All you need to know about the 9-day Vegetarian Festival

The festival, celebrated for nine days, follows the lunar calendar, beginning on the first day of the ninth lunar month, which corresponds to September or October.

In Thais, this festival is called "Kin Jay". Kin in Thai means “eat".

The term "Jay" in Chinese means the observance of purity (both in body and mind) for the purpose of religious devotion or the act of making offerings and worship to deities.

This year, "Kin Jay" will be observed from October 15 to October 23.

Some individuals may start preparing for the festival by cleansing their bodies from the previous evening by refraining from consuming any animal products.

Why cleanse the body?

Cleansing is the process of preparing the body for starting a vegetarian diet a day or two before the actual beginning of the festival. This is done to allow the body to gradually adjust and become more accustomed to a vegetarian diet, to facilitate a smoother transition.

There are several legends associated with the history of the Vegetarian Festival, but it is generally believed to have been started by Laozi, known as the founder of Taoism.

Before the festival became a formal discipline, there were no specific guidelines on when to observe it. People who wanted to observe the discipline chose their own days and months to follow a vegetarian diet. However, most people observed it to accumulate merit and dedicate their actions to those who had passed away.

When the Taiping Rebellion occurred in the 19th century, in which the Chinese people united to resist and liberate their land from the Manchu dynasty, the leaders of the rebellion were captured and killed. Millions of people lost their lives. This led to a great sense of mourning and sadness among the Chinese people.

To cope with the loss, they collectively began to follow a vegetarian lifestyle and observed certain religious precepts to dedicate merit to those who had lost their lives. The practice of vegetarianism was then formalised as an annual event.

The Vegetarian Festival in Thailand represents a set of beliefs and customs carried forward by Chinese descendants. These communities took inspiration from their forefathers who had migrated to Southeast Asia and settled down there.

Over time these customs merged with local beliefs, creating a distinctive tradition that has been passed down through generations among their Chinese descendants in this region.

During the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand, people often organise grand celebrations to revive and showcase their traditions, attracting a large number of tourists. The most popular and well-known events are the Yaowarat Vegetarian Festival in Bangkok and the Vegetarian Festival in Phuket.

The Chinese communities in mainland China believe that observing the Vegetarian Festival is a way to pay homage to nine deities. Chinese people refer to this festival as the "Ninth Emperor God Festival”, which celebrates all nine of these revered deities.

Guidelines for practice

During the nine-day festival, those who wish to observe it according to tradition must adhere to the following practices:

▪︎ Consume only vegetarian food.

Avoid strongly flavoured foods such as spicy, sweet, sour, and salty dishes, as well as vegetables with strong odours. Use separate utensils and containers exclusively for vegetarian food.

▪︎ Uphold the Five Precepts.

Maintain a pure and virtuous mind, refrain from using harsh language, abstain from sexual activity, engage in acts of merit and charity, pay respects to deities, and engage in meditation.

▪︎ Wear white clothing and use a white cloth to cover food during the festival.

▪︎ Participation in various religious ceremonies at temples is also encouraged.

▪︎ Foods that can be consumed but are not recommended include:

— Carbonated beverages (soda)

— Seasoning powder (MSG)

— Chocolate