This occurred right across the way in the next alley from us.We could see the whole thing from our house but I walked over to take pictures. The event started at 6am and then they went parading around the city until 4pm. These pictures were taken as they were returning at 4.
These men are called Tang-ki. They are spirit mediums for a god. This particular "celebration" was for the birthday of someone's house god. My understanding is a tang-ki is possessed by the god's spirit. They bleed to show that the spirit has taken over their body and thus they feel no pain. However, I have never heard of there being more than one tang-ki for a god and I counted at least 7 here (they are not all pictured). Additionally, these guys do not appear to be channeling anything so I am unclear of the intended purpose. I asked a few people and no one else could tell me the exact purpose either.
I don't think I need to comment on each individual picture below, but there was an at least one more man who had been slicing his tongue and was shaking his head to allow the blood to drip all over his chest. At that particular moment I was emotionally unable to continue taking photos.
A 10 year old neighbor boy who often plays with our daughters also came to watch. He seemed excited and I said to him that this was not good. He disagreed and responded with a word that is probably best translated "it's cool!" So I said to him "Well, would you want to do that when you grow up?" I was expecting him to say no, but instead he said and enthusiastic "yes!". He seemed to have all the enthusiasm of a 10 year old boy who just saw a monster-truck rally and said to his dad "I want to be a monster-truck driver when I grow up". The difference being that there is nothing inherently immoral about driving monster-trucks. Later I saw him back on our lane with a toy pretending to bash himself in the head like the tang-ki.
We are up against strong spiritual forces. What must be in peoples' minds to get them to do this? And I am particularly struck by their youth. They must all be in their early twenties. Still, these men are all created in the image of the great and loving God who cares for each of them and shed His blood so that they would not have to. "We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, again those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12).