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.