The largest temple fair in Henan

The biggest temple fair in Henan is Taihaoling Temple Fair.

Taihaoling Temple Fair originated more than 6000 years ago. Fuxi, the ancestor of China people, used Wanqiu (Huaiyang) as its capital, and the people commemorated Fuxi's merits.

Taihaoling Temple Fair is an ancient traditional folk custom and folk religious cultural activity. It is called the ancestral temple locally. According to textual research, Fuxi Mausoleum of Taihao was built in the Spring and Autumn Period, and there was a shrine in front of the mausoleum of Han Dynasty. The Fuxi Mausoleum of Taihao covers an area of more than 36 hectares, and its scale and architecture are magnificent, which makes the world gasp in admiration.

The temple fair in Taihaoling is huge and lasts for a long time, which is unique among the temple fairs in the Central Plains. Every year, the lunar calendar lasts for one month from February 2 to March 3. It has pinned the good wishes of the working people in China to exorcise evil spirits, avoid disasters and pray for blessings.

Temple fair content

Sacrificing ancestors is the basic content of temple fairs. According to legend, February 15th of the lunar calendar is the birthday of the ancestor Fuxi. Fuxi and Nu Wa created gossip together, made their marriage, and laid the foundation of China's early civilization.

The ancestor worship meeting, composed of good men and faithful women, held high the yellow silk Qinglong flag, held incense towers in hand and carried flower baskets on their shoulders. In the sound of instrumental music, they solemnly burned incense and bowed down to their ancestors to express their respect for them. Anyone who worships ancestors and burns incense should bring a handful of soil from his hometown and sprinkle it on Fuxi Mausoleum after burning incense, which means that future generations will prosper.

At Taihaoling Temple Fair, there is a unique clay toy "Clay Dog", which is made of clay, painted with black background, decorated with five colors and painted with dotted lines, and has the cultural style of Chu lacquerware. The shape is rich and simple, and each mud dog has a blowhole with rich rhyme.