Mount Li Ancient Temple Fair

Shaanxi
🎧  Listen to Introduction

According to legend, Nuwa collected five-colored stones to mend the sky, kneaded clay to make people, and advocated marriage to reproduce the human race. Later generations revered her as the "Old Mother of Mount Li" and held a grand temple fair from the 11th to the 15th day of the sixth lunar month to commemorate her great achievements. At this time of year, people from Guanzhong, domestic and foreign tourists, and even compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will come in droves. The mighty pilgrimage team makes the usually quiet Mount Li very lively, and the various Taoist temples are filled with incense, which is spectacular. The ancient temple fair of Mount Li has a long history and has lasted for thousands of years. "Historical Records" records that "Nuwa communicated with the gods", so the ancient temple fair of Mount Li is also called the "Old Mother and Daughter Matchmaker Festival of Mount Li". Nuwa kneaded clay to make people. In people's minds, Nuwa was a fairy who gave birth to children. Officials and historical books also called it "Good Succession Meeting" and "Child Transmission Meeting". In order to show their sincerity, worshippers climbed the mountain in the afternoon before the meeting, carrying bed sheets and dry food, and stayed overnight in Mount Li. At night, people gather in groups of three or five and rest on the ground. The lights in the valley are like stars, which is very interesting. Therefore, it is also called "Shanzihui" by the people. At the same time, this is also a festival for working people to relax and go to the mountains to escape the heat after the busy summer harvest. It is said that the birthday of the old mother is on the 15th day of the sixth lunar month. On this day, various cultural activities will be held on the mountain, including traditional Taoist rituals, drawing lots to interpret hexagrams, and Qinqiang opera performances. The temples, temples, and courtyards on the East and West Xiuling Mountains, regardless of Buddhism or Taoism, are full of pilgrims, with smoke and bells ringing. People bring offerings (fruits, noodles, etc.) into the temple to burn incense, pray for children, blessings, and make wishes. There are many interesting customs in the temple fair. For example, when people offer fruits as offerings, the nuns in the temple have to return some of the fruits offered by the old mother, which is the meaning of "bringing blessings"; those who pray for children pray to the Lishan Old Mother for a child, and the old Taoist in the temple tie copper coins with a red rope to give them. People say "sincerity is the key to success" or "prayer will be granted"; there is also a huge wishing tree on the mountain, and the cloth strips on the tree are written with people's beautiful wishes. There are also rules for hanging the wishing strips, and no auxiliary props can be used. They must be thrown up sincerely. The higher you throw it, the greater the hope of the wish coming true.

Intangible culture related to the heritage

China tourist attractions related to the heritage