A devotee of the Chinese Bang Neow shrine sits with an axe pierced through his cheek during a procession celebrating the annual vegetarian festival in Phuket, Thailand October 18, 2015. The festival, featuring face-piercing, spirit mediums and strict vegetarianism celebrates the local Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Vegetarian Festival in the tourist island of Phuket features a Chinese Taoist procession in which participants pierce their cheeks with metre-long swords, spears and spikes to purify themselves.
PHOTO: REUTERSPhuket, which has a large ethnic Chinese population, is believed to have started the festival in honour of Taoist gods back in 1825 -- after a plague-stricken opera troupe from China was cured by adopting a vegetarian diet.
Many ethnic Chinese across Thailand observe a strict vegetarian diet during the festival.
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But for the mostly male participants of Phuket's procession, the rules also include abstinence from sex.
PHOTO: REUTERSThe piercing is carried out by temple volunteers, who push the thick metal objects through participants' cheeks.
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Devotees also cradle larger swords and spears - as well as the occasional machine gun - as they follow the procession.
PHOTO: REUTERSAt night some test their faith by running barefoot across beds of burning coal.
The festival each year attracts thousands of extra tourists to the popular resort island.
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