Shanxi Taiyuan | Jinci Temple Fair

Jinci Temple Fair is a Han nationality folk custom and worship event that has been passed down in Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province. It is a "saihenhui" held with Jinci Temple as the center and the celebration of the Saint Mother's birthday as the reason. Jinci Temple Fair is also a grand commercial exchange event among provinces such as Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan.

The traditional temple fair ,which was anciently known as the “saishenhui”, falls on the second day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The traditional “saishenhui” starts from the first day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar and lasts for five days. During this time, operas are performed on the Water Mirror Platform to honor the gods. People living around Jinci Temple come to the Saint Mother’s Hall to kneel and kowtow, burn incense, and pray for blessings. The second day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar is the main day for celebrating the birthday of the Saint Mother. On the fourth day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the Saint Mother “goes out”. Local elites lead the people to hold a ceremony to welcome and send off the Saint Mother. Merchants usually gather for the celebration. Traditional folk snacks, crafts, toys, and sideshows can be seen at the temple fair. The Jinci Temple Fair has become a famous traditional temple fair in the history of Taiyuan.

Jinci Temple Fair has a history of thousands of years and carries rich cultural connotations of traditional Chinese ethnicity. Currently,the original worship ceremonies at the Jinci Temple Fair have gradually faded, and the fair has evolved into a custom that enriches people's lives.

Source: The Official Website of the People’s Government of Shanxi Province