A performance is staged to celebrate the Chinese traditional lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, at the Yuhuangding temple fair in Yantai City, east China's Shandong Province, on Feb. 24, 2015. [Photo by Tang Ke/Xinhua]

Temple fair, or miao hui in Chinese, was originally a gathering for sacrifice and pray to gods or Buddha at temples. Going to temple fairs, also called “catching” or “touring” temple fairs, is an age-old tradition in China, especially in rural areas. The fair is usually set at or near temples. At fairs, operas are performed between worship activities. As temple fairs developed, more vendors joined in. They have become a combination of worship, entertainment and trade. In the past, entertainment and trade activities would not start until after the sacrificing ceremony.

Trade at a temple fair can be put into three categories:

First, indigenous products are available, both from the local area and from afar. Second, food and toys are popular. The distinction of temple fairs from other markets or fairs is its entertaining spirit. Thus, the food and toy markets are especially lively.

Restaurants, pubs and tea houses would build temporary tents with clothes or mats, or even set up business in open air. Some vendors would go around at the fairseeking for potential customers.

Toys are very popular at temple fairs: kites, masks, and bamboo or wood swords and spears, to name just a few. Third, various folk shows are also popular, such as sword and spear playing, tricks and magic, monkey shows, puppet plays, rap operas, drum operas and circuses. At Penglaige and Yantai Yuhuangding temple fairs, not only are traditional trade and entertainment activities on display, but book fairs and other modern cultural events are held, combining traditional culture with modern life and bringing a new look to the temple fair.