Devotees to the Chinese shrine of Tae Gun Tae Tai gather prior to fire walking ceremonies at the annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, Thailand, Saturday , Oct. 12, 2013. The a traditional Chinese vegetarian festival  emphasizes merit making and ritual cleansing of the body to mark the nine-day-long festival.  It also features face-piercing, spirit mediums, and strict vegetarianism.
{}