This year, Shishan Guanyao Lettuce Feast, a time-honored folk event in Nanhai, will be resumed on February 16th (the 26th day of the first lunar month) in Fengshan Ancient Temple. Lettuce feast, Lion dance performance, grabbing firecrackers, temple fair... All forms of celebration came back to life. From 12:00 pm on February 13th, lettuce feasts will be open for online booking.

Lettuce Feast historically created a phenomenon./ Photo from Nanhai Archives

Lettuce Feast, a unique folk temple fair in Shishan Guanyao, was originated in the Ming Dynasty, and flourished in the Qing Dynasty. Guanyao Lettuce Feast was selected as the first batch of Intangible Cultural Heritage Project in Foshan in 2007, and was rated as Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage Project in 2009.

Lettuce Feast historically created a phenomenon./ Photo from Guangdong Archives

This folk custom dates back to the origin of Fengshan ancient Temple. Fengshan was ever a small hill standing by Guanyao waterway, and it was shaped like phoenix. Legend has it that there was phoenix roosting in the place, so people gave it the name Fengshan (凤山). In the Tang Dynasty, Fengshan ancient temple was built to worship the statue of white-clothed Guanyin. People believed that they could pray for prosperity both in family and wealth in the temple.

Nowadays, every year on the 26th day of the first lunar month, thousands of people will gather in Shishan Guanyao to pray for good luck in the new year. The grand temple fair, is now called Lettuce Feast.

The lettuce package, is to get a suitable size of lettuce leave and fill it with side dishes like dried shrimps with vermicelli, fried clam meat with pickled cabbage, fried rices, etc., then wrap them up and dip some sauce. A delicious lettuce package is made.

Author | Eleanor

Reviser | Jersey, Jessica

Photo | Guangdong Archives, Nanhai Archives