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Enjoy Temple Fairs in Beijing2005/02/01
Text by Winnie Li To have a lot of fun outdoors during the Spring Festival, attend one of Beijing's many temple fairs. Temple fairs usually occur from the first to the seventh day of the first month on the lunar calendar. This year, that corresponds to February 9-15, 2005. Traditional Temple FairsChangdian Temple FairThe 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 Free Temple of Earth Temple Fair2005 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 FairThis 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 FairThis 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 FairLongtan 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 FairAt 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 FairsWestern 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 ParkLocation: 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 ParkLocation: 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 FairIn 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 |
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