Festivals, Beijing

I have heard that temple fair is one of the most important celebration activities during the Spring Festival before I went to China. My travel guide has told me that this traditional cultural event integrates religious worship and entertainment, and features almost all kinds of Chinese folk art. It has a long history, and the origin can be traced back to the Liao Dynasty (907 – 1125). As the fairs are held at various ancient temples regularly or during festivals, they are called "temple fairs".
Visiting a temple fair is definitely a cultural experience for me in China. I have enjoyed the folk performances in temple fair like dragon and lion dances, demonstration of traditional arts and crafts, and fun games are all part and parcel of temple fairs. I also tasted lots of Beijing snacks, court dishes and delicacies.
Travel Tips:
Temple of the Earth Temple Fair
Location: Temple of the Earth Park, East Avenue, Anding Gate, Dongcheng District.
Details: Temple of the Earth Temple Fair is one of the most popular and long-standing fairs in Beijing. About one million people visit it each year during the Spring Festival. Besides the ceremonies, there are a wide range of folk performances and activities, such as puppet shows, traditional art exhibitions, dragon and lion dances, and acrobatic shows.
Longtan Temple Fair
Location: Longtan Park, 8 Longtan Rd. Chongwen District.
Details: Longtan Temple Fair is also one of the most popular o ones of its kind in Beijing. The activities here are very similar to those in Ditan Temple Fair. Various interactive games and competitions invite you to join in, such as table tennis, diabolo (Chinese Yoyo) spinning and arm wrestling. Folk performances and local snacks also abound at the fair.
Dongyue Temple Fair
Location: Dongyue Temple, 141 Chaowai Avenue, Chaoyang District.
Details: Dongyue Temple Fair had started as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1206 – 1368). The culture of "Fu" has been the essence of this fair. Many activities are centered on the "Fu" culture. Visitors can pray for food fortune at the altar, walk on the "Fu" road, or hang a "Fu" card to invite Fu" for the coming year. Colorful folk performances, artwork displays, and snacks are also available.

What better place to spend the Chinese New Year than in Beijing.

We normally go back to our home countries during the golden week holidays except this time when we had to work. But we had a day off and we went to Ditan Park to join the locals in welcoming the Year of the Monkey. People galore! We enjoyed the bazaar, food fair and just... monkeying around. It was all good fun.

Being in Beijing over Spring Festival - known as Chinese New Year in other countries - is a fantastic but very strange experience. Everything is shut, millions of people leave the city to return to their home towns and villages, and travelling outside the city is an absolute nightmare as public transport collapses under the sheer weight of numbers. But it's also fascinating - the city is covered in red and yellow flags and lanterns, lively 'temple fairs' spring up, and if you know some locals then it's a great time for parties and get-togethers.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world and you can read all about it by going to my Spring Festival travelogue

Cherry Blossom Feast hold in Apirl every year in Yuyuantan Park. There are a lot of cherry blossom trees in the park. When the cherry blossom all are blooming, the petal dance in wind like rain drop.

if u happen to be in china around chinese new year, 'Miao Hui' is something u shouldn't miss. the biggest ones r 'di tan miao hui' and 'long tan hu miao hui'. it's a form of fun fair (food, game, show etc.) sometimes combined with religious activities (pray for good luck in the coming year).
a good opportunity to discover traditional chinese culture, as many shows and toys sold in 'miao hui' has been passed on from generation to generation. in some shows, people actually dress up in traditional outfits. always damn CROWDED (interesting people-watching u can do), so watch out ur stuffs.

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Miao Hui is a Chinese traditional assembly during the Spring Festival. Nowadays, Miao Hui will be holding in The Altar of the Earth, Long Tan Hu park and Chang Qiao, etc.