The annual Taishan Mountain Temple Fair will run from April 21 to 25 in the Dai Temple, the largest temple on Taishan Mountain, Shandong province, according to a recent press conference.
Dongyue Temple Fair dates back to the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). It became prosperous in the Song Dynasty (AD 420-479) and carried on during the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
The temple fair was strictly confined to worshiping the God Dongyue during the Tang dynasty, which evolved into a themed festival to celebrate the birth of Taishan Mountain in the Song dynasty.
With the God Bixia enshrined and worshiped in the Dongyue Temple Fair along with the God Dongyue, the Dongyue Temple Fair reached its heyday in the Ming dynasty.
Nowadays, it is held on the third day of the third lunar month each year, during which various activities such as folk custom shows, kung fu shows and commodity exchanges are held.
This year some Taiwan people will be especially invited for the event. Tai’an and Taiwan have promoted exchanges in tourism, folk customs and culture since the Taishan Mountain Cross-Straits Exchange Base was launched in 2013.
In 2008, the Taishan Mountain Dongyue Temple Fair was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.
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Dongyue Temple Fair dates back to the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). |