Opening ceremony of Fushansuo Temple Fair

More than 30,000 visitors attended the Fushansuo Temple Fair which was held in Qingdao from Feb 12 to 16 as part of the city's celebrations marking the Chinese New Year of the Horse.

Folk operas and shadow puppet shows

The fair dates back to the early years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and this year’s celebrations began with a ceremony to light a lantern as a prayer for a good harvest and prosperity.

Paul Morin from France at Fushansuo Temple Fair

Visitors enjoyed performances including folk operas and shadow puppet shows– and also had the opportunity to taste various snacks, including xiangyouguozi (a large deep-fried dough stick, which is typical of Qingdao), zhizha (diced fried meat - another of the city’s specialties), mianyu (steamed dough shaped like fish) and yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls that are traditionally prepared for the Lantern Festival).

Visitors from overseas also enjoyed the celebrations at the fair, including Paul Morin from France, who said that he would return the next day with his two children.