Festival Fairs

by Mick Jones

Temples were often a focus of trading activities in Old China, as business people tried to take advantage of the frequent comings and goings of worshipers. At the time of the lunar New Year, however, these activities expanded to include all manner of special commercial and entertainment events, giving birth to the phenomenon of the temple fair.

Temple-going for the rest of the year may have declined to minimal levels, but for the duration of the Spring Festival the most popular of these fairs attract huge crowds. Much of what is on offer is fairly tatty stuff that draws regretful sighs from older people --who will cheer up if you give them the chance to tell you how much better it was in the old days --but around the fringes are some sights of authentic interest, especially for lovers of the slightly bizarre.

The best examples are the many small-scale circus acts that come in from rural areas. For the price of a few yuan you may be treated to nothing better than cheap magic tricks with the wires showing, but you may also get lucky and see a man swallow a live snake and then pull it back up again. Performers who put snakes up their nose and then pull them out of their mouth are also common. Some of the qigong practitioners can also be genuinely impressive --last year I saw one run his hands the length of a red-hot chain without any apparent ill effects (the cloud of vapour that arose left little doubt that he had really been in contact with the metal).

Otherwise, the fairs are mainly an excuse to mingle with the crowds and check out how the locals enjoy themselves, and to try out every imaginable kind of street food. Strolling, eating, and taking photos are really what it's all about. So wrap up warm, pack your camera, and take some kids --they'll love it (especially the snake part).

Recommend Places:

Longtanhu
White Cloud Temple
Ditan Park
Grand View Garden