What special temple fairs are there in Inner Mongolia?

Abstract: Inner Mongolia is mainly home to 49 ethnic groups including Han, Mongolian, Manchu, Hui, Daur, and Ewenki. It is one of the five ethnic minority autonomous regions in China. In the long religious history of the Mongolian people, shamanism and Buddhism have always occupied a dominant position. Mongolian religious culture refers to the shamanic belief culture and the Buddhist culture with Mongolian traditional cultural characteristics. So what are some temple fairs that have been preserved to this day in Inner Mongolia? Below, the editor has collected famous temple fairs in Inner Mongolia for everyone. Let’s take a look together now! 1. Meiri Gengzhao chanting sutras in Mongolian

Meiri Gengzhao chanting sutras and praying in Mongolian has a profound impact on the Mongolian people, forming a temple custom passed down from generation to generation with extensive public participation. Tradition. Mongolian chanting has been passed down since the 1770s and has a history of more than 300 years. Its significance is not only to translate Sanskrit and Tibetan scriptures into Mongolian and recite scriptures in Mongolian, but also to save the Mongolian language, including the language and characters, which was rapidly disappearing at that time in a special stage of historical development. of the entire national culture. Meirigengzhao Mongolian chanting and the formation and development of its beliefs and customs are closely connected with the history and culture of the Mongolian people, and have important historical, ethnological, folklore, literature and music values. This belief and custom has important practical significance for enhancing national pride and cohesion and strengthening national unity.

2. Longshengzhuang Temple Fair

The ancient temple fair in Longshengzhuang, Fengzhen City, is held every June 24th (lunar calendar). It began in the 33rd year of Qianlong (1768) and continues to this day. It has a history of more than 200 years. The prototype of the temple fair was to pray for rain. Due to the later commercial development of Longshengzhuang, mule and horse trading also became a major part of the temple fair. In addition to material exchanges, folklore performances are also a major part of the Longshengzhuang traditional temple fair. One month before the temple fair starts on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, the eight major banks draw lots to select the leader of the temple fair. In the early years of the Republic of China, the leader of the temple fair gradually became the one who paid the most money. On the first day of June, the leader prepares all matters for the temple fair. In the early morning of June 24th, after the first iron cannon was fired, a man dressed as Zhang Fei rode a black horse to patrol the streets for three times (commonly known as "Three Out of the Street"). After the third iron cannon was fired, the temple fair Yangko performance officially began. The program includes the performance team of Guan Gong Wandering Gods, sounding gongs to clear the way, silent avoidance, Guan Gong flying in full gear (the gods are on top), riding a pair of horses with five-color flags, eight-carrying sedans, Dragon King sedans, oil trucks, five ghosts haunting the judge, and society. The basic contents include fire martial arts team, Nao Pavilion, Tiange Pavilion, and folk art performances. The religious culture, traditional opera culture, costume culture and other material cultural contents contained in the Longshengzhuang Temple Fair are of high academic value.

3. Ganzhuer Temple Fair

The Ganzhuer Temple was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, with a total construction area of ??more than 10,000 square meters. At its peak, there were more than 4,000 lamas in the temple, including more than 400 permanent residents. In the fiftieth year of Qianlong's reign (1785), the first temple fair was held in the Kangyur Temple. In the following 180 years, more than 160 temple fairs were held, and it became the famous "Ganyur Market". On the day of the temple fair, merchants gathered, from Hailar, Harbin, Tianjin, Beijing and other places nearby, to Mongolia, Russia, Japan, Europe and the United States. It reached its peak during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, when the number of lamas and believers gathered reached more than 4,000. Including Buddhist worshipers and businessmen, the annual temple fair numbered more than 10,000 people. In 1906, the number of temple fairs reached more than 40,000, making it extremely prosperous. The Ganzhuer Temple Fair is held from early to mid-August in the lunar calendar every year, and usually lasts for 9 days (reduced to 5-7 days after the founding of New China). The highest local administrative office maintains order at the temple fair, and the chief personally presides over the Ganjur temple fair (but does not interfere with the activities of the Lama Dharma Assembly). After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Gangyur Temple Fair continued, but it was not called a temple fair or a temple fair, but called the "Nadam" Convention. In addition to Dharma meetings and usual economic trading activities, wrestling, horse racing, archery, and chess were added. and other national sports and theatrical performances.

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