Beijing Temple Fair
 For foreigners, temple fair is definitely a cultural experience, because it shows Chinese culture from a very detailed perspective. While enjoying the samplings of Chinese delicacies, you can appreciate craftsmanship and artworks displayed by local artisans.
The temple fair is a kind of social activity in China. Legend has it that it originated in ancient times when people offered sacrifices to the village god, which later gradually evolved into a market place for people to exchange products and a place for cultural performance. Temple fair in old China had a unique status in ordinary people's life. It is the time to worship gods, pray for the blessing. It is also a great time to have fun. All the traditional shows went on at the temple fairs, talk shows, banner shows, kongfu shows, lion shows, etc. It became a paradise for the kids. Fortunately this century old tradition is still preserved today.
The temple fair, usually on the open ground in or near a temple, is held on festive or specified days. Some are held only during the Spring Festival. Although different places hold their temple fair at various dates, the contents are similar. Farmers and merchants sell their farm produce, local specialties, and antiques, jade articles, flowers, birds and fish; craftsmen set up their stalls to show and sell their handicrafts and specialty snacks; folk artists establish a stage for singing, dance, and quyi performance. Ordinary people come to the temple fair to buy and sell goods, watch the performances, and sample snacks, giving the temple fair a bustling atmosphere.
Beijing's temple fair originated during the Liao Dynasty and continued through several dynasties including the Yuan, the Ming and the Qing. Because it begins around the temple, it is called the "temple" fair. There were always some small traders and peddlers who set up various stalls outside the temple to earn money from people who came to the temple to burn joss sticks and worship Buddha. Gradually the temple fair became a regular activity and is now a local folk custom in Beijing.
The temple fairs in Beijing may roughly be divided into three kinds: One is the monthly temple fair, during the later period of the monthly temple fairs the rural fair develops with many businesses and entertainment. There is also a temporary temple fair opened according to convention whenever there are traditional festivals or something related to sacrificial offering activities for Buddhism or Taoism. The characteristic of this kind of temple fair is that they are often held primarily for religious activities; however, some commodities and toys will be available for purchase, and folk entertainers put on performances. The third kind of temple fair is for multi-professions. In the past, many professions had a common practice of sacrificing offerings to their founders, once a year. Generally they hold the fair on the birthday of the founder of their own profession.
Now, Beijing holds temple fair every Spring Festival. Relatively famous temple fairs are those of the White Cloud Temple, the Altar of Earth, Dragon Pool and the Temple of Intense Happiness. Temple fairs in Beijing have preserved many traditional customs, such as riding a monkey to stroll around the temple fair and throwing coins through the hole in the center of a copper coin in the White Cloud Temple. Many goods sold in the temple fair have typical northern features, such as toys like diabolo, pinwheel, knife, spear, sword and halberd; big sugarcoated haws on a stick and gruel of millet flour and sugar are widely popular among common people. Various artistic folk performances, rich tasty snacks of Beijing and the folk handicrafts are the most attractive points of this fair. The yangge), stilts, land boat, lion dance all pass by in front of your eyes; playing the steel fork, tiger stick showing, gong and drum beating; performing again and again for your enjoyment. You may also buy clay, bristled figurines, dough figurines and paper-cuts, which are characteristic of local culture and Beijing charm. If you are lucky you may also find genuine Chinese antiques of fine quality at reasonable prices.
Traditional Temple Fairs
 Changdian Temple Fair
The Changdian Temple Fair is Beijing's oldest and best known temple fair. It reopened in 2001, after a 37-year absence.
In the old days, Beijingers had a choice of eight temple fairs to attend, but Changdian was always the most popular. It was originally held on open ground outside of Liulichang, now a pedestrian shopping street full of curio and antique shops.
Changdian has everything you'd expect of a temple fair, a mixture of the traditional and modern. Performances include martial arts, acrobatics, Peking Opera, pop music and folk dancing. Vendors from far and wide come to set up shop and sell books, magazines, paintings, toys, tasty snacks, and dried and fresh fruit. There's plenty of food to tempt you including sugar-coated haw berries speared onto metre-long sticks, hot sweet potatoes and sticky pancakes. You can also find traditional Chinese crafts such as kites and painted masks taken from Peking Opera characters to buy. Acrobats and other performers are on hand to keep the crowds entertained throughout the day.
Location: Nan Xinhua Jie, one mile south of the Hepingli subway station, Xuanwu District
宣武区南新华街厂甸庙会
How to get there: Subway: Go to Hepingmen Station; bus Nos. 6, 14, 15, 25, 50, 53, 57, 102, 105
Tel: +86 10 8354 0687
Temple of Earth Temple Fair
2005 is the 20th anniversary of the Temple of Earth Temple Fair. A variety of opera performances, a flower fair, acrobatics shows, paintings, calligraphy and old books will dazzle you during your Spring Festival stay in Beijing.
Location: Andingmenwai, Dongcheng District
东城区安定门外地坛庙会
How to get there: Subway: Andingmen Station; bus Nos. 18, 27, 44, 62, 104, 108, 113, 119, 124, 407, 850
Tel: +86 10 8424 2562
Admission: 6 yuan
Grand View Garden Temple Fair
This beautiful park served as the setting for the famous TV series "A Dream of Red Mansions," based on the classic Chinese novel of the same name. A large parade of the imperial family and the "twelve beauties" as described in the novel, plus a Peking Opera performance based on A Dream of Red Mansions are the main attractions here.
There's also a book market and a folk arts and crafts market.
Location: Grand View Garden, 12 Nancaiyuan Xijie, Xuanwu District
宣武区南菜园西街12号大观园红楼庙会
How to get there: Bus Nos. 19, 49, 59, 61, 122, 351, 410, 414, 716, 816, 819, 922, 937
Tel: +86 10 6354 4994, 6354 4993
Admission: 8 yuan
White Cloud Temple Fair
This quiet Taoist Temple is transformed into a busy marketplace during Spring Festival. Aside from the usual calligraphy, seals and kites, you can listen to traditional Peking Opera, take a ride in a sedan chair and take part in a ritual called "touching the three godly monkeys" at the temple gate to be blessed throughout the year
Location: Xibianmenwai, Xicheng District
西城区西便门外白云观庙会
How to get there: Bus Nos. 19, 708, 717, 727, 937
Tel: +86 10 6346 3531
Longtan Lake Park Temple Fair
Longtan Lake Park, a beautiful and relaxing park, becomes a bustling, chaotic fair packed with people and activities during the Spring Festival. While you munch on numerous snacks sold at lakeside, join in an open chess competition. Other sports activities draw large crowds, such as judo, wrestling, boxing and taikwando.
Location: 1 kilometre east of the Temple of Heaven, inside Longtan Lake Park
崇文区龙潭湖公园庙会
How to get there: Bus Nos. 6, 12, 60, 116, 352, 807
Tel: +86 10 6714 4336
Red Snail Temple Fair
At Red Snail Temple, aside from watching the temple's ceremonies of worship, there are folk activities such as scroll writing, paper cutting and lantern-riddle guessing. Seasonal local delicacies including chestnuts, almonds, and xiyangshen (ginseng, a kind of fruit considered good for the health) are also big attractions.
Location: Red Snail Temple area
怀柔区红螺寺庙会
How to get there: Bus 916 to Huairou District, then take a taxi.
Tel: +86 10 6068 1175
Modern Temple Fairs
Western influences have penetrated most aspects of Chinese life and temple fairs are no exception. If you want a change from the traditional Chinese temple fair, get down to Chaoyang Park, Shijingshan Amusement Park or Lotus Pool Temple Fair for a westernised temple fair with dancing, concerts, street snacks, fashion shows and parades.
Chaoyang Park
Location: 1 Nongzhan Lu, Chaoyang Distict
朝阳区农展路1号朝阳公园庙会（国际风情节）
How to get there: Bus Nos. 43, 250, 350
Tel: +86 10 6506 5409
Admission: 10 yuan
 Shijingshan Amusement Park
Location: north of Bajiao Subway Station, Shijingshan District
石景山游乐园洋庙会
How to get there: Subway to Bajiao Amusement Park; Bus Nos. 337, 728, 747, 917
Tel: +86 10 6886 2547
Admission: 6 yuan
Lotus Pool Temple Fair
In addition to the flower fair, horsemanship shows and figure skating are novel attractions at modern temple fairs, a fun place to visit.
Location: Liuliqiao Lu
莲花池庙会
How to get there: go to the west side of the South Square of the West Railway Station; use bus Nos. 1, 4, 6, 50, 122, 221, 300, 324, 410, 822
Tel: +86 10 6398 2357
Admission: 5 yuan
 Beijing Attractions
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