Jui Tui Shrine is a well-known Chinese temple in Phuket and a centre of the island's annual Vegetarian Festival. It is dedicated to Tean Hu Huan Soy, the Chinese god associated with dancers, performers and artists.
As well as drawing visitors, it is an important spiritual centre where local people come to mark weddings, birthdays and new babies, and to pray to the deity.
The Striking Chinese Temple!
Today, the current location of Jui Tui shrine is not its original location. It had to be relocated here after a fire that happened many years back. Therefore, the building has gone through a number of renovations to the final striking, distinguishable temple present today. There is a display photo of the old temple built in 1911, when it was solely standing alone without other side buildings.
Jui Tui Shrine is famous for hosting Phuket's annual Vegetarian Festival, which began in the 19th century. According to legend, a Chinese opera troupe performing on the island fell ill, reportedly with malaria, and its members believed they recovered by keeping to a strict vegetarian diet. In gratitude they held a ceremony to honour the gods, and the festival is still held today.
The main building of Jui Tui shrine is an attraction itself. The main entrance archway is decorated with green ornaments blending perfectly with the red tiles and eaves. The rooftop design is also spectacular. It is ornamented with sixteen jade green adornments and two deities on each side. On the teak entrance doors are fine carvings of guardians who stand alert guarding the entrance and are quite striking.
In the middle of the main altar is a prominent image of Tean Hu Huan Soy, the god associated with actors and performers. A statue of a dog on one side and a chicken on the other accompany the image; they are said to have been his favourite pets.
A recently built building is an eye-catching firecracker house that was added in 2011. It comprises of a large red square body designed with a double tied roof. Gold carvings and dragons sitting at the corners are some of the features showing sophisticated workmanship that has been put in this arresting building.
Ever heard of fortune sticks? Jui Tui Shrine is one of the places where you can try them. Shake a bamboo cup with fortune sticks and fetch only one stick. It has a number and you should collect a matching fortune paper from a nearby red cabinet and see what's written.