The temple fair in Beijing is popular because its existence meets the needs of society. Temple fair, also known as temple fair, is related to the religious activities of temples. Temple fairs are held on festivals or specific dates in temples, with some commercial activities. Over time, the religious activities during the temple fair became secondary, but mainly became a popular shopping market to meet the needs of ordinary citizens.
(A) the market to buy daily necessities
Although there are many big shopping malls and department stores on the streets of Beijing, housewives who "live" in old Beijing are reluctant to patronize them. They go to the temple fair to buy things, which are convenient to choose and cheap, and the vendors of the temple fair try their best to meet their needs. The first is all kinds of commodities, pots and pans, daily necessities, clothes, shoes and socks. The quality of goods does not need to be exquisite, as long as they are firm and cheap. Housewives can usually meet their needs for several days after purchasing necessities, so there is no need to hold temple fairs every day in the same area. Temple fair vendors moved all their belongings to another temple fair before the end of one temple fair. Therefore, although the temple fairs in Beijing are different in places, the contents are similar. People who often visit temple fairs know that these people are everywhere.
(2) Holding religious activities
Generally speaking, during the temple fair, it is the time for temples to hold religious activities, but it is often ignored because of its weakness. Among the temples in Beijing, several religious activities are very distinctive.
For example, the Lama plays the ghost: this is a religious ceremony in the Lama Temple. Monks play ghosts; After teaching the Lama to hold the instrument and swim around, he got rid of the "ghost". Double-shadow temples include: Hong Ren Temple on the eighth day of the first month, Yellow Temple on the 15th, Black Temple on the 23rd and Yonghe Palace on the 30th. Another example is the "Town God Patrol" at the Town God Temple, which is also a purely religious activity. On the first day of May every year, there is a "Town God Tour" at the Town God Temple in Daxing County, Dongcheng, and the Town God Temple in wanping county, Xicheng, on April 22nd. At that time, the God of the City God in the temple will be carried out, not only surrounded by ceremonial deacons, but also a number of "stable boy" and well-dressed men and women, all the way to the City God Temple. During the patrol, the audience in the street flooded in. Every year, the White Tower Lantern on125, the boat burning on July 15, and the star lantern on the eighth day of the first month all have a very strong religious atmosphere, but some activities are only religious and do not accompany the temple fair market.
(3) Flower Show Performance
There are various forms of flower fairs, such as Shaolin, Wuhu and Kailu, which are characterized by superb martial arts. Have superb skills to win, such as stilts, badminton, Tai Shi, Shao Shi, rough bars, etc. There are also beautiful and charming dances, such as cars, dry boats, yangko, cymbals and drums. Most of these flower fairs are folk self-entertainment organizations, both in urban and rural areas, and they are very local. Often there is only one similar flower show in dozens of miles in Fiona Fang, which is very authoritative. Generally speaking, the activity time of the rural flower party is in winter, and the urban flower party can have activities at ordinary times. Such as the opening ceremony of temples, temple fairs and major festivals, are well received by the public, and every flower show is crowded with audiences. When the flower show moves, it often blocks the streets and traffic.
The flower show specially performed at the temple fair is called the Xiangdao Fair. During the pilgrimage, all kinds of flowers will gather together, which is very spectacular. The biggest flower show in Beijing is Miaofengshan Temple Fair. By then, flowers from Tianjin, Hebei and other surrounding areas will come to Chaoshan, and similar flowers will compete for their skills, each with its own unique skills, which is staggering. It is said that Chaoshan flowers will pass by the north wall of the Summer Palace. Cixi in the garden heard the sound of gongs and drums and was eager to see the market, but she couldn't leave the garden at will, so she built a remote Zhai on the wall of the garden and looked down at the partition wall. The flowers outside the garden knew that the queen mother was watching the performance, so they deliberately performed in the square, forming a long routine. If the flowers pass this level, they will perform stunts on the field.
Several typical temple fairs in old Beijing in the past
(1) Chenghuang Temple
The Town God Temple enshrines the immortal who guards Beijing-the Lord of the Town God. In this area of Fangcheng Street. A fire in the late Qing Dynasty destroyed the temple. However, this ancient temple is closely related to the economic development of old Beijing and is the birthplace of Beijing Temple Fair. In the Ming dynasty, the temple fair of the capital city god temple was quite large. The Travel Notes of Yan Dou in the Ming Dynasty said: "The temple fair is named after the Town God Temple, which is the capital of the west of the city. West to the temple, east to the street of punishments, about three miles, roughly the same as the lantern market. " On the first, fifteenth and twenty-fifth day of the first month of each month, the market will be opened, and there will be one more day of lights. "The annual Lantern Festival in the Ming Dynasty can stir the9 cities, and its grand occasion can be imagined.
In the Qing Dynasty, in addition to the three-day temple fair every month, officials of Taichang Temple also held a grand ceremony to worship the city god on May 11th of the lunar calendar every year. At that time, pilgrims and tourists will come in an endless stream, and small vendors and vendors will gather here to sell loudly and make a noise. "Downtown" is a place name that records the grand occasion of the temple fair at that time. Because the temple fair "swims with stuffing, so many weeds steal to cut locks", there will inevitably be fights, thus leaving the proverb "downtown is often noisy, Taiping Bridge is not peaceful".
There are not only various commodities for food, clothing, housing and transportation, but also rare treasures at the temple fair. Even some foreign businessmen rushed to the temple fair to do business. There is such a record in the Ming Dynasty: "A businessman with blue eyes, a pilgrim, has a million dollars around his waist and talks a lot." With the development of society, the temple fair of Chenghuang Temple gradually declined and was replaced by the temple fair of Guanganmen Guobao Temple. Soon, the Liulichang market replaced the national temple fair.
(2) Land Temple
The Land Temple, also known as the Capital Land Temple, is located in the west of Xiaxie Street outside Xuanwu Gate. The scale of the temple is not large, and the scale of the temple fair is not small. There are temple fairs every Wednesday, mainly for business activities. "Records of Shuntian Prefecture in Guangxu" said: "There is a temple fair every ten days, and the tourists are mixed, which is equal to two temple fairs, namely, National Insurance and Longfu." Being able to compete with the temple fair known as the "East-West Temple" shows that its grand occasion is extraordinary. Vendors' stalls and cultural performance venues are mostly around temple fairs, and stalls in spring and autumn can be placed on Guang 'anmen Street.
The land temple is surrounded by working people, vegetable farmers and flower farmers in ordinary cities. Therefore, most of the temple fairs in the Land Temple are daily utensils, pots and pans, small and medium-sized farm tools, seeds and seedlings that ordinary citizens need, and there are few things that the rich like, such as precious diamonds and antique calligraphy and painting. Flower trading at temple fairs is a major feature of land temple fairs. Because it is adjacent to the 18th Village of Fengtai, the hometown of flowers, the flowers here are far superior to other temple fairs. There are many kinds of flowers, and there are many exotic flowers and herbs. There is also a special commodity in the temple fair of the Land Temple, which is a feather duster. Old Beijingers use it for cleaning, which is an indispensable indoor decoration. Especially before the Spring Festival, feather dusters are an indispensable tool for every household.
In the early days of the founding of New China, the temple fairs of the Earth Temple flourished for a while. There are not many temple fairs now, but the temple buildings are still there, but they are no longer recognized as folk houses.
(3) Baita Temple
Baita Temple is in the north of Fuchengmennei Street in Beijing. The veritable Miaoying Temple is a famous temple in Beijing. Because there is a Tibetan stupa in the temple, all white, commonly known as Baita Temple, but little known. The temple fair of Baita Temple is held on May 6th of the lunar calendar, which is one of the main temple fairs in Beijing. Notes on Old Beijing at the end of the Qing Dynasty said: "Those who gather for a certain period of time, Wednesday Land Temple, April 5th Baita Temple, July 8th Temple for Protecting the Country, and Ninety Long Fu Temple, are collectively called Four Temple Cities, with a view to gathering. The temple fairs of Baita Temple and Huguo Temple are basically the same, because Baita Temple and Huguo Temple are not only adjacent, but also have similar dates. During the temple fair, in addition to mountain products, department stores, food, toys, agricultural products and other similar temple fairs, wooden bowl stalls are its characteristics. " "A Brief Introduction to the Cultural Relics of the Old Capital" said: "The wooden bowls and flowers of Baita Temple and the wooden and bamboo utensils of the Earth Temple are unique. "The market selling canned crickets, gourds and birdcages is also a unique market of Baita Temple Fair. These things not only have their practicality, but also have become exquisite works of art because of their exquisite production and complicated technology.
After the founding of New China, Baita Temple Fair stopped after the public-private partnership.
(4) Huguo Temple
Huguosi is located in the north of Xisipailou, Xicheng, Beijing, and the west exit of Huguosi Street. Temple fairs are arranged on the seventh and eighth days of each month in the lunar calendar. There are many stalls and commodities in Huguosi Temple Fair, where you can not only buy commodities, but also listen to cross talk and watch variety shows. Eating, wearing, using and playing really have everything. There is a saying in "Ci of Zhi Zhu in Kyoto": "The East and West temples are genuine, which can cost millions a day. How many noble people are here, and the clothes are still fragrant. "
Jade stalls are very popular at the temple fair of Huguo Temple. Beijing has been an imperial capital for generations, and many superb craftsmen are concentrated in Beijing, making Beijing a jade producing area. During the temple fair, dignitaries like to visit jade stalls. Cake shops and vermicelli shops are also big industries at temple fairs. Fans include cheap cattail fans, middle-grade feather fans, high-grade folding fans and round fans. Folding fans and round fans are not only engraved with patterns, but also inlaid with pearls and jade gems. There are also painters' paintings and calligraphers' inscriptions on the fan. Usually a fan is a precious work of art.
(5) Long Fu Temple
Long Fu Temple, located on the west side of Dongsipailou in Dongcheng, Beijing, is one of the famous temples in Beijing. At the beginning, the temple was full of incense, which was the east temple of the "East-West Temple". There is a temple fair every ten days. So the land is prosperous and there are many tourists. Some vendors don't go for a day or two in order to make more money, so the temple fair in Long Fu Temple will be changed from every ten days to every nine, ten, one, two or four days.
Long Fu Temple Fair ranks first in Beijing Temple Fair. In Old News in the Sun? Say: "...? There is a temple fair on the ninth and tenth day of each month, and the department store is the highest in the temple fair. " "The Story of Yanjing at the Age of Four" said: "On the day of opening the temple, there were many department stores, including pearls, jade, silk, clothes, food, antiques, calligraphy and painting, flowers, birds, fish and insects, and other common daily necessities, such as stars and acrobatics. This is a big city conference in the capital. "There are many jewels, jade articles and Wan Wen antiques at the temple fair. Qi Diao's business here is also very prosperous. The most distinctive snack is Long Fu Temple, which is varied and changes with the seasons. So far, the snack bar here is quite famous, retaining some traditional varieties and being welcomed by old Beijingers. At temple fairs, stalls in front of foreign Cigarette Cards are often crowded with people. In the past, some people collected foreign paintings, similar to collecting stamps now, thus creating a "free market" for foreign Cigarette Cards. The back door of Long Fu Temple leads to Liang Qian Hutong, and there are beggars on both sides, waiting for the people who come to the temple to give alms.
After the founding of New China, the government concentrated all kinds of vendors in the shed in front of the temple, fixed their stalls and operated independently. It was called "Dongsi People's Market" and later changed to a state-owned department store. In 1980s, the business shed with only one floor in front was demolished and replaced by an eight-story commercial building with advanced equipment, which was renamed as "Long Fu Building". The original Long Fu Temple has disappeared.
(6) Factory site
Changdian is located in Liulichang area outside Heping Gate in Beijing. There is a temple fair every year from the first day to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, which is the most crowded and lively place during the Spring Festival in old Beijing. At that time, few people did not visit the factory.
For the safety of the Forbidden City and the royal family, the part of the lantern market in Donghuamen and dengshikou moved to Liulichang. At this time, Lantern Festival lights are hung in the shed, which is very lively. Outside Xuanwu Gate, the provincial halls are concentrated. Candidates from all provinces often live here, and prefer to visit Liulichang in their spare time, which has played a certain role in promoting the development of Liulichang bookstore, cultural relics and Nanzhi store.
In the middle and late Qing Dynasty, some nouveau riche in the society were arty and bought many books for display at home. People who don't know about cultural relics also buy celebrity calligraphy and paintings and famous porcelain bronzes, which also promotes the prosperity of the ancient cultural relics industry in Liulichang.
The temple fair in Changdian was gradually formed by watching lanterns, and its scale was considerable from the Qianlong period. Temple fairs are almost all-encompassing, and all kinds of goods are available. People who visit temple fairs include workers, peasants, soldiers, Confucian businessmen and people from all walks of life. Men, women and children can gain something by going to the factory.
In the early days of the founding of New China, after the merger of joint ventures, there were few shops in Liulichang. After the Third Plenary Session, the government invested in restoring Liulichang Cultural Street. Since the National Day of 1985, many shops have opened one after another, receiving Chinese and foreign guests with a brand-new look, and Liulichang has become a veritable cultural street.
(7) Baiyun Temple
Baiyun Temple is located outside Xibianmen in Beijing, east of Baiyun Road outside Fuxingmen. There is a temple fair every year from the first day to the nineteenth day of the first lunar month. Mainly religious activities.
Baiyun Temple is the largest Taoist temple in Beijing, known as "the first jungle of truth". The main activities of the opening ceremony of Baiyun Temple in the first month are "Meeting the Immortals", "idolize", "Playing with Money" and "Touching the Stone Monkeys". Legend has it that on the 19th day of the first month, Qiu Chuji will come to those who are doomed to turn over. During the temple fair, the most popular products were incense paper and tin foil statues, followed by various foods and children's toys, and few daily necessities. There will also be a folk flower show during the session, where lions, stilts and dry boats will perform incense, and gongs and drums will continue to be very lively.
Another pleasant activity to visit Baiyun Temple is riding donkeys. 1987, the "Spring Festival Folk Temple Fair" of Baiyun Temple resumed riding donkeys. At present, Baiyun Temple is the seat of the Chinese Taoist Association, which has resumed its religious activities and opened to the outside world.
In addition to the above-mentioned famous temple fairs, there are five temple fairs in old Beijing: the Temple of Wealth, Chaoyue Dongyue Temple and Pantao Palace. Temple fairs in suburban counties of Beijing are also very distinctive. In addition to the aforementioned Miao Feng, Yuan Jun Temple in Bi Xia in Y Jishan, Tan Kai in Bailongtan, prayer flags in Jietai Temple, Devil in Tiantai Mountain and Seventy-two Divisions in Xiding Niangniang Temple are all famous.
With the development of society, temple fairs in Beijing have come to an end in the early days of the founding of New China. Because there are fewer and fewer religious superstitions; Various forms of entertainment are blooming, and the flower show is relatively inferior; Mass shopping does not take temple fairs as the main market, so temple fairs naturally tend to be eliminated. During the "Cultural Revolution", the temple fair was completely swept away as the "four modernizations", so the temple fair disappeared.
In recent years, with the development of tourism and the enrichment of people's lives, in order to promote national culture and develop national economy, Beijing resumed the Spring Festival temple fair, which revived the folk activities that had been interrupted for decades. The larger one belongs to ditan temple fair, and others include Longtan Temple Fair and Baiyunguan Temple Fair. There are snacks, folk flowers, skill performances and so on at the temple fair. Many snacks are Beijing-style foods that have been closed for many years, such as scones, fried braised pork, eight-treasure tea soup and so on. There are lions, stilts, trams and boating. There are some techniques in folk flowers, such as playing traditional Chinese characters, pulling foreign films, and double-reed. It's really colorful, dazzling and eye-opening. The temple fair in Dazhong Temple resumed the custom of "paying attention to money". Activities in parks and temples are held around the Spring Festival.
References:
http://www.btv.org/spring/content_48.html