The front shot of Da Tang Xi shi. Photo: Deborah Howard

When I was invited to the temple Fair, I wondered if it would be like the church fetes back home in Australia. The local church would hold a fund raising afternoon, with pony rides for children, homemade jams and cakes to buy, raffles to buy tickets in hoping you will win a prize. Sometimes there would be fun races for adults and children, 3-legged races, bag races and other games. So not quite certain what I was in for, I headed off to the temple fair called Da Tang Xi Shi (大唐西市), opposite the Lao Nan Shi Chang (勞南市場) bus station in Laodong South Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

Well, it certainly wasn't anything like a church fete!! The first difference was the scale model boat standing in front of the square of the temple fair, surrounded by the floating red balls I call 'jelly fish'. Red lanterns were strung up all around the square, lightly laced with soft white snow. Drummers and performers were finishing last minute rehearsals and stalls selling Chinese and Thai trinkets were filling up.

The Han costume model. Photo: Deborah Howard

I investigated the Han costume stall, attracted by the handsome costume worn by the owner of the company, Zhang Xisong. He invited me to try on a lovely pink number, but as the day was quite cold and still snowing lightly, I decided I was too much of a coward to take off my warm down coat. Next time, I promised.

The Diabolo (抖空竹) player. Photo: Deborah Howard

The square was beginning to be filled with people watching the skilled Diabolo (抖空竹) players – keeping that wooden top spinning on long ropes is a skill I cannot see myself mastering! While I watched them, a loudspeaker called us to the stage area where the official opening of the Temple Fair was announced.