The presence of the tortoise during the 9 Emperor Gods Festival is easily noted. It has become almost synonymous with this festival. At the Nine Emperor Gods temple in Ayer Tawar, I noticed that the Tortoise spirit is given special reference and many devotees pay homage to it.
In one story about the 9 Emperor Gods, they were said to be the Chinese Version of Robin Hood who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. The Nine Emperor Gods who had not attained deity status yet during the Qing Dynasty, also carried out a similar act. According to legend, these warriors were cornered by soldiers at the beach with no escape route. Luckily for them a giant red turtle came to their rescue and ferried them to safety at Tow Boo Keong Island. So it is obvious why the tortoise is given such prominence during the festival.
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