After years of hiatus, traditional temple fairs in Beijing are making a comeback during the Spring Festival. The Temple of Earth, the Dragon Pool, Changdian, Daguan Garden, Shijingshan Amusement Park, and Badachu are all busy preparing fairs for the festivities. Additionally, popular tourist attractions like the Summer Palace, Zhongshan Park, Yuyuantan, and Hongluo Temple will also host a variety of traditional flower exhibitions and garden activities.
【One】 The temple fairs of Beijing in the past
Temple fairs, also known as temple markets, can be traced back to the Xia and Shang dynasties. The name "temple" comes first because the origin and naming of the fairs are closely related to temples.
Initially, temple fairs were held to worship gods and ancestors. Influenced by religions such as Buddhism and Taoism, temple fairs incorporated religious rituals and beliefs. Whenever such ceremonies were held, devotees would flock to burn incense and worship gods. The continuous flow of visitors caught the attention of merchants, who set up stalls from all directions, gradually turning the temple fairs into commercial events closely linked to the daily lives of the people.
From ancient artifacts and calligraphy supplies to fabrics and kitchenware, temple fairs have everything one needs in terms of clothing and food. Folk artists are also a highlight of temple fairs, showcasing their talents and performing various acrobatics, songs, and dances. Over time, temple fairs have become representative of traditional Chinese folk culture. With religious beliefs and cultural heritage, they reflect the colors of the times and the diversity of people's lives, recording the rich and varied customs of the Spring Festival.
Temple fairs across the country are lively and unique, each with its own characteristics. Among them, Beijing temple fairs are particularly representative and serve as typical examples for studying the cultural and folk customs of the Chinese New Year.
The temple fairs of Beijing originated in the Liao Dynasty, developed during the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties, and flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. According to historical records, the earliest Beijing temple fair was held at the City God Temple, located in today's Chengfang Street, north of the current Fuxingmen. Liu Dong's "Brief Description of the Scenic Spots in the Imperial Capital" provides detailed records of the scale and prosperity of the temple fair during the Ming Dynasty. Due to the bustling atmosphere of the temple fair, the area around the City God Temple is still referred to as the "Naoshikou (Noisy Market)."
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing temple fairs became even more vibrant, and "strolling through the temple fair" became a daily activity for the people of the capital. "Qingbai Leichao" states: "Each temple in the capital holds a market fair, with abundant goods and a constant flow of visitors. It is commonly known as 'strolling through the temple fair'." In an era with limited transportation, many people rented donkeys to visit the Baiyun Temple fair, leading to the emergence of a "Donkey Market Road" near Fuchengmen, which later became the well-known Lishi Road.
[Two] Temple fairs and the festive atmosphere
During festivals and holidays, people from all over gather at grand markets to purchase New Year's goods, visit temples to pray for peace, and engage in leisure and entertainment activities. Temple fairs fulfill all these festive needs. As the political and cultural center of the country, Beijing's temple fairs not only gather local specialties from various regions but also offer a wide range of cultural products, collectibles, and rare items. As the Lunar New Year approaches, when people visit temple fairs, they not only find everything they need for the holiday but also enjoy performances by artists and perhaps come across unexpected treasures to take home.
"The most famous ones are Dazhong Temple outside the northern city, Baiyun Temple outside the western city, and Huoshen Temple (Changdian) in the southern city... On the fifth and sixth days of the Lunar New Year, the temple fair starts to become lively, and children are particularly enthusiastic about going there, where they can also buy toys that are unique to the New Year. On the square outside Baiyun Temple, there are chariot and horse races, and it is said that there used to be camel races for the elderly. These races are not about competing for first or second place, but about showcasing the beautiful postures and skills of the horses and riders in front of the audience," as described by Lao She in "Beijing's Spring Festival." From this, it can be seen that Beijing's temple fairs are not just about buying and selling, but also about rich and colorful folk arts as commercial markets and cultural stages centered around the Spring Festival.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the landscape of temple fairs in Beijing changed, but the enthusiasm of the citizens for visiting temple fairs did not diminish. The Beijing Daily once reported that on the first day of the Lunar New Year in 1957, 100,000 people visited Changdian: "From the south of the Education Administration College to the south gate of Nanxinhua Street, it was packed with tourists. The sound of spinning tops, windmills, the drums and gongs of stilt walkers, and the laughter of people echoed together."
During certain historical periods, Beijing's temple fairs temporarily faded from the public's view. After the reform and opening up, temple fairs returned to the public. In the spring of 1983, the Cultural Bureau of Chongwen District discovered six folk flower fairs and supported them to hold grand "walking meetings" along Xingfu Lane, Sanzhuan Bridge, and other places. On the first day of the Lunar New Year the following year, the six flower fairs also performed in Longtan Park, marking the beginning of a new era of temple fairs in Beijing.
With the establishment of Longtan Temple Fair in 1984 and Ditan Temple Fair in 1985, Beijing's temple fairs officially revived. Visiting temple fairs with family members became an indispensable activity for many families during the Spring Festival.
While New Year's Eve dinners and other customs are about individual family gatherings, temple fairs are about the city coming together in celebration. The Spring Festival is the most festive time of the year, and the temple fairs take this celebration to the extreme. No matter how times change, temple fairs are still unique in the hearts of Beijing's people, adding to the rich flavour of Beijing of the past during the Lunar New Year.
[Three] Culture is the core of temple fairs
There was a time when many felt that the traditional festive atmosphere had faded away; even though temple fairs were lively, some people lamented that the festive and local flavors were not as strong as before.
Temple fairs have become somewhat repetitive, with little variation from one to the next. Especially in the age of the internet, temple fairs have lost their appeal for young people. E-commerce is booming, completely changing the way young people shop, and urban entertainment activities are diverse, offering young people more options for leisure and entertainment. Signs of the decline of temple fairs have appeared in various places, sparking discussions on how temple fairs can adapt to young people and keep up with the times.
The Changdian Temple Fair is the first temple fair in China to be listed as a national intangible cultural heritage site. In the early years of its revival in the 1980s, the Changdian Temple Fair reportedly featured more than 30 flower performances. The Zhongfan in Tianqiao, the puppet Yangge in Yanqing, the butterfly-catching in Miyun, the Taiping drum in Mentougou, and the wrestling in Huairou were particularly popular. The fair even set up a gate tower from Haiwang Village and built tea and film studios, which were filled with long benches, exuding a traditional atmosphere. However, such scenes are rare nowadays.
The festive atmosphere and local flavors are the key elements of Beijing temple fairs. In order to maintain the long-standing attachment of the people of Beijing to temple fairs, efforts should be made to enhance the two elements.
From the origin and development of temple fairs, culture is the core and soul of temple fairs, while commercial aspects are supplementary. Both of them can complement each other, but if commercialism overshadows cultural value, it becomes a case of sacrificing the essence for the form, making it difficult for temple fairs to sustain their development.
[Four] Performing new plays at the old temple fair
In order to make temple fairs more exciting, it is necessary to learn from popular cultural and tourism cities and draw inspiration from them. The recent success of Harbin in the cultural and tourism industry can be seen as a city-wide temple fair. Although Beijing's cultural genes and historical resources are different from "Erbin," there are lessons to be learned from it in terms of improving quality, enriching products, and providing good services.
Hot air balloons floating over the Songhua River, an artificial moon hanging over the Sofia Cathedral, "ice terracotta warriors" carved in the Ice and Snow World, the Ewenki people parading with reindeer on the Central Street, penguins with backpacks in the Polar Park for "fun learning," and the Byzantine-style Sofia Cathedral, Gothic-style Christian churches, and Jewish-style synagogue, together with the Central Street featuring various European architectural styles such as Baroque and Renaissance... The authentic ice and snow landscapes, the north-eastern cuisine, the distinctive north-eastern dialect and northern humour, and the fusion of Chinese, Russian and European styles create a vibrant atmosphere and local flavour for the "Erbin Temple Fair" all together.
From the "roasting" trend in Zibo to the "fan culture" in Harbin, every city that has become popular has its own "formula" for attracting attention. Cultural dissemination that goes all out and enthusiastic service can provide insights for rejuvenating the old Beijing temple fair, which is a well-established IP. Only by gaining recognition from both Local Pekinger and new citizens can temple fairs win the applause of the residents and spark the interest of young people, thus rejuvenating the temple fair with new vitality.
Of course, the most important thing is to maintain respect for the traditional culture and have a sense of responsibility in inheriting the temple fair culture. Breaking away from the homogeneity of temple fairs requires a sincere attitude and innovative thinking. For this year's Spring Festival, Beijing's temple fairs have been carefully upgraded: for example, the Changdian Temple Fair will invite old bookstores and businesses from Liulichang Cultural Street to participate, adding more cultural activities. In Badachu Park, various scenes with cultural characteristics have been set up, including a themed lantern passage, a wishing tree, a retro courtyard from half a century ago and an old camera exhibition, inviting people to experience the authentic Beijing flavour. The "Splendid Cultural Temple Fair" organised by Zhonghua Book Company brings together book cultural creations, intangible cultural heritage handicrafts, lectures on ancient Beijing culture, traditional cultural exhibitions, tea drinking and entertainment in a small space in front of the bookstore, creating a vibrant window to showcase the city's culture and temperament, despite being the smallest temple fair in Beijing.
Temple fairs used to be the Spring Festival carnival for the people of Beijing. As the Year of the Dragon approaches, many well-prepared temple fair performances are about to begin. Will it become the highlight of the Spring Festival cultural activities and even reestablish itself as a cultural symbol of the capital's New Year celebrations? Let's wait and see!
