These photos were taken at the fire-walking purification ceremony at Tow Boh Keong temple in Ipoh earlier this evening. At this temple, the ritual is always held on the final day of the Nine Emperor Gods festival.
Hundreds of disciples, mostly dressed in white, participated in the ceremony. They had been on a vegetarian diet for at least ten days since the eve of the Nine Emperor Gods festival.
It is said that going through this ritual will ward off obstacles in one’s life and to cleanse it of impurities. Fire-walking will also enhance one’s luck and form.
Persatuan Penganut-Penganut KEW ONG TAI-TAY is continuing the wisdom of our forefathers in worshipping the birth of the Nine Emperor Gods from the first day to the ninth day of the ninth moon according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, as was practised even before China's first Emperor, Shi Huang Di of Qin Dynasty (221 BCE - 206 BCE), to the present day.
灵应殿九皇大帝将继续举办有我们的祖宗信仰的九皇大帝圣诞千秋，并接着能够从秦朝的秦始皇皇帝（公元前221年到206年间或之前）的遗传，每年的九月初一到初九，膜拜到现在及将来。
Nine Emperor Gods Fire-Walking Purification Ceremony @ Tow Boh Keong Temple, Ipoh
Thursday, October 2nd, 2014