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It’s all extremely grand at temple fair
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The Second Grand Canal Temple Fair will be held in the Hangzhou Grand Canal Scenic Area from Friday to Sunday. This year’s fair is expected to look at traditional life on the canal and serve up a variety of fun activities.
As a part of the annual West Lake International Expo, the temple fair is usually popular with locals. The fair’s theme this year is “Run into Grand Canal, learn about charming Hangzhou.”
Grand Canal Tiandi, Grand Canal Square, Qiaoxi Historical Block, Xiaohezhi Street, Dadou Road Historical Block, Xiangji Temple, Fuyi Warehouse, Tangqi Town and West Lake Culture Square will host a variety of events during the fair including a cheongsam show, traditional wedding ceremony, craft fair and music concert.
Waterbus routes will be open during the event to make public transportation more convenient during the fair.
Last year, the Grand Canal was listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site, providing fresh incentive to develop it further for tourism. It also means the Hangzhou government will earmark more funds to protect the Grand Canal.
One highlight of the temple fair is the opening ceremony on Friday.
Eighteen children will perform on behalf of the 18 cities that have sprung up along the canal over the centuries.
In addition, 18 couples — one from each of the 18 cities — will have a traditional group wedding that follows canal customs.
Traditionally, a Chinese wedding ceremony features three parts, accompanying a bride to the bridegroom’s family on their wedding day, welcoming the bride and the wedding ritual.
For the temple fair’s group wedding, the brides — and their dowry — will arrive to the ceremony on richly decorated wooden boats.
After all rituals finish, the couples will be sent to their bridal chambers, which is in Tangqi Town. At night, the town will organize a wedding party and sightseeing tours.
The wedding ceremony will also showcase the evolution of the cheongsam during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the Republic of China period (1911-1949).
The temple fair also includes a series of fashion and folklore events, plus there will be more than 300 booths at the temple fair. The Workmanship Pavilion at Hangzhou Crafts and Arts Museum will carve out space to display traditional crafts and knickknacks. Visitors can even make their own gifts by following tips from craftsmen.
Xiaohezhi Street will be turned into a photography site during the fair.
Dadou Road Historical Block will host the Old Hangzhou Gala Party, which proved popular with visitors last year.
Xiangji Temple will launch a Buddhist fair that embraces a vegetarian diet and Buddhist music. Buddhists will be able to find peace and tranquility during the busy temple fair.
Fuyi Warehouse was the national granary during the Qing Dynasty. Today it’s a creative park and during the temple fair Yueju and Peking operas will be performed there.
West Lake Culture Square will display Hangzhou time-honored brands, including Wang Xingji fans, Zhang Xiaoquan scissors, Zhi Wei Guang snacks and Yao Sheng Ji nuts.
Tangqi Town will host a noodle eating competition. Winners will be given gifts and a medal saying, “King
of Eaters.”
What to see:
• Opening ceremony
Date: October 23, 9:30-11:30am
Venue: Grand Canal Tiandi
• Music concert
Date: October 24, 5-8pm
Venue: Grand Canal Tiandi
• Cheongsam show
Date: October 24-25, 10am-11am
Venue: Grand Canal Tiandi
• Traditional temple fair
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Venue: Tangqi Town
• Creative fair
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Venue: Grand Canal Tiandi
• Handmade crafts fair
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Venue: Workmanship Pavilion of Hangzhou Crafts and Arts Museum
• Intangible heritage fair
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Venue: Grand Canal Tiandi
• Folklore fair
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Venue: Dadou Road Historical Block
• Vegetarian cuisine fair
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Venue: Xiangji Temple
• Time-honored brands fair
Date: October 23-24, 9am-5pm
Venue: West Lake Culture Square
• Opera shows
Date: October 23-24, 10am-4pm
Venue: Fuyi Warehouse
• Waterbus routes:
Route 1: Wulinmen Wharf—Xiangji Temple—Hangzhou Craft and Arts Museum—Grand Canal Tian—Wulinmen Wharf
Date: October 23-25, 9am-5pm
Price: 30 yuan per person
Route 2: Wulinmen Wharf—Tangqi Town—Wulinmen Wharf
Date: year around, 9am-5pm
Price: 150 yuan per person
Route 3: Wulinmen Wharf—Gongchen Bridge—Wulinmen Wharf
Date: October 23-25, 7:30-8:30pm
Price: 100 yuan per person
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