On Sept. 2, the Lianhua Temple Fair (Ga Lian Hua) kicked off and large crowds of residents and tourists gathered at the Lianhua Temple to celebrate the annual folk festival in Tong’an Town of Suzhou New District (SND).
At about 5 o’clock in the morning, the fair outside the Lianhua Temple was already crowded with people. The road was lined with stalls offering a rich variety of goods including local delicacies, traditional handicrafts, and articles for daily use.
In addition, fair-goers could enjoy traditional folk performances like dragon dances, lion dances, traditional Chinese operas, flower-drum dances and fan dances, fully appreciating the charm of the folk culture in SND. This year, there was also an experience activity of making lacquer fans which attracted many young people.
The Lianhua Temple Fair is a popular folk activity in Tong’an Town which has a history of about 1,000 years. It is held on the 30th day of the 7th month on the Chinese lunar calendar every year.
