PETALING JAYA: The annual nine-day Nine Emperor Gods Festival, which began last Friday, has been scaled down in an effort to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak. Some have even done away with the traditional fire-walking ceremony.
Si Thian Kong Temple chairman Tee Chok Hee said strict standard operating procedures (SOP) are being followed by devotees.
“The festival is ongoing but on a smaller scale. This means 300 people may enter the compound but only 250 are allowed to enter the temple to pray,” he told theSun yesterday.
“Given the large number of devotees, there are markers every one metre to ensure that social distancing is practised. They must also wear face masks before entering the premises.”
Si Thian Kong in Kuala Pilah is reputedly said to be the largest Nine Emperor Gods temple in Malaysia.
According to Taoist belief, these deities are high-ranking star lords who preside over the movements of the planets, and decide on matters of life and death.
During the nine days, devotees abstain from consuming meat to purify themselves.
The more daring devotees would indulge in extreme and even dangerous rituals such as walking on steps of blades, dipping their hands in hot oil and walking barefoot on burning embers.
Tee said the rituals have been temporarily put on hold due to the pandemic.
Jenny Yap, who frequents the temple with her mother, decided to observe the festival from home.
“We have been praying from home, to seek (the deities’) protection for us, our family and country,” said Yap, an integrated field science coordinator from Seremban.
A coordinator from the Temple of Nine Emperors in Butterworth, Penang, said each devotee is given a card before performing the rituals.
“The SOP is strict. There is no exception,” he said.
The ceremony for devotees is meant for their fortunes to be improved, which includes mediums from Thailand who would go into a trance to seek blessings for them.
The festival ends on Sunday.
