When it comes to temple fairs in ancient China, many people think of "temples" and think that "temples" are Taoist temples. "Temple Fair" is a gathering for sacrifice, entertainment and shopping held near the temple. In fact, this understanding is only the late meaning of temple fairs, which was not the case in ancient times. Regarding the emergence of "Temple", Song Dynasty scholar Gao Cheng believed that it began with Xuanyuan Huangdi in The Origin of Everything. He said: "The emperor ascended to heaven, and the courtiers admired him and built a temple with some sticks, so he visited the temple once and the temple began." It can be seen that the "temples" of the Three Dynasties were places where the ruling class offered sacrifices to their ancestors. Xu Shen said in Shuo Wen Jie Zi: "The temple respects the ancestors (Mao Mao)." A Qing Dynasty Duan Yucai commented: "The temples of the ancients were dedicated to ancestors, and the people who built temples for the gods, not for the temples, began after three generations." It can also be explained that temples in Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties were only places where emperors and nobles sacrificed their ancestors. The so-called "national event lies in worshipping Rong" in Zuo Zhuan, that is to say, the national event lies in fighting and worshipping the ancestral temple. This kind of temple sacrifice. Ordinary people can't participate. The ancient "meeting" was not the so-called "gathering" of ordinary people, but a regular or irregular meeting between emperors and governors or between governors and governors. That is, "Zuo Zhuan" said: "The princes were hired at the age of three and went to the DPRK at the age of five. They had something to meet, but they couldn't agree." This is an extremely important diplomatic activity. "Zhou Li Spring Palace" said: "See the princes when you meet." This kind of "meeting" needs to be held in the ancestral hall of the emperor or the leader. First, a sacrificial ceremony was held for the former king or ancestors to show the distance between the monarch and the minister, and then the theme of the meeting was entered. Although "Temple" and "Society" were accidentally combined here, this "temple fair" was a grand political activity, which did not match the meaning of temple fairs in later generations.

The upcoming temple fair essentially refers to the gathering of people in or near the temple caused by religious activities of religious festivals, including these contents. The initial function of the temple fair was to entertain the gods, and then it gradually increased its entertainment and economic functions, and it was more perfect in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The formation of these functions is closely related to the religious activities of Buddhist temples and Taoist temples. It develops and improves with folk belief activities. As we know, Buddhism and Taoism flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Many temples and Taoist temples have been built, and various religious activities have appeared. First, the "walking image" activity. It has been popular since the Northern Wei Dynasty. The so-called "walking like an elephant" is a religious ceremony in which statues of gods and buddhas are mounted on floats and paraded in urban and rural areas. It is also called "walking the city" and "patrolling the city". After Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved to Luoyang in the ninth year (485), Buddhism was popularized and a "walking portrait" was held every year on Sakyamuni's birthday. The day before the Buddha's trip, all the temples in Luoyang sent the Buddha to Jingming Temple. When there are many Buddha statues, there are more than one. When traveling, the team is led by lions to ward off evil spirits, and the buildings are covered with banners. Then, there is a lot of music, all kinds of juggling, wonderful and lively. After the Tang and Song Dynasties, temple fairs were the inheritance and development of image activities in this period, and gradually spread to Sichuan, Huguang and Xixia. Only after the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the trend of the image declined, and few people recorded it. Second, hold Dojo, hold some ceremonies or Buddhist activities, and wait for believers to fast and attend classes and worship. When Buddhism and Taoism hold various festivals and celebrations, various folk societies and social organizations also take the initiative to go to gatherings for entertainment. In this way, temples and Taoist temples have gradually become mass gathering places based on religious activities, and early temple fairs have also been formed. At this time, the temple fair, sacrificial activities are the main body, grand and lively, and market trading activities are derivatives. The further prosperity of temple fairs was after the Song Dynasty and until modern times. It developed with the increase of folk temples and the development of commodity currency economy. Many fairs held in temples and their vicinity on specific dates have become the main shopping markets for ordinary people, but religious activities are secondary. Therefore, the temple fair was named "Temple City" and became an important market form in China, spreading all over the country.

As a unique folk phenomenon in China, the temple fair has evolved into a very complex function, which can be summarized as follows: it can relax and adjust the spirits of both participants and viewers, show the original carnival spirit, entertain the public and promote communication; Its holding has played an important role in the gathering and dissemination of traditional culture; It has effectively promoted the prosperity and development of the local commodity trade economy.

Visiting temple fairs in Huguo Temple has become an indispensable part of people's life in urban and rural areas. Take the temple fairs in Beijing, the economic and cultural center, as an example: some temple fairs in Beijing are annual, some have several days a month, and their duration is not fixed or fixed. For example, the duration of the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China: Long Fu Temple on September 9, 10, 1 2, Land Temple on Wednesday, Baita Temple on Friday and Saturday, and Huguo Temple on July 8. In addition, Dongyue Temple and Dazhong Temple (usually open from 18 to 15 days) opened on the first day of the first month, Caishen Temple opened on the second day, Baiyun Temple opened on the 17th and 18th, and Flat Peach Palace opened on the third day of March. There are various temple fairs almost every day, sometimes more than one a day, so Beijing is also the world of temple fairs. It is not easy to count all temple fairs in detail. The following are typical temple fairs in old Beijing: First, the Chenghuang Temple Fair in Fangcheng Street, Xicheng District. This temple is dedicated to Lord Huang Cheng, the immortal figure guarding Beijing. In the Ming dynasty, the temple fair of the capital city god temple was quite large. 2. The land meeting on the west side of Xiaxie Street outside Xuanwu Gate. There are temple fairs on Wednesdays of every month, which are mainly commercial activities, and wooden and bamboo products are its characteristics. 3. Baita Temple Fair in the north of Fuchengmennei Street in Beijing. It is held on the fifth and sixth day of the fifth lunar month and is also one of the main temple fairs in Beijing. It is recorded in Notes on Old Beijing: "... people who gather at a certain time, such as the Land Temple on Wednesday, the Baita Temple in April and May, the National Protection Temple in July and August, and the Long Fu Temple in September, are all expected to gather." During the temple fair, wooden bowl stalls, cricket cans, gourds and birdcage markets are its characteristics. 4. Huguosi Temple Fair, north of Xisipailou in Xicheng, Beijing, north of the west exit of Huguosi Street, once every seven or eight days in the lunar calendar. There are many stalls and commodities in the temple fair, where you can not only buy goods, but also listen to cross talk and watch juggling, and you can eat, wear, use and play everything. Jade stalls, cake shops and fan shops are the characteristics of the temple fair. 5. Long Fu Temple Fair on the west side of Dongsipailou in Dongcheng, Beijing. Its scale ranks first among the temple fairs in Beijing, and it ends on the 9th and12nd of each month. Jewelry, jade, antiques and Qi Diao flourished at the temple fair. The most distinctive snack is Long Fu Temple, which changes with the seasons. 6. Factory Dian Temple Fair near Liulichang outside Heping Gate in Beijing. Every year from the first day of the first month to the fifteenth day, it is the most crowded and lively place during the Spring Festival in old Beijing. It gradually formed from watching lanterns, and its scale has been considerable during the Qianlong period. There are all kinds of goods at the temple fair. 7. Baiyun Temple Fair outside Xibianmen, Beijing, east of Baiyun Road outside Fuxingmen. Every year from the first day to the nineteenth day of the first lunar month, religious activities are the main activities. Baiyun Temple is the largest Taoist temple in Beijing, known as "the first jungle of truth". The main activities of opening the temple in the first month of Baiyun Temple are "touching the stone monkey", "playing with money" and "looking for the star of life". But it is a pity that there are only two temple fairs, Changdian and Baiyunguan.