Drummers play a traditional Chinese folk drum at the opening ceremony of the 2011 Taishan Mountain Temple Fair.

 

Guests from Taiwan Dongyue Temple perform a traditional lion-dance at the opening ceremony of the temple fair.

Tourists can enjoy traditional cultural performances at a five-day temple fair under way through Thursday at Dai Temple at the foot of Taishan Mountain in the Shandong province city of Tai’an.
 
Taishan Mountain Temple Fair, which opened Sunday, features more than 20 cultural activities, including a folk art and craft show, a cultural relic and treasure exhibit, Taishan Mountain intangible cultural heritage performances and a local snack food show.
 
The 2011 Taishan Mountain Temple Fair International Forum attracted more than 30 experts and scholars from Russia, Japan, the United States, South Korea and other countries. They discussed topics ranging from the development of local folk cultures to protection of Tai’an’s intangible cultural heritage.
 
The Taishan Mountain fair originated in the Tang Dynasty, and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In June 2008, the fair was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage site. The fair has become the largest and most influential temple fair in North China, providing a stage for Chinese temple cultures.