The festival is celebrated over the first nine days of the ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar. Devotees flock to the temples throughout the country for this religious festival. The Nine Emperor Gods are part of a spirit-medium cult known locally as ‘Jieu Hwang Yeh’. These Nine Deities are believed to dwell in the stars in northern heaven under the reign of ‘Thien Hou’ - the Queen of Heaven. They are believed to preside over blessings, life and death, peace and harmony on Earth. Thus the focus of rituals during the nine-day festival acts as a channel between celestial and terrestrial beings for the salvation and protection of mankind.
On the eve of the ninth moon, temples of the Deities hold a ceremony to invoke and welcome the ‘Jien Hwang Yeh’. Since the arrival of the Nine Emperor Gods is believed to be through the waterways, processions are held from temples to the sea-shore or river to symbolise this belief. Devotees dressed in traditional white, carrying joss-sticks and candles, await the arrival of their “Excellencies”. A carnival-like atmosphere pervades the temple throughout the nine-day festival. During this period of time, the constant chiming of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Most devotees stay at the temple, take vegetarian meals and recite continuous chanting of prayers. A procession to send the Nine Emperor Gods home then takes place to complete the rites of this religious festival.
To welcome the Nine Emperors, mediums wielding axes and swords will perform evening rituals on odd numbered days. The spirits of the gods are entertained in the temple grounds with Chinese opera performances and fire-walking sessions.
The Nine Emperors are the Chinese version of Robin Hood, who during the Qing dynasty robbed the rich and gave to the poor. According to legend, they were cornered at a seaside by soldiers, but a giant red turtle came to their rescue and ferried them to safety on Tow Boo Keong island.
Devotees throng to the Tow Boo Keong Temple in Ipoh, one of the oldest temples in Malaysia, and Temples of the Star Deities like the Nan Thien Kwang in Ampang, in Kuala Lumpur.
 
 
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