Legacy of tradition
The founder of the Faxiao’er Temple Fair is Zhang Shiqian, renowned for his role as the visual designer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games. While he has showcased Chinese culture to the world through visual arts in major international events, domestically, he focuses on cultural inheritance and community building, particularly on creating a warm environment for children in the capital.
In 2016, he established a platform for children to meet and enjoy activities together under the brand name Faxiao’er, which literally means childhood friends.
When asked about the rationale behind creating the platform, Zhang explained, “When my daughter was five years old, she told me it was hard to find other children to play with in Beijing. Childhood friendship is precious, so I created the platform for children to find playmates.”
Activities have been held regularly under the platform. Ahead of this year’s Spring Festival, Zhang organized the Faxiao’er Temple Fair to immerse children in the lively atmosphere of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. He specially invited masters of paper cutting and lion dance, and organized other activities to recreate the traditional festive scenes.
In China, the Spring Festival is incomplete without paper cutting. The art involves cutting auspicious patterns such as lotus flowers and fish, as well as the 12 zodiac animals, conveying blessings and wishes for a good life. Even if one cannot craft them personally, purchasing paper cuttings during the festive season is essential for decorating homes.
Liu Xiaodi, a master paper cutter, taught children at the temple fair how to cut the character fu (good fortune). Diverging from the traditional practice of pasting paper cuts on windows, Liu innovatively imprinted the children’s handmade fu characters onto cloth bags using an iron, creating portable tokens of good fortune.
Recollecting her lively childhood New Year experiences, Liu vividly recounted the busy preparations starting from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month: mothers making fried dough twists, steaming buns, and roasting sunflower seeds and beans, all symbolizing prosperity for the upcoming year; fathers attentively writing Spring Festival couplets; and children looking forward to donning new clothes and visiting neighbors. Then on the New Year’s Eve, while eagerly waiting for a new beginning, people lit fireworks and crackers, believed to dispel demons, diseases, and misfortunes and safeguard families. Liu emphasized the significance of the festival’s rituals and the collective sense of anticipation among communities.
However, in recent years, many lament the fading “flavor” of the Spring Festival, with the most important festival of the year seemingly indistinguishable from regular holidays.
Liu offered her perspective. “Times have changed, and material wealth has vastly improved, with many material desires easily fulfilled,” she said. Yet, she believes that traditional culture, such as paper cutting, should be preserved as it gives spiritual fulfillment.
When Liu received Zhang’s invitation to the Faxiao’er Temple Fair to teach children paper cutting, she gladly accepted. She hopes to sow the seeds of culture in their hearts, and is confident that the traditional art will continue to decorate people’s lives. She emphasized that paper cutting embodies not only artistic expression but also a cultural identity, evoking memories of heartwarming family reunions during the Spring Festival.
Human warmth
The temple fair is well received by children. Ten-year-old Wang Yikuan told Beijing Review that he preferred the temple fair activities to amusement park visits. At the fair, he not only experienced intangible cultural heritage like the lion dance but also enjoyed playing with many other children.
Zhang explained that the main purpose of the Faxiao’er Temple Fair was to showcase Beijing’s New Year culture and bring people closer to each other. As the Spring Festival approached, he expressed his gratitude to the participants, likening the gathering to a family reunion, where long-lost human connections were rediscovered.
Led by Yang Jingwei, the Baizhifang Tai Lion dance troupe became one of the day’s highlights, captivating children with their performances. Yang explained the symbolism behind lion dances, an auspicious tradition believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. “The synchronized movements required between the two lion performers embody unity and cooperation. My aspiration is to pass down not only our cultural heritage but also the values it embodies to the younger generation.” He added, “What’s sorely missed during the Spring Festival nowadays is interpersonal warmth. The lion dance, however, serves to captivate and unite spectators.”
After savoring delicious snacks and immersing himself in intangible cultural heritage, Zhang graciously ceded the stage to the children, allowing them to unveil their talents. Ten-year-old Lu Zhengxi passionately recited Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Wang Bo’s renowned literary piece, Preface to Tengwang Pavilion. His eloquent delivery, accompanied by animated gestures, transported the audience to an era of poetic grandeur, earning him resounding applause.
Lu said the activities at the fair immersed him in a festive ambiance. While he’s typically an optimistic person, he said participating in the fair injected him with vitality. With this said, he rejoined his peers, continuing their joyful games.
Endearing, immersive and culturally enriching, the Faxiao’er Temple Fair showcased the enduring charm of Chinese New Year celebrations, where traditions harmonize with contemporary life, fostering connections and enriching lives. –The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
