Temple fairs have been a part of daily life in Beijing for hundreds of years becoming especially popular during the Qing dynasty. Scattered all over the city so residents could easily make their way to the nearest, some fairs were held as regularly as every fortnight. Between stalls perhaps hawking the kind of tat we all find so difficult to resist (especially during the holiday season) were opera and acrobatic troupes, puppet shows and cross-talk (the Qing equivalent of a stand-up comedy act).
The Spring Festival fairs were, of course, a much bigger deal. Back in the day, it was the Changdian fair that raked in the crowds, with long sticks of sweetened hawthorn fruits and visiting opera stars guaranteed. To get a real taste of the Chinese New Year or just to get outside, we’ve picked out a whole range of outdoor festivities for today’s fair-goer.
Dongyue Miao (东岳庙)
Housing the Beijing Folk Customs Museum, this temple (originally built in 1319) is host to one of Beijing’s most traditional Spring Festival fairs. The most recent version of its temple fair kicked off in 1999.
Themed this year ‘soaring golden dragon’, like any good old fair it will feature drum troops, Chinese opera, acrobatics and cross-talk shows will provide plenty of noise and entertainment.
The fair will also feature an exhibition of antique Chinese boxes. Not necessarily one for thrill-seekers out there, this should be pretty fascinating with genuine pieces dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties. ‘But why an exhibition on boxes?’ You may well ask. Since the Chinese word for box (he) sounds like the word for harmony, the exhibition is all part of the plan to ring in an auspicious New Year. There will also be an exhibition of the Chinese zodiac beasties in various guises, with no prizes for guessing which animal will be taking top spot.
Wooden puppets, block puzzles and a whole bunch of old-time games will keep the little ones busy and you’ll also be able to choose from a host of Chinese snacks such as lvdagun (a kind of bean flour roll) and wandouhuang (yellow pea flour cakes).
The temple will be giving out couplets written on the spot by local calligraphers and holding talks on traditional Chinese etiquette.
Dongyue Temple, 8.30am-midday on Monday 16 and 8.30am-4.30pm from Monday 23 to Saturday 28.
Chaoyang International Fengqing festival (朝阳国际风情节)
Principally catering to the laowai crowd, the fair is celebrating it’s tenth anniversary this year. Not actually held in a temple, you’ll find it inside Chaoyang park. The entertainers will also be of international stock, including dance troupes from Holland, the UK, France, Greece and Russia. Look out for Grecian trikala dance and the Russian tryn-trava.
Various embassy representatives will also introduce some of their country’s customs, with plenty of international dishes available. If that’s not enough, you can even get in on some karaoke while you’re there.
Chaoyang Park, 9.00am-5.00pm from Monday 23 to Saturday 28.
Longtan park (龙潭公园)
All the way out in Chongwen district, this is another fair that does’nt actually feature any temples, although the park does boast some tasteful Qing-style buildings and will be decked out in dragon-related regalia. Touch the giant character for wealth (fu) made up of miniature dragon figurines while wearing a blindfold and you’ll bag yourself some prosperity for the coming year too.
The fair will feature a 300-strong parade, apparently Beijing’s rather surreal wintertime answer to Rio’s carnival. It’s set to including dancing and a host of colourful floats that will meander their way through the park. A stage will also be set for taekwondo and other martial arts champs to show off their skills.
Wrap up warm for the outdoor ice carving. If you do get too cold, head indoors for an all-day Chinese chess competition.
Free shuttle services from the south-east exit of Tiantan Dongmen station to Longtan parks’s north-west gate will be running from 8.30am, although the number of buses and times are variable, so it is best to call in advance to find out more.
Longtan Park, 8am-5pm from Sunday 22 to Sunday 29.
Ditan Park (地坛公园)
One of Beijing’s biggest temple fairs, this one is a regular hit with the locals. Inside the park is the Altar of Earth and plenty else to catch your eye.
See if you can spot the Dai people’s ‘peacock dance’ amongst a host of dances from all over China. You’ll be able to see exhibitions that cover the life and customs of Beijingers through the centuries as well as the different ways that Spring Festival is now celebrated all over the world. Pick up some (supposedly) antique Chinese handicrafts from stalls and if you get there for 10am glimpse a re-enactment of the imperial family’s traditional prayers for good harvests originally held here in the summer months.
Hungry? Pick up dry-fried beans, jiaoquan (fried dough sticks that taste great dipped into doujiang – thick soy milk) as well niangao (New Year cakes).
Ditan Park, 8am-5pm, Sunday 22 to Sunday 29.

Leaving the hype behind, Christopher Robiero takes a tourist mecca on its own terms.

Recently I embarked on a five-week backpacking trip through China’s heartland, beginning in Shaanxi province through Sichuan all the way to the doorstep of Tibet, then made my way to Yunnan province.

One planned stop along the way was the much heralded city of Lijiang. Travelers I passed along the way had one of two reactions: abhorrence at my clich choice of destinations, or exultation over choosing such a marvelous town to pass through.

My mission was to snap a few memorable photos of the town and of the bike ride to a famous Lama temple outside of town.

Arriving in Lijiang, I was greeted by clear blue skies and welcoming sunshine, weather reminiscent of January in Southern California. The sun glistened on the cobbled streets and I started imagining all of the photos I would capture.

But there is no ebb to the wave of tourists in Lijiang, only a perpetual flow. This might cramp my picture-taking, but that wouldn’t deter me from enjoying myself, as there appeared to be plenty of exploring to do in Old Town.

I let myself get lost in the labyrinth of streets in Lijiang. The city was built around an intricate but tidy maze of canals that are crossed by more than 300 stone bridges.

Photo opportunities abound, as do ways to spend money. I was delighted to find an artisan cheese shop and a gourmet bakery loaded with savory treats that would be good nosh for the long bike ride planned for the following day.

This hardly qualifies as experiencing the “real” Lijiang, but some may argue there isn’t much authentic culture here to begin with. Most of the Naxi culture has been sucked dry by development companies and replaced with shops hawking mass-produced “authentic” handicrafts.

There is, in fact, nothing old about Old Town Lijiang. The city was razed after the earthquake in 1996, so many of the buildings are quite new. UNESCO tagged the city with World Heritage status but has also threatened to de-list the city due to over-development. That is an unlikely scenario, though the temptation is understandable, especially at night when Old Town’s once-quiet streets are suddenly awash with tourists and cheesy Chinese pop music from bars and restaurants.

One item that can be found in abundance in Lijiang is Yunnan’s famous pu-er tea.

This fragrant tea, a holdover from the southern route of the Silk Road is known as chamagudao, or Tea-Horse Caravan Route.

Stretching all the way from Burma to the Mediterranean Sea, this route was a critical trade link between the West and the East. Lijiang was an important hub for the traders heading west – it was often a stopping point to rest and acclimatize themselves before heading into Tibet.

Pu-er cha can be found in all of the tea houses and sold in large bricks or wheels. But be sure to look for the nei fei, the small ticket stuck onto the cake to ensure authenticity. You may even find a vintage year similar to what you would find on a wine bottle, which indicates the harvest year of the tea.

After spending a week in Lijiang, I found both stereotypes of the city correct.

It is certainly overcrowded, but the city is undeniably charming and enjoyable in spite of the throngs of travelers.

I am, of course, just one among them.

With the popularity of travel books like Lonely Planet and the internet’s siren call with endless information, few places renowned for charm have remained unspoiled by tourists.

I would recommend it to anyone inclined to hop on a bicycle and venture away from the cobbled streets into the surrounding countryside.

After the music fades from the restaurants and bars of Old Town and the revelers retreat to their rooms, what’s left is a tranquil and pristine sunrise that gleams above hundreds of tiled roofs, culminating in the moment I had set out to find the perfect photograph.

The malls and markets of Beijing have taken on a spooky tone in preparation for Halloween, which has gradually become more popular in China, despite cultural barriers and differences.

For 26-year-old Li Ye, the festival represents a chance to relax and have fun.

“It is fun to have friends around to celebrate the festival, but even strangers can have fun together,” Li said.

In Sichuan province, barowners have plastered their places of business with Halloween-themed posters, fake blood and other trappings as the holiday approaches.

Li Haisheng, the owner of a small bar in Sichuan, said his business saw sales increase to the tune of 10,000 yuan (1,573 U.S. dollars) daily during last year’s holiday.

“Young people are looking for ways to blow off steam. It is a good chance for me to make money,” Li Haisheng said.

Chinese toddlers are even getting in on the fun. Bilingual kindergartens in Beijing have begun to hold parties for their kids, encouraging them to dress up in costumes.

However, some parents have objected to the parties, as their children are not quite ready to handle the hordes of horrors that come out to play on Halloween. One mother surnamed Liu said her child cried and asked to go home while attending a Halloween party at school.

Xia Xueluan, a doctoral tutor in Peking University’s sociology department, said the way people celebrate Halloween is a contradiction of traditional Chinese beliefs, which treat the afterlife and ghosts as a taboo subject.

“We don’t even talk about ghosts, let alone dress up as them on the street,” Xia said.

The Chinese equivalent of Halloween is the Ghost Festival, which falls on the 15th night of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The festival is a time for families to pay homage to their ancestors, according to Xia.