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Fire-Walking Ritual at Sam Ong Hoo Cherngtalay Shrine
Local culture
Free entry
Medium
▰▰▰▱
Family
Sat, 17 October · from 20:30
Bang Tao time (UTC+7)
Sam Ong Hoo Cherngtalay Shrine
Cherng Talay
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Thailand · Phuket · Bang Tao
About the event
In the evening, a path of glowing coals is raked out in the courtyard of Sam Ong Hoo Cherngtalay Shrine, and the ma song and devotees in white walk across it barefoot. Watch from the edge of the courtyard and keep out of the walkers' way, and ask the shrine staff before taking photos; the time follows TAT's schedule and may shift.
From the editors
Sam Ong Hoo keeps three carved deity images over a hundred years old, brought from China, with black, red and green faces, hence the name “three deities”. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival (Jia Chai) is the nine-day Taoist festival of the Nine Emperor Gods: those who keep it dress in white, give up meat and hold vows of purification, while 39 shrines across the island hold their own rites. Fire-walking is a rite of purification: “fire overcomes impurity and repels evil influence”, and only those who are cleansed are believed to cross the coals without being seriously burned.