In China, going to temple fairs is one of the most popular outings during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Drumming and dancing ignited the start of the festivities -- the louder the better to express good luck in the year ahead. Red lantern and colored ribbons, the Ditan Temple fair has dressed itself in splendid attire to embrace visitors who braved freezing temperatures to take part in the festivities and have fun at the fair.
Throwing coins to test good luck during the coming year, reliving the old romance of an ancient princess being carried in a bridal sedan chair, appreciating the traditional handicraft of wind wheels, and enjoying delicious snacks of old days -- all are fun-filled and fascinating, both for local and foreign visitors.
"My grand dad and my aunt were born in the Year of the Monkey, so I want to buy a monkey for them," said a visitor.
"Oh, very good. A lot of tasty food. I've tried different types of food, very tasty," another visitor said.
The temple fair dates back to the Tang Dynasty some 1,400 years ago. People used to visit temples to pray for a prosperous year, and pay tribute to the gods and goddesses. The religious aspect of the temple fairs has gradually faded and entertainment and commerce hold the sway.
Wang Shifu has been making and selling wind wheels at temple fairs for 13 consecutive years. He tells us it was not an easy job to be able to sell here because the competition is a lot more intense than before. And he had to pay more than 6,000 yuan (US$725) this year to rent a stand through a public auction.
And this young vendor says he is quite optimistic about the prospect of his business this year.
A vendor said, "My business here has been quite good for the past several years. I guess this year I can do even better than last year. I hope that the freezing weather doesn't stop people from coming."
The lucrative profits can explain why the vendors would like to make so much effort to squeeze into the temple fairs. And it's not just them, the fair operators also benefit a lot. With dozens of temple fairs being held in Beijing each year, the temple fair business has provided a new dimension to the phenomenon of holiday economy.
Maybe you have forgot, but maybe you have not. These were something that we enjoyed so much when we were little kids -- grabbed by our parents' hands, we went to the temple fair to taste the delicious Bing Tang Hu Lu, and buy the wind wheels. We don't know and don't really care how much money those vendors can actually earn from those occasions. But nowadays what's surprising you more is you cannot only find the temple fair outdoors, you can also see them in the modern shopping mall.
Whenever a new year comes, people wish to be blessed with good luck for commercial success -- for a prosperous and happy life. Cai Shen -- a god in Chinese mythology who, people believe, can bring money and good fortune to ordinary people.
In addition to the blessings of Cai Shen, the other traditional performances of mask alternation and lion dance have all added to the cheerful and festive atmosphere here. In contrast to traditional temple fairs which are usually held outdoors at places of historical significance, this is a unique indoor temple fair introduced by the Oriental Plaza into its shopping malls, a place famous for its modern and fashionable style and environment. The organizer is wise to seize the festival occasion to promote the business.
Surrounded by the modern western-styled shopping arcades are a wide range of collection of snacks and handicrafts with traditional characteristics, embracing both the overseas and local shoppers with a unique mixture of two different cultures and atmosphere.
Who says globalization will make everyone in the world look the same? What you see here can be only found in China, with combination of tradition and modern, with diversification and convergence, China is now presenting its own attractiveness -- a business place with a unique culture.
(CCTV January 24, 2004)
