Temple fairs celebrate New Year

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-27-2009 09:55

Temple fairs are one of the popular activities for Chinese people during the Spring Festival holiday. Our reporter takes us to Ditan temple fair to to taste the traditional new year flavor.

Temple fairs are one of the popular activities for Chinese people during the Spring Festival holiday.

In the morning of the first day of the Chinese lunar new year, for most Beijing residents, a best place to have fun is a Temple Fair.

Visitor, said, "The temple fair is really good, you can do many things to have fun and it has distinctive flavor of the new year.

The Ditan Temple fair is one of the largest and oldest in the capital. Every year, thousands of residents come here to celebrate the lunar new year and to keep tradition alive.

People can even experience sitting on an ancient sedan chair.

Visitor, said, "It's interesting."

Visitor, said, "Just for fun. This is rarely seen in usual time outside the Temple.

Food is another focus of the Temple Fair. Steaming bowls of tripe are popular...and Grilled Xinjiang lamb kebabs a the favorite among youngsters.

Visitor, said, "It's very lively, bustling and festive. I wish everyone a happy new year.

Visitor, said, "I wish that my family are all safe and healthy in the new year. "

The temple fairs are not only about food and fun, plays and music. More than anything else, they're about coming together - as family, and as a community- to celebrate the new year.