Temple Fair (dangyangguanling Temple Fair)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Temple Fair

Applicant: Dangyang city, Hubei Province

Item No.: 991

Project No.: Ⅹ - 84

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: folk customs

Region: Hubei Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Dangyang city, Hubei Province

Protection unit: Dangyang Cultural Center

Temple Fair (dangyangguanling Temple Fair)

Applicant: Dangyang city, Hubei Province

The temple fair of Guanling in Dangyang city, Hubei Province, is a cultural space of traditional folk activities with the main content of offering sacrifices to Guanyu.

Dangyang, also known as Maicheng, is the place where Guan Yu, a general of Shu in the Three Kingdoms, was killed and buried. Guan Yu was held in memorial ceremony, and "the tomb sacrifice of the local people is always at the age of one year" (Jiaqing's records of Zhili Prefecture in Jingmen, the tomb of Dangyang tomb). It is recorded in volume 25 of Huguang Tongzhi by Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty that the temple of Guandi "established a ancestral temple where the tombs were located, and there was a secretary who offered sacrifices at that time.".

Temple fairs are held every spring or autumn. The main activities include: offering sacrifices to Guan Gong, performing "Dangyang killing story" in Guan opera, folk entertainment activities, making and returning vows, Temple market and so on. A large number of believers from surrounding counties and cities, other provinces and overseas will come at that time, reflecting the positive role of this folk activity in enhancing the cultural identity of the community.