| Temple Fairs |
Dates |
Venues |
Admission |
|
Ditan Temple Fair?
|
Feb.?6--13
|
Ditan Park?
|
10 yuan
|
|
Longtan Temple Fair?
|
Feb. 6--13?
|
Longtan Lake Park?
|
10?yuan???
|
|
Dongyue Temple Fair?
|
Feb. 6-- 12
|
Dongyue Temple?
|
?10 yuan???
|
|
Baiyunguan Temple Fair?
|
Feb. 7-- 12
|
Baiyun Taoist Temple?
|
?10 yuan
|
|
Changdian Temple Fair?
|
Feb.?7--12
|
Liulichang Street?
|
?Free
|
|
Hongluo Temple Fair?
|
Feb.?7-- 12
|
Hongluo temple?
|
?30 yuan???
|
|
Honglou Temple Fair??
|
Feb.?7--11?
|
Daguanyuan Park
|
?20 yuan???
|
|
Lianhuachi Temple Fair?
|
Feb.?7--13?
|
Lianhuachi Park?
|
?6 yuan???
|
|
Shijingshan Temple Fair
|
Feb. 7-- 13
|
Shijingshan Amusement Park?
|
5 yuan
|
|
Chaoyang Temple Fair?
|
Feb.?7--12?
|
Chaoyang Park?
|
?5 yuan
|
The tradition of a "temple fair" (Miao Hui) began as
groups of vendors who did business near Buddhist and Taoist temples
when many pilgrims came to pay tribute to the gods during
traditional festivals. The practice grew, gradually turning into a
regular event. Now temple fairs are an important and joyful
destination for Chinese people during festivals, most especially
the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year.
Temple fairs in Beijing have a very long history, dating back to
around 1000 AD, when they were called "Spring Outings," and saw a
boom especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) as
well as the Republic of China (1912-1949). Major temples all have
their own festivals, some of which are held regularly. During the
Spring Festival, the temple fair is one of the most important
activities, and a traditional cultural event that features all
kinds of Chinese folk art. So far, there have been more than 10
major temple fairs held each year in Beijing.
In traditional temple fairs around Beijing, there are
performances and booths demonstrating and selling traditional arts
and crafts. The fairs have lots of games to play, food to eat, and
performances to see, which attract lots of people. In the temple
fairs you can taste numerous kinds of local snacks, court foods,
and other dishes.
Most temple fairs feature dragon and lion dances, waist drum
dancing, lotus blossom fairy dances, ground and clam dancing, as
well as other folk performances, and some even stage traditional
wedding ceremonies.
For foreigners, a temple fair is definitely a cultural
experience, because it airs Chinese cultures from a very detailed
perspective. While enjoying the samplings of Chinese delicacies,
you can appreciate craftsmanship and artworks displayed by local
artisans.
Nowadays, going to temple fairs has become a Spring Festival
routine for residents in Beijing. This year, ten local temple fairs
will add more joy to your holidays. This is the information about
all temple fairs held in Beijing during the Spring Festival of
2008.
Ditan Temple Fair
Dates: February?6 -- February 13
Venue: Ditan Park, Dongcheng District
Admission: 10 yuan
To get there: Yonghegong (Lama Temple) subway, bus 13, 116 and 62
for the south gate; trolley bus 104, 108, or bus 27, 358, 119, 407,
328, 803 or 912 for the west gate. Also accessible from Andingmen
subway station.
One of the city's busiest temple fairs since 1985, Ditan (Temple
of Earth) Park is the site of the altar where sacrifices were
formerly offered to the earth god. This year's fair will climax
with a performance reenactment of a Qing Dynasty sacrificial
ceremony.
The Ditan Temple Fair will feature reenactments of traditional
Ming and Qing ceremonies to worship the God of Earth. The park is
the site of the altar where sacrifices were once made to the God of
Earth.
This fair is one of Beijing's most popular and long standing.
There will also be a range of folk performances, children's puppet
shows and fashion shows, art exhibitions, ice lanterns and snow
sculptures, and traditional Beijing snacks.
There will be a folk culture garden featuring song and dance of
western China, as well as Red Storm Ditan Rock Concert. On the
south side of the Sacrificial Altar, visitors can sing karaoke.
Other activities include a folk flower fair, an acrobatic show,
Quyi performances, a fashion show, and a tea serving.
Longtan Temple Fair
Dates: February 6 -- February 13
Venue: Longtan Lake Park, Zuoanmennei Dajie, Chongwen
District
Admission:?10 yuan
To get there: Bus routes 807, 12, 6, 60 or 116 take you to the
park
Fair events here are very similar to those in Ditan. There will
be various interactive competitions inviting visitors to join in
arm-wrestling, rock climbing, and chess playing. This year's temple
fair in Longtanhu will also be highlighted by the "2008 Beijing
Olympics" theme.
Activities including an opera show, an acrobatics show, a Quyi
performance, Judo, wrestling, a table tennis competition for
middle-aged and senior people, a folk diabolo-spinning competition
(a game in which a two-headed top is balanced on a string held
between two sticks), "World Carnival' entertainment programs for
children, and delicious snacks from all over the country.
Dongyue Temple Fair
Dates:? February?6 -- February 12
Venue: Dongyue Temple, Chaoyang District
Admission: 10 yuan
To get there: Bus routes 101, 109, 110, 112, 750, 846 or 813 to
Shenlu Jie or 600 meters east of Chaoyangmen subway station (line
2).
Dongyue is one of the oldest temple fairs in Beijing, starting
during the Yuan Dynasty and having its heyday during the Ming and
Qing dynasties. The Culture of "Fu" (Good Fortune) has
been the essence of this temple fair for three centuries.
Performances of lion dances and Dongyue temple music will be
featured this year.
Activities are including an exhibition about "Fu"
culture (including a walk on a "Fu" road, hanging a
"Fu" plate, circling a "Fu" tree and drawing on a
"Fu" canvas), and a folk-custom show featuring various
traditional folk activities. There will also be other activities,
such as a Taoist music performance and a sports competition.
Various artworks, books and snacks will also be
available.?
Baiyunguan Temple Fair
Dates:? February 7 -- February 12
Venue: Baiyun Taoist Temple, Xibianmenwai, Xicheng District.
Admission: 10 yuan
To get there: Take bus routes 320 or 414 to Baiyunguan Station or
114, 308 or 937 to Baiyunlu.
This is the grandest temple fair of west downtown. Baiyunguan
(White Cloud Taoist Temple) is a Taoist temple that is more than
1,000 years old and now hosts the only fair actually held within a
temple.
There will be folk art performances, snacks with local flavor,
and an exhibition of Taoist culture.
Changdian Temple Fair
Dates:? February?7 -- February 12
Venue: Liulichang Street, Xuanwu District. From the Hepingmen
intersection of South Xinhua Street, Xuwu District to the Culture
Square along Hufang Road through the Hufang Bridge Intersection to
the south.
Admission: Free
To get there: Bus routes 5,6, 7, 14, 15, 23, 66, 102, 105 to
Hufangqiao or take subway (Line 2) to Hepingmen station.
The Changdian Temple Fair is often a favorite outing for Beijing
residents during the Lunar New Year. It is a particular draw for
people to buy and sell paintings and calligraphic works, antiques,
articles for daily use, children's toys, food products and seasonal
fruit and vegetables. In addition, acrobatics, magic shows and
opera are all provided for entertainment. This temple fair is
popular among foreigners.
Variety shows, cross-talk shows, traditional lion dance, stilt
dance, and Dancing God of Fortune, rickshaw, and folk wedding
performances will also be staged in this temple fair.
Honglou Temple Fair
Dates:? February?7 -- February 11
Venue: Daguanyuan Park, Xuanwu District
Admission: 10 yuan
To get there: Bus routes 59, 19, 819, 56, 122 or 423 to
Daguanyuan.
This temple fair will be held at Grand View Park, a replica of
the magnificent Daguanyuan garden of an imperial family described
in the well-known Chinese novel A Dream of Red Mansions by
Qing Dynasty writer Cao Xueqin (17l5-l763). Besides the traditional
temple fair events, there will be shows of folk arts, extreme
sports, Chinese kungfu, Kaifeng Pan Drums as well as the
"Two-people show" (Er Ren Zhuan) from northeastern
China.
The opera Concubine Yuan Paying a Visit Home, and
Amusement in Red Mansion which was adapted from the novel
A Dream of Red Mansions, will also be performed. The
scenes of Baoyu Getting Married and Celebrating the
Lady Dowager Jia's Birthday will also be reenacted at the
temple fair.
Hongluo Temple Fair
Dates:? February?7 -- February 12
Venue: Hongluo Temple, Hongluo Scenic Area, Huairou County of
Beijing
Admission: 30 yuan,
To get there: take Bus 916 or 936 from Dongzhimen to Huairou
District and then a 10-minute taxi ride to the temple.
Hongluo Temple Fair is one of the only fairs in Beijing held in
a functioning temple, and many people make the pilgrimage every
year to enjoy the temples profound sense of Buddhist culture and
the scenic splendor of the classical buildings.
During Spring Festival, the abbot will hold prayer meetings and
give benedictions to the visitors.
For the more secular minded, there will also be folk dancing and
acrobatics by Hebei Province's Cangzhou Troupe in the temple
courtyard. Traditional games will also be held, such as "striking
the be" and "hitting the copper cash hole." Traditional Beijing
snacks are, of course, a key feature. Visitors can also see
exhibitions of paintings calligraphy and photographs.
The three durable plants of winter: pine, bamboo and plum
blossom add to the temple's beauty. There are also thousands of
plum blossoms, including pink plum blossoms, red plum blossoms and
weeping willow plum blossoms.
Lianhuachi Temple Fair
Dates:? February?7 -- February 13
Venue: Lianhuachi Park
Admission: 6 yuan
To get there: Take bus routes 323, 324, 300, 368, to Liuliqiao
Beili and go north for 200 meters to reach the west gate of the
park.
Located close to Beijing West Railway Station, the Lotus Pond
(Lianhuachi) Park is regarded as the birthplace of the city of
Beijing, bearing a history of over 3,000 years. The temple fair
here is quite traditional, with more than 100 events going on to
make the park an ideal place to enjoy Chinese folk arts and
food.
Lianhuachi Temple Fair features a special landscape of Huaguo
Mountain and Shuilian Cave, the residence of the Monkey King in
Journey to the West.
Other song and dance performances, such as yangge and
duets of northeast China will be performed, and Shifuxian, or
poem-string, an over 200-year-old folk art on the verge of
extinction will make its debut at the fair.
Shijingshan Temple Fair
Dates:? February?7 -- February 13
Venue: Shijingshan Amusement Park, Shijingshan District
Admission:?5 yuan
To get there: Visitors can get to the park's south gate by taking
the subway to Bajiao Youleyuan. The park is 100 meters west of the
subway station.
Starting from 2000, Shijingshan Temple fair is a foreign-style
temple fair. It is almost like a foreign carnival parade. A cinema
of 4-dimensional movies will open alongside other events this
year.
Exotic performances such as a Japanese fan dance, a Korean
long-drum dance , Latin dance, a Russian song and dance performance
and a cartoon show will be seen on the fair. There will also be
other amusement programs, including those for children.
Chaoyang Temple Fair
Dates:? February?7 -- February 12
Venue: Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang District
Admission: 10 yuan
To get there: Bus routes 31, 302, 705, 731, 750, 752 or 852 to
Chaoyang Park (Chaoyang Gongyuan).
Chaoyang Temple Fair is actually called, Chaoyang International
Carnival. Another foreign-style temple fair in Beijing, the 2006
Changyang International Carnival will offer performances by
renowned bands from the UK and Russia.
People can also go skiing, play games, and enjoy the food of
various countries. This year's carnival will cooperate with local
charity organizations so that people will be able to contribute to
society while enjoying themselves with the diverse
entertainment.
(China.org.cn?January 22, 2008)
