Sending Off the Nine Emperor Gods Friday 19 October 2007 (九月初九 = 9M09) Today is the last day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival and all the temples sent off the Nine Emperor Gods from various locations around the islands. My list had temples doing the sending off from Tuas, Serangoon River's old rivermouth, Sembawang, Tanah Merah, and of course several along East Coast Park. The photo on the right is of incense wadring up the bamboo pole holding the nine lanterns.

Palaquins leaving the tentage: too bad the post blocked my shot of the kid.

The smoke billowing from the palaquin makes the place look surreal.

Before the palaquins arrived, the beach was already dotted with candles, incense sticks and small piles of burnt offerings:

The nine incense urns are individually taken out of their palaquins and the Taoist priests perform the rites while a dragon hovers in attendance.

The bannerman for each palaquin stands facing the sea while the incense urn is being removed from his palaquin.

Watching the watcher

Bringing the urns out to sea:

Four boats with the concerns of devotees were also brought out to sea and set alight.

Apparently a team of palaquin bearers had disbanded and a new team had taken their place. After the sending off, the palaquin of the disbanded team was burnt.

At the close of the day, the beach falls silent with only the incense and candles quietly burning down. The end of another year.