The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is a vibrant and deeply spiritual Taoist celebration observed annually by the Chinese community in Singapore, usually during the ninth lunar month. Spanning nine days, the festival is marked by elaborate rituals held at temples, where devotees practice strict vegetarian diets, perform prayers, and take part in incense offerings to honor the Nine Emperor Gods—believed to be celestial beings associated with health, protection, and spiritual renewal.
At East Coast Park during the Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Singapore, one of the most meaningful community rituals takes place as part of the celebrations — the “please water” (请水) ceremony by the sea. On the last day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Singapore — the ninth day of the ninth lunar month — many temples and worshippers gather once more at East Coast Park for the sending-off ceremony where the Nine Emperor Gods are respectfully returned to the sea or waterways after nine days of veneration.
