Eade, The Vegetarian Month

[jcw]

We are coming up next week to Eade (spelling?).

I believe it is a Buddhist thing, hence looking for info here. I have never learnt what it is all about.

My other half normally last about 3 days before the temptation of bacon slips in, then another day or two before back to munching on chicken and pigs.

I am happy to go vego for a few days in support. I sometimes wonder how much I offend the locals though.

Does anyone have the short version on what it is all about please?

[jcw]

I have since found out it may be called Jade

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

Eid al fitr and Eid al adha are events in the Islamic calendar. Are you perhaps thinking of these?

[JamieP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Emperor_Gods_Festival

I think this is the same.............?

[camerata]

Yes, I think it would be the เจ (pronounced "jay") vegetarian festival - originally Taoist.

[jcw]

Yes, it is Jay I am referring to. Thais not eating meat form the 15 of this month?

What is it all about?

[IMA_FARANG]

Yes, it celenrated in Phuket but also observed by many in Thailand also.

It has different origins, and you can Google or Yahoo it for the various rationales and explanantions behind it.

When I first came to Bangkok I was friends with a Thai-Chinese family that ran a guesthouse I lived in for a while.

They introduced me to some Thai-Chinese vegetarian dishes that are really good.

For example, I have seen an all vegetarian simulation of Peking Duck, no meat anywhere.

The entire dinner was vegetarian, made from things like fried Bean Curd and Soy, sculpted into what looked like Duck, Chicken, and Pork.

Really good too.

This year it runs from 15 October to 22 October here in Thailand I believe.

Even Thais that may not normally be vegetarians will do a few days of vegetarian meals as "purification" from meat in this time.

And I do think that with the Thai-Chinese here, the tradition does go back to Taoist or at least pre-buddhist Chinese traditions.

I believe this also have something with the "goddess of Mercy" in Chinese mythology.....but I may be wrong on that.

[GrahamR]

Dear All

Lots of info about the festival here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Emperor_Gods_Festival

Graham

[jcw]

I learnt today that it is actually vegan, No milk, eggs, or anything that has come form a living animal. Our area doesn't have many little yellow flagged food available.

[weary]

It's more like vegan than vegetarian, yes. Strictly speaking, jeh food also means not using spices that could inconvenience other people by their strong smell, such as garlic, chives, leeks, shallots and onions.