"The ninth day is traditionally the birthday of the Jade Emperor. This day is especially important to Hokkiens. Come midnight of the eighth day of the new year, Hokkiens will offer thanks giving prayers to the Emperor of Heaven. Offerings will include sugarcane as it was the sugarcane that had protected the Hokkiens from certain extermination generations ago. Here i was fortunate enought to witness Phuketians pay homage to the celestial spirits in the area by the King of Sea Dragon statue. Much of the ceremony was in Thai so i ... (more)