Tow Boh Keong Ipoh Nine Emperor Gods Send-Off Ceremony

Ten days ago, the Nine Emperor Gods, Goddess Dou Mu, the Legendary Third Prince, as well as many other deities were received from the Kinta River in Ipoh by disciples of Tow Boh Keong, Ipoh’s main Taoist temple.

disciples from Tow Boh Keong Ipoh carrying the urns of the Nine Emperor Gods and Goddess Dou Mu followed by an entourage of devotees

heading to the bank of Kinta River, Ipoh

This morning at 5am, to wrap up the nine days of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, the deities had to return also via waterways. The send-off ceremony of the deities was also similar to the ritual of receiving them but in a reversed procession.

at the Kinta River bank, while prayers are being conducted

devotees kneel and offer joss to the deities

Disciples gathered at Tow Boh Keong and then walked from the temple to Kinta River, carrying the two urns that signify the essence of the deities in sedans, while an entourage of devotees followed behind, either with lighted joss sticks or palms clapsed together.

joss paper set on fire as offering to the spirits

As prayers were chanted and rituals conducted by Taoist masters, devotees knelt in reverence. Simultaneously, the pile of joss paper was set on fire, denoting an offering to the spirits, while the urns were lowered one by one into the Kinta River.

one of the urns being lowered into the river

This process was followed by the large paper boat, that was also consumed by fire as it sailed downstream. And that ritual concluded this year’s Nine Emperor Gods festival. Let’s mark our calendar for 2023.