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Thali

Next: 10 to 18 Oct 2026

Nine Emperor Gods Festival

Nine days of strict vegetarian eating among Chinese communities of Southeast Asia.

Streets are filled with food stalls offering vegetarian Thai and Chinese food, e.g. buns and dim sums with mushrooms.
Photo: Kirill Kay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is eaten for Nine Emperor Gods Festival

For the first nine days of the ninth lunar month, Taoist Chinese communities in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore honour the Nine Emperor Gods. Those who take part wear white and keep a strict diet called jay in Thailand. It has no meat, fish, eggs or dairy, and none of the strong vegetables such as garlic and onion. In Phuket, where it is known as the Vegetarian Festival, street stalls fly yellow flags and sell noodles, curries and fried snacks made with tofu, mushrooms and wheat gluten.

The dishes

TofuThe base of most festival dishes.SeitanWheat gluten shaped to stand in for meat.Buddha's delightMixed vegetable dish that fits the rules.Soy milkSold hot at the yellow-flagged stalls.
About this page

Written by the Thali desk with AI assistance. Background: "Nine Emperor Gods Festival" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from family to family and place to place. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

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