Windy Shao

windysjf@hotmail.com

THE Mission Hills Resort in Longhua District will host an intangible cultural heritage temple fair during the Spring Festival holiday, inviting visitors to experience 12 traditional folk culture handicraft arts, as announced by organizers.

Spring Festival was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in December last year.

To commemorate this honor, the temple fair will showcase intangible cultural heritage handicraft arts, including traditional paper-cutting, woodblock printing, movable type printing, shadow puppetry, glassmaking, pottery making, and more.

These endeavors aim to immerse guests in the captivating allure of intangible cultural heritage and evoke a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for traditional artisanal practices.

“I believe the inscription indicates that Chinese culture can harmonize and synchronize with world culture, enabling more individuals to comprehend, learn, and aid in its preservation,” Wang Ning, an inheritor of traditional Chinese paper-cutting, told Shenzhen Daily.

“As an inheritor working in the modern city of Shenzhen, I see my mission as utilizing an international perspective, modern technology, new materials, and other innovative elements to better preserve traditional Chinese intangible cultural arts,” he remarked.

Wang, whose creations have been exhibited in numerous countries, is currently working on a series of paper-cutting artworks themed around the Year of the Snake.

In addition to the temple fair, the Mission Hills Resort will host a range of events under the theme “The Golden Snake Dances into Spring.” It will feature a blend of traditional customs and modern festivities, including Yingge Dance, a martial arts-inspired dance integrated with opera and music, a traditional lantern fair, processions of the God of Wealth, and a cherry blossom festival.

These activities are crafted to immerse visitors in the essence of Chinese culture, enabling them to engage in age-old traditions and revel in the festive spirit encapsulating Spring Festival celebrations. Visitors are encouraged to partake in activities like lion dances, couplet writing, and traditional craftsmanship.

The lantern fair will showcase auspicious flower and bird motifs, symbolic mythical creatures, dragons, and other elements of Eastern aesthetics in a contemporary style.

A diverse array of performances including puppet shows, traditional dances, Sichuan Opera face-changing acts, and contemporary music ensembles will take center stage.

The Mission Hill Group anticipates an influx of visitors during Spring Festival, with an estimated 100,000 guests from Hong Kong expected to partake in various activities at its resorts in Shenzhen’s Longhua District and neighboring Dongguan.

Temple fairs are a beloved tradition during Spring Festival. They originated when vendors set up stalls near Buddhist and Taoist temples to cater to pilgrims who came to pay tribute to the gods during traditional festivals. Over time, these gatherings evolved into regular events. Today, temple fairs have become an essential and festive destination for Chinese people, especially during Chinese New Year.