioned before in my previous blog – I’d understand if it were in a bid to demonstrate and perhaps empathise with how animals are slaughtered for human consumption.
That would be far more proactive in my eyes where paying homage is concerned, and far more noble than the truth behind the entire custom.
Hurt much?
The whole tradition arose from a group of Chinese opera singers who were on tour in Phuket and fell ill with malaria. They figured that they must be getting punished for not paying respect to the nine Emperor gods in the first nine days of the ninth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. Then – they decided that they should probably try and make up for their religious misdemeanor by throwing a bit of a tribute to the original tradition and abstain from flesh consumption.
History has it that the malaria suddenly disappeared and they were convinced that it was their pledge to be veg for nine days that got the gods to forgive them. Could it be that there isn’t actually anything you can do but ride it out once you have malaria? And yes – people have died from it, but people have also recovered just fine. I have friends who are proof of that. So they may actually – through adopting a healthier choice of living – and a healthier diet…have healed themselves? God alone knows what all the Chinese eat. We’ve all heard about their taste for dogs!
I get that THAT is why there is a vegetarian festival every year – but why does it include this primitive urge to skewer, saute and flay oneself?
But whatever… I am by no means passing judgment. I’m sure they have their reasons. It just wouldn’t be reason enough for me to allow someone to inform me that I am a ‘chosen one’ for the current year’s nine day slaughter session. Apparently the elderly and the ill are more likely to be ‘chosen’ by the gods for the rituals. Nice! Prey on the old and the weak! Ha ha… kick a man while he’s down!
Ghetto gun show.
There are people who have actually died from mishaps arising from the rituals. This morning – I saw a guy with stitches all along the one side of his cheek leading to the corner of his mouth. His ENTIRE cheek ripped open and had to be sewn back together just so he could have a functional mouth again.
Another poor sod I saw this morning did not look so great just before I left. He had two swords stuck through his tongue. At some point – and I don’t even want to imagine what might have happened to cause his tongue to split, but the guys tongue looked like a piece of pink chewed up gum!
What if his tongue is so messed up that it would make more sense to just cut it off than have a piece of mashed muscle swimming around in your mouth? There goes any hope of a public speaking career…
And out of ALL the things you could choose to stick through your cheek holes – why in the name of Buddha would you elect exhaust pipes? Or guns?
Then there are the scars these gaping holes are going to leave. One of the guys assisting one of the main ‘piercers’ must have his five minutes of fame last week sometime. He looked like he’d had 10mm diameter whiskers plucked from his face.
But – having said my say – I do have to admit that the entertainment factor is through the roof on this specific tradition. You just can’t stop looking! It’s not everyday you get to see exhaust pipes hanging out on a guys face!
Seeing isn't always believing.
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Nicky Vermeulen