Two Beijing Temple Fairs for Lunar New Year

Channel: Cultural Keys Published: February 21, 2024 Duration: 5:07 Views: 986

What this video shows

A presenter from the channel Cultural Keys visits two Lunar New Year temple fairs in Beijing on the same day, comparing how each one is run. The first takes place at Tongzhou Grand Canal Park, where the focus is on games, food stalls and traditional crafts. The second is held at Dongyue Temple, an active religious site founded in 1319 and rebuilt several times, which the presenter describes as one of the more traditional temple fair locations in the city. The video ends with a direct comparison of the two venues.

At a glance

LocationBeijing (Tongzhou Grand Canal Park and Dongyue Temple)
SettingLarge city
What it coversTwo Lunar New Year temple fairs compared
Costs mentionedRMB 30 for a box of food filled with pork (about $4.20); described as expensive
Time of dayDaytime visit during the first four to five days of the New Year

What stands out

Temple fairs in Beijing run only during the first four or five days of the New Year, and the video notes these were the first held since February 2019. The presenter explains their origin: as rituals at Daoist and Buddhist temples grew more elaborate and temples competed for followers, fairs were originally tied to important religious festivals but are now mainly a Spring Festival event. At Dongyue Temple the atmosphere differs sharply from the park fair — fewer visitors, an actual working temple, and worshippers coming to pay respects to deities such as the god of Good Fortune. Plaster statues of lesser gods from the Daoist afterlife line the main courtyard. Food pricing draws a blunt reaction, with a box of pork-filled items at RMB 30 (about $4.20) called tiny and expensive.

Video transcript

today we're going to visit two different Temple fairs here in Beijing our first stop today tongo Grand Canal Park Temple fairs are held in the first four or 5 Days of the New Year and there's lots to see and do games foods and traditional and traditional crafts in Beijing Temple fairs are an essential part of how people celebrate Spring Festival and this is the first time they've been held since since February February 2019 Temple fair started when rituals in DST and Buddhist temples became more and more elaborate as the temples competed for for

followers originally they would have been held on important religious festivals but now they are mainly held at New Year or spring festival as it's known in oh okay which to me are like Min long B but she tells me they're completely different absolutely tiny bloody expensive 30 for a box stuff with box stuff with pork why is it I always buy the hottest food okay let's try our second temple affair today is here at d a DS Temple and probably one of the most Trad additional locations for a temple fair in Beijing let's go and take a look D Temple was founded

in 1319 although it has been rebuilt many times around the edges of the main Courtyard there are fascinating plaster statues of the many lesser Gods found in the DST afterlife so coming to donga Temple Fair the first thing you'll notice is number one there's a lot fewer people here number two of course it's actually inside a real Temple and three and perhaps most importantly it's somewhat more traditional than the temple fair that we experienced at the Canal Park for example because this is an active Temple people actually come here to do things like

well give praise to Gods like taien the god of Good Fortune you and that's our two Temple fairs for today thank you so much for joining us we hope that you've learned something new and perhaps seen something different and maybe we've even inspired you to visit a temple Fair next year thanks very much see you next time

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