"Passing the gong will check": before the meeting, the head of the meeting sent people to the village to knock the gong notice, *** three times. March first first pass the gong, gong sound a point, meaning that the beginning of the meeting, the village to prepare; March 15, the second pass the gong, gong sound two points, indicating that the temple fair period is close; April first, three pass the gong, three points, the gong sound urgent, indicating that the meeting period in the imminent, the village to make all the preparations to go to the meeting on time. "Passing the gong man" dressed in yellow lapel plum blossom cloak, wearing soft-soled tiger boots, wearing red and green chicken feather tassel lotus leaf tops. The third time the gong is passed, the gong passer will be a "April 18, the Holy Mother of God in the meeting, the mountain incense, wind and rain," the stickers will be sent to the villages.
On the first day of April, the head of the four-way meeting to discuss the arrangements, draw lots to determine the order of lifting the bar, in the thousands of "pass the gong man" in the East Polygraphic Gate Tower, will be the source of the door Jianxiu building, the Beiguan Pavilion, East Lane Pavilion, shouting three times "will be transferred to the check," the gongs sound continuously to show that the "will be checked", "will be checked", the gongs sound continuously. "will check" end.
"Please drive": April 15, the day before the temple fair, the head of the incense led eight sedan chairmen drums and music, to the top of the temple of the snowflake summit to worship, "please God to sweep the driver.
The so-called "driving", is an eight-carrying Hall-style open bridge, arches and eaves, fine carvings, gold (copper) top of the Yellow House, exquisite and ornate, embedded with mercury glass, eaves hanging treasure gourd, silk fringe fluttering whisks, doxa bells jing . Driving in the enshrinement of the Virgin Mary walking statue (dedicated to lift the statue), driving before the full deputy deacon, there are eight flags of dragon and tiger, quiet sign, avoidance signs, hanging Gua, Wanmin umbrella (umbrella surrounded by small silk strips full of surnames of the previous year's givers). Three iron cannons sounded, starting driving gongs, and then with light and heavy band, a variety of percussion and blowing and playing musical instruments, a drums and music, driving up slowly into the Mianhe River, through the Caizhuang, the "God" driving in the Xiguan.
"Performance drive": its meaning is to perform for the gods, that is, to honor the gods, is a formal meeting. "Performance drive" for three days, sixteen, seventeen successively in the surrounding villages along the village performances, eighteen is the main meeting, in the city street performance. The order of the procession of "performance driving" is as follows: the front for the upside down shoulder, after the upside down bar for each get singing and dance programs, and then is the social fire, the consequence of the social fire is the god driving before the deacon, the band, the most consequence is the god driving. The 18th performance drive at nine o'clock in the morning from the west gate, eastward through the city streets, Dongguan, Beiguan, Hedong, Nanguan, and finally to the snowflake mountain.
"Performance driving" began, nine iron cannon sounded, "horse" bare shoulders on the front "start". Initially, the whip was waved to open the way. 30's changed to dance meteor to open the way. After the opening of the road, that is, the bar. 36 bar box, or 48 bar box, arranged in teams. Bump bar people or flesh-colored spun silk tops, lantern pants, or dressed in martial arts attire, or dressed in strange costumes to do the clown dress. Bump bar performance from nine o'clock in the morning is generally carried out until about two or three o'clock in the afternoon, the scene is magnificent, wonderful performance.
Following the kung fu performance are the Shanxi opera, Hebei opera, Yangge, silk string and other types of opera, pull flower, rap, mime and other forms of programs. Then there are about 20 teams of martial arts social fire team performance. There is no fixed place for the performance, while performing while traveling to the foot of the snowflake mountain, it is nearly dusk. The lanterns and torches were lit and the pilgrimage to the top began. After burning incense in front of the holy elephant, lifting the bar, the program, social fire performance, followed by running formation, formation of plum blossom formation, gossip formation, yin and yang formation, five tiger formation ...... variations, meaning that "the gods defend, bless my people". Running formation, "Turtle Pack Tablet" licensed into the temple, in front of the "Virgin" like a large colander squatting in the group worship dance, the actors try to touch the colander in the "oil money" (system of money, copper yuan), into the pocket, to the existing. Turtle is also a holy object of longevity, collecting oil money is considered a special gift of "God". Perform driving at the end of the abbot to receive "congratulations", the Virgin Mary walking statue placed in the temple. The whole process, drums and firecrackers sound, smoke dazzling red, until the next morning, the cigarette party ended.
The temple fair, in the City God Temple four days of drama. Qing Dynasty, the beginning of the Civil War can "take the official play", in the county within the performance of the troupe if the head of the meeting and the government to see the agreement, they will be sent to the performance of the place, on stage will be reversed drums, that is, "pulling the official play", April 15 to perform in the Temple of the City for four days, do not give the performance fee, but the supply of good tea, comfortable accommodation for the actors. But the supply of good tea, actors comfortable residence, and "treats Taiwan" abundance. Daily three boxes will be two treats Taiwan, the big merchants reward steamed buns, pork, often dozens of pounds, or snacks. Some of them are "double-treat table" (reward double).
Not pulling the official theater, you have to "write a play" (booking performances), the funds can only rely on charity. Zhengfeng coal mine is the big "giver", followed by major merchants, followed by the mine's coal division, master, Mr. accountant and the Yamen in the "top man". Sometimes the money is distributed by household.
The temple during the Snowflake Peak at least one play, some sing against the stage, if there is no village or a large family wish to offer a play, it depends on the good men and women of the oil money. Should be expenses, the temple will be open after the yellow list, who do not dare to eat black money, for fear of "God" to retribution.
Programs performed along the street, can also be rewarded. If you raise the bar through the hall (i.e., in the old Yamen Hall square through the front), Yamen "dignitaries" also have to pay out of their own pockets, a few magistrates have been out of the reward money.
The head of the temple, the stewardship of the preparation of the temple fair, are all white obligation, the support of the human art contact will be the event, door to door is also obligatory nature, which the village also has a lot of enthusiastic people. Actors bring their own dry food, squatting next to the stall between performances to eat. Just to twist the flower of the little actors to buy some candy pear cake, this is the reward.
The temple fair is also the largest material exchange conference in Jingfu. Commodities to agricultural tools, the temple fair's livestock market transactions often amount to two or three hundred head. Daily groceries, children's toys, women's products, coarse cloth and flower cloth is also very rich. Flavorful snacks, fried noodles and tea soup also rush to market. Sugar man, noodle man, fan, sweat umbrella, attracted many children and women.