A guide for Horse Year temple fairs in Beijing(2)

The opera adapted from A Dream of Red Mansions is performed at Beijing's Daguanyuan temple fair.[Photo by Zou Weilin/Asianewsphoto]

Shijingshan Temple Fair [Photo/china.org.cn]

Dongyue Temple Fair

Dates: Jan 30-Feb 6

Venue: Dongyue Temple, Chaoyang district

Admission: 10 yuan

Dongyue is one of the oldest temple fairs in Beijing, starting during the Yuan Dynasty and having its heyday during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Culture of "Fu" (Good Fortune) has been the essence of this temple fair for three centuries. Performances of lion dances and Dongyue temple music will be featured this year.

Activities are including an exhibition about "Fu" culture (including a walk on a "Fu" road, hanging a "Fu" plate, circling a "Fu" tree and drawing on a "Fu" canvas), and a folk-custom show featuring various traditional folk activities. There will also be other activities, such as a Taoist music performance and a sports competition. Various artworks, books and snacks will also be available.

Daguanyuan Temple Fair

Dates: Jan 30-Feb 6

Venue: Daguanyuan Park, Xuanwu district

Admission: 40 yuan

This temple fair will be held at Grand View Park, a replica of the magnificent Daguanyuan garden of an imperial family described in the well-known Chinese novel A Dream of Red Mansions by Qing Dynasty writer Cao Xueqin (17l5-l763). Besides the traditional temple fair events, there will be shows of folk arts, extreme sports, Chinese kungfu, Kaifeng Pan Drums as well as the "Two-people show" (Er Ren Zhuan) from northeastern China.

The opera Concubine Yuan Paying a Visit Home, and Amusement in Red Mansion which was adapted from the novel A Dream of Red Mansions, will also be performed. The scenes of Baoyu Getting Married and Celebrating the Lady Dowager Jia's Birthday will also be reenacted at the temple fair.

Lianhuachi Temple Fair

Dates: Jan 30-Feb 6

Venue: Lianhuachi Park

Admission: 5 yuan

Located close to Beijing West Railway Station, the Lotus Pond (Lianhuachi) Park is regarded as the birthplace of the city of Beijing, bearing a history of over 3,000 years. The temple fair here is quite traditional, with more than 100 events going on to make the park an ideal place to enjoy Chinese folk arts and food.

Lianhuachi Temple Fair features a special landscape of Huaguo Mountain and Shuilian Cave, the residence of the Monkey King in Journey to the West.

Other song and dance performances, such as yangge and duets of northeast China will be performed, and Shifuxian, or poem-string, an over 200-year-old folk art on the verge of extinction will make its debut at the fair.

Shijingshan Temple Fair

Dates: Jan 30-Feb 6

Venue: Shijingshan Amusement Park, Shijingshan district

Admission: 10 yuan

To get there: Visitors can get to the park's south gate by taking the subway to Bajiao Youleyuan. The park is 100 meters west of the subway station.

Starting from 2000, Shijingshan Temple fair is a foreign-style temple fair. It is almost like a foreign carnival parade. A cinema of 4-dimensional movies will open alongside other events this year.

Exotic performances such as a Japanese fan dance, a Korean long-drum dance , Latin dance, a Russian song and dance performance and a cartoon show will be seen on the fair. There will also be other amusement programs, including those for children.

Chaoyang Temple Fair

Dates: Jan 30-Feb 6

Venue: Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang district

Admission: 10 yuan

Chaoyang Temple Fair is actually called, Chaoyang International Carnival. People can also go skiing, play games, and enjoy the food of various countries. This year's carnival will cooperate with local charity organizations so that people will be able to contribute to society while enjoying themselves with the diverse entertainment.