Temple Fair (Shanghai Longhua Temple Fair)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Temple Fair (Shanghai Longhua Temple Fair)

Applicant: Xuhui District, Shanghai

Item No.: 991

Project No.: Ⅹ - 84

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Shanghai

Type: new item

Applicant: Xuhui District, Shanghai

Protection unit: Longhua sub district office of Shanghai Xuhui District People's Government

Temple Fair (Shanghai Longhua Temple Fair)

Applicant: Xuhui District, Shanghai

Temple fair, also known as "Temple market", is a kind of folk belief activities held regularly in and around temples, which is popular all over the country. Some large temple fairs had a considerable scale in the Tang Dynasty, and they are still handed down and have a wide influence. All kinds of temple fairs have their own time, most of them are a traditional Lunar Festival or a religious and folk belief day. Temple Fair has the characteristics of concentration, group and fixation. During the temple fair, all kinds of folk activities and technical trade activities can be fully displayed in public, and the activities are rich and colorful. The God greeting competition is also a form of temple fair. In Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, traditional temple fairs, which are popular among believers, are all introduced from the mainland and have a close relationship with the mother. In the overseas Chinese residential areas, many temple fairs brought from the motherland are full of incense, inheriting the cultural blood of the Chinese nation in a special way.

Longhua temple fair in Shanghai is one of the famous temple fairs in East China, which can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. Longhua temple is said to be Maitreya Bodhisattva's ashram. Every Nirvana when Maitreya Bodhisattva incarnates as a Budai monk, Longhua temple will hold a grand ceremony to commemorate the Dharma. The ashore ashram is the main one. By the Ming Dynasty, Longhua temple fair had developed from a single Temple Fair for worshiping Buddha to a comprehensive temple fair compatible with commerce and entertainment. In the Qing Dynasty, temple fairs were combined with the custom of appreciating peach blossoms. The first day of the lunar calendar was extended from the third day of the third month to the fifteenth day of the third month. The scale and influence of temple fairs were further expanded, and the entertainment content was also increased. Temple fairs entered their heyday. Since the 1920s, Longhua Temple Fair has transformed from rural temple fair to urban temple fair. After the founding of new China, the Government participated in the organization of Longhua temple fair, which ended the spontaneous state and entered a new stage.

Longhua Temple Fair has the basic characteristics of city, commerce and entertainment. Business activities are an important part of temple fairs, which is not only related to the tradition of mercantilism and the background of developed commerce in the Yangtze River Delta, but also related to the time of temple fairs. Longhua temple fair is usually held around the Qingming Festival, which is the time of spring sowing. It needs farm tools, seeds and other goods, so the temple fair has become the best trading place for these agricultural goods. Food is an important aspect of temple fair trade customs. Longhua mutton, Longhua spiced beans, Longhua dried bean curd and Longhua vegetarian food are common specialty foods in Longhua temple fair, which are closely related to local food customs and lifestyle. Entertainment activities are also an important part of Longhua temple fair. During the temple fair, people enjoy the peach blossom, shadow play, flower drum play, dragon and lion dance, Lake boat dance and other performances, making Longhua temple fair the happiest festival in Shanghai in the new year.

In the development of Longhua temple fair, there are many legends, poems and proverbs. The production of these works not only shows the important role of temple fair in people's life, but also reflects the great influence and powerful radiation function of temple fair. The development of temple fair directly led to the formation of Longhua ancient town and promoted the formation and development of Shanghai. As a window to observe Shanghai, Longhua temple fair plays an important role in the study of Shanghai local culture.

Chinese PinYin : Miao Hui Shang Hai Long Hua Miao Hui