The areas south of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River are traditionally China's major producers of silk. In Wuzhen, a riverside town in Zhejiang Province, all of the households plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms. In the beginning of April every year, local farmers hold a grand fair, featuring rich and colorful activities. In the rivers, rows upon rows of boats compete with each other to stay ahead, and on the banks, farmers pray for blessings and a bumper harvest of sericulture by offering homemade sacrifices and burning incense for the gods. In his article, The Incense Fair, published in 1933, eminent Chinese writer Mao Dun described the incense fair of his childhood memory as a "farmers' carnival."

The Wuzhen Incense Fair starts with a ceremony offering sacrifices to the God of Silkworms. Carrying a "fairy maiden", which symbolizes a bumper harvest of sericulture, farmers parade along the streets, followed by praying teams, drummers, and trumpeters. Local residents attracted by the magnificent scene rush to the streets to pray for blessings. Performance troupes from different places are invited to the fair to perform traditional programs, which display the characteristics of the riverside town. Because the fair usually falls around the time of Tomb-Sweeping Day, the farmers often visit their ancestors' tombs in the countryside, while they pray for blessings and a bumper harvest.

The incense fair has prevailed in Wuzhen for hundreds of years, with the exception of several years after 1939 due to warfare.

Today, the fair has regained its past favor, and has become more colorful and jubilant.

Ticket: 60 yuan (US$7.2) for through ticket; Free for walking on the street.

Transportation:

Shanghai: Direct buses are available at Shanghai Stadium at weekends and holidays in the morning.

Hangzhou:  Buses are available at Hangzhou eastern bus station in every 30 minutes to Tongxiang, and then turn to Wuzhen by taking local mini-bus.

(China Pictorial September 11, 2003)