A participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, cuts on his tongue with a short sword during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

Participants of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival carry a shrine and shield themselves from the firecrackers onlookers throw to bring good luck and drive out evil spirits during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Participants wear white as a sign of their faith and commitment during the festival.

A young boy sits on the back of a vehicle parked next to the procession of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. A lesser known aspect of this celebration is the sound system competition between locals.

Masong participants of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival use axes to perform self mutilation during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.

A local policeman dons protective gear in preparation for the massive amounts of smoke from the thousands of firecrackers that are set off during the Vegetarian Festival procession through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.

A masong participant marches through the streets of Phuket Town holding two wooden swords through his cheeks during one of the temple processions for the vegetarian festival on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.

A participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, walks calmly with nine flags pierced through his cheeks during one of the temple processions through town on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

Masong participants of the Phuket vegetarian festival use axes to perform self mutilation during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.

A participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, holds clamps through his cheeks as his marches during one of the temple processions through town on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

Parents encourage their child to touch the lion's mouth in hopes of acquiring good fortune during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, in Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

A child covers his ears and waits for the firecracker he threw to explode during the Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Participants wear white as a sign of their faith and commitment during the festival.

A participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, holds air soft guns through his cheeks as his marches during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

Participants of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, prepare to throw firecrackers at passing shrines to bring good luck and drive out evil spirits during one of the temple processions through town on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016.

A masong participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival holds air soft guns through his cheeks as his marches during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

A participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, displays his act of self-mutilation during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.

A participant of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, also known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, holds parasols through his cheeks as his marches during one of the temple processions through Phuket Town, Thailand on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016. The festival celebrates the 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. Some participants, called masong, undergo trances and invite the spirits of the gods to possess their bodies. Subsequently, they perform ritual self-mutilation to show their devotion and prove the authenticity of the trance.