Beijing Temple Fairs
Beijing's temple fair demonstrates traditions and customs. There are traditional performances including lion shows, talk shows and kungfu Shows and booths selling local snacks, traditional arts and crafts. For foreigners, temple fair is definitely a cultural experience. Here is a list of Beijing's temple fairs to keep you busy and entertained.
Changdian Temple Fair
The Changdian Temple Fair is Beijing's oldest and best known temple fair.
Changdian temple fair has everything you'd expect of a temple fair, a mixture of the traditional and modern. There are plenty of goods to tempt you: vendors selling paintings, calligraphic works, antiques, children's toys, crafts and local snacks. Performances including martial arts, acrobatics, Peking Opera, talk shows and folk dancing always keep the crowds entertained throughout the day.
Changdian temple fair is the best place to go to learn about northern folk customs represented by Beijing and is one of the temple fair sites particularly enjoyed by foreigners.
- Address: Liulichang Jie, Xuanwu District. From the Hepingmen intersection of South Xinhua Street, Xuwu District to the Culture Square along Hufang Road through the Hufang Bridge Intersection to the south.
- How to get there: take bus No. 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 23, 66, 102, 105 to Hufangqiao or take subway (Line 2) to Hepingmen station.
Ditan Park Temple Fair
Ditan Park Fair is one of the busiest temple fairs in Beijing. It has an altar where sacrifices were formerly offered to the earth god. Activities and events during the fair will include a packed entertainment scheduled with a variety of performances and hundreds of stalls and booths selling local snacks, handicrafts, antiques and curios.
- Address: Ditan Park, 2A Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District 地坛公园，东城区安定门外大街甲2号
- How to get there: Take subway line 2, get off at either the Andingmen or Yonghegong station
- Telephone: 010-64214657
Baiyunguan Temple Fair
Baiyunguan Temple is well known as the oldest and the best preserved Taoism Temple that possesses the largest variety of Taoism heritage throughout China. The temple has long been one of destinations that Beijing locals to visit during Spring Festival to pray for blessing.
The Temple Fair is a buzz of traditional folk performances and hundreds of snacks with typical local flavors. In addition, it has Taoist culture exhibitions that attracts people who are interested in Taoism.
- Address: On Baiyun Guan Lu, east of the intersection with Baiyun Lu, Haidian Qu (1st right north of Baiyun Qiao, directly across from Baiyun Guan bus stop), Xibianmenwai, Xicheng District 西城区西便门外白云观庙会
- How to get there: Take bus 320, 414 to White Cloud Station or 114, 308, 937 to Baiyun Road
- Telephone: 010-63463531
Longtanhu Temple Fair
Longtanhu Temple Fair is renowned in Beijing for its common and fitness activities. It highlights various folk performances and folk arts.
It is also the best choice for sampling a variety of local snacks sold by vendors, such as Chaogan (stir-fried liver), Baodu, Lvdagun and Yangzasui. You can find a street full of time-honored Beijing traditional snack shops, and Tianjing specialties.
- Address: 1 kilometer east of the Temple of Heaven, inside Longtan Lake Park, Zuoanmennei Dajie, Chongwen District 崇文区龙潭湖公园庙会
- How to get there: Take Bus No. 807, 12, 6, 60, 116 get to the park; or take subway line 5 to Tiantandongmen
- Telephone: 010-67186358
Daguanyuan Temple Fair
This temple fair holds 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).
The temple fair is featured in fine cuisine based on the novel, and many time-honored Beijing snacks. Besides, there will be shows of folk arts, Kungfu, "Two-people show" (Er Ren Zhuan) from northeastern China, costumed parades, acrobatics and other ethnic and cultural performances inside and outside the park.
- Address: No. 12 Nancaiyuan Xijie, Xuanwu District 大观园，宣武区南菜园12号
- How to get there: Take bus No. 19, 49, 59, 61, 122, 351, 410, 414, 716, 816, 819, 922 and 937, get off at Daguanyuan station
- Telephone: 010-63544993
Dongyue Temple Fair
Founded during the Yuan Dynasty, Dongyue Temple is a Daoist (Taoist) temple, dedicated to the God of Mount Tai, knows as Dongyue - the easternmost and holiest of the five sacred mountains of Taoism.
The temple fair is one of the oldest temple fairs in Beijing, tracing back to Yuan Dynasty. The culture of “Fu” (Good Fortune) has been the essence of this temple fair for centuries.
There are folk-custom shows and other activities such as a Taoist music performance, exhibitions and sports competition. It also boasts a huge number of food stalls selling tasty local snacks.
- Address: No. 141 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District 东岳庙，朝阳区朝阳门外大街141号
- How to get there: Take bus No.101, 109, 110, 112, 750, 846 or 813 to Shenlu Jie or take subway line 2 and get off at Chaoyangmen station
- Telephone: 010-65510151
Chaoyang Park Temple Fair
Chaoyang Temple Fair is designated as Chaoyang International Carnival and is held in Chaoyang Park.
It features performances by renowned bands from abroad. People can also go skiing, play games, and enjoy the food from foreign countries.
- Address: No. 1 Nongzhan Nanlu, Chaoyang District 朝阳公园, 朝阳区农展馆南1号
- How to get there: Take bus No.31, 302, 705, 731, 750, 752 or 852 to Chaoyang Park; or take subway Line 10 and get off at Tuanjiehu station
- Telephone: 010-65065409
Shijingshan Temple Fair
Shijingshan Temple fair is a foreign-style temple fair. It is almost like a foreign carnival parade. Shijingshan’s is full of foreign scenes, exotic performances, and ice & snow parties. There will also be other amusement programs especially for kids.
- Address: No. 25 Shijingshan Lu, Shijingshan District 石景山游乐园, 石景山区石景山, 25号
- How to get there: Get off at Bajiaoyouleyuan station on subway line 1
- Telephone: 010-68862547