Nine Emperor Gods Festival

Ethnic Chinese with joss sticks in their hands crowd a temple during the Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday, the 5th October, 2008.

The festival, held for the first nine days of the ninth month in Chinese lunar calendar, is a ceremony to welcome the Nine Emperor Gods believed to live in the stars in heaven under the reign of 'Thien Hou,' or the Queen of Heaven, who bring good fortune, longevity, and good health.

The Ethnic Chinese offer prayer at a temple during the Nine Emperor Gods festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Malaysian Chinese carrying an Emperor God walk barefoot over burning coals on the final day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday, the 7th October, 2008.

The men have abstained from meat for the past nine days in order to purify their bodies in preparation for this painful ritual, in which women are barred from participating.

Malaysian ethnic Chinese walk barefoot over burning coals on the final day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival at a temple in Kuala Lumpur. The participants have abstained from meat for the past nine days in order to purify their bodies in preparation for this painful ritual, in which women are barred from participating.

Malaysian ethnic Chinese walk barefoot over burning coals on the final day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival.

Malaysian Chinese carrying an Emperor God walk barefoot over burning coals on the final day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival.

Devotees walk on fire during the festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The festival is held annually on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, when it is believed by devotees that the spirit of the Nine Emperor Gods will descend to earth and possess the spirit mediums, putting them in a trance.

Devotees walk on fire during the festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Kuala Lumpur.

Devotees walk on fire during the festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia.

Devotees walk on fire during the festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A devotee prepares the firewalking site during the festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Devotees walk on fire during the festival of the Nine Emperor Gods in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 7th October, 2008. The festival is held annually on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Emperor_Gods_Festival

http://www.towbookong.org.my

http://weecheng.com/singapore/9eg/index.htm