Foreigners fall in love with Beijing's traditional temple fairs

Beijing-flavored temple fairs such as the Old Summer Palace royal temple fair, brush pen, ink stick, paper and ink slab at Liulichang, the century-old stores at Dazhalan, the Red Chamber and folk customs at the Grand View Garden, and the speaking, imitating, teasing and singing at the crosstalk theatre will be presented during the 2010 Spring Festival.

Temple fairs currently have served as a way that foreigners are able to observe  China and experience Beijing's folk customs and culture.

Temple fairs currently have served as a way that foreigners are able to observe China and experience Beijing's folk customs and culture. Foreigners said that it is the simplest and most traditional folk characteristics and cultures, rather than the skyscrapers and busy traffic, that draws them to live in Beijing. Beijing's old temple fairs are certainly among these reasons.

According to historical data, Beijing’s traditional temple fairs date back to the Liao Dynasty, and reached their peak in the Qing Dynasty. They remained popular till the Republic of China period and the early People's Republic of China. Temple fairs are based on the temple, which means that the fairs aren't possible without the temple. Temple fairs were originally intended to let people sacrifice and pray for blessings in temples during the Spring Festival. Some temple fairs are open to the public from the first to the 15th day of the first lunar month, such as the Changdian and Miaofeng Mountain temple fairs, while some are open on specific days, for example, the Qianmen Guandi Temple is open on the first day of the first lunar month, Fortune God Temple in Guanganmenwai on the second day, and Earth God Temple in Xuanwumenwai on the third day. The characteristics of temple fairs vary from region to region. If you want to have a son, you should hang a doll in the Dongyue Temple, and you should touch the stone monkey in the Baiyun Temple to avoid the evil spirits and keep safe. Simple folk beliefs are represented throughout the temple fairs.

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In order to increase the popularity of Beijing's temple fairs among foreigners, the Tourist Bureau of Xuanwu District invited almost 100 foreigners and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to spend the Beijing-style Kitchen God's Day free of charge starting on February 5. In the old Dazhalan Hutong, foreigners will enjoy walnut carving, clay sculpture, hairy monkey egg sculpture and other folk handicrafts, take photos in traditional Peking Opera costumes and receive training in the art of the tea ceremony at the Lao She Tea House, learn to make dumplings and rolled donkey – a traditional Beijing snack, taste traditional dishes with Beijing families, and enjoy traditional artistic performances given in celebration of the Spring Festival.

Mr. Gut, a Canadian who has lived in Beijing for 16 years, told the reporter from the China News Service, "Actually, many foreigners will voluntarily attend the temple fairs even without the invitation to experience the most realistic Chinese elements offered at temple fairs. But the key is that the character of traditional temple fairs should be retained."

Mr. Gut has gone to temple fairs during the Spring Festival for 15 years. He said, "I still remember the scene at the Ditan Temple Fair in the past: there were many visitors, and it was busy and noisy. There were many specialties but a few product types were available, and people were kind to each other. I was always asked to taste food free of charge and play with others I do not know."

"However, something has changed now: though more products are available now, people have become less warm-hearted, and the traditional techniques of some street performers are not as good as they were in the past. All these changes are a result of money. Mr. Gut worried that the temple fair will lose its cultural character and become a tool to make money, because a stall at a temple fair was auctioned for over 200,000 yuan. "

Recently, media described the temple fairs during the 2010 Spring Festival as "colorful," which includes not only the temple fairs featuring the most foreign characteristics, the most beautiful temple fair and the most passionate temple fair, but also the most royal and the most expensive ones. Some foreigners who were interviewed said that they were dazzled by these temple fairs, and they still like the most traditional temple fairs that are noisy and outmoded.

Latove, who is from Germany, holds the view that Beijing, a famous historical and cultural city, should preserve the ancient architectures as well as ancient cultural traditions. The Layangpian, Lotus Melody, hairy monkey, dough sculpture and other folk techniques are able to represent the ancient and cultural traditions. If the Great Wall and Forbidden City are the unmovable memories of this city, these handicraft and techniques that are passed down by mouth and ear or between masters and apprentices are the memories that have been alive for thousands of years.

Mr. Gut is not very excited about the fact that Beijing has launched many "foreigners' temple fairs." He said, "Maybe these temple fairs are only attractive to locals. Foreigners who live in Beijing always want to learn these things that the city and the soul of the entire nation depend on, such as the history of the temple fairs, the role that temple fairs have played in promoting the circulation of products and helping the folk art continue."

Editor: Shi Taoyang | Source: CCTV.com