Horse and livestock trade fair at Mount Wutai

Every June, Mount Wutai is awash with activities usually associated with Buddhism pertaining to literature or the arts, as well as one that runs in sharp contrast with the tranquility and incense-infused atmosphere of the mountain: a horse and livestock trade fair.

An old picture shows the massive horse and livestock staged at Mount Wutai. [Photo/sxwts.gov.cn]

Mount Wutai’s horse and livestock trade fair, which often takes place in June, has been a traditional folk event since time immemorial in China. As early as in the Sui (AD 581-618) and Tang (AD 618-907) dynasties, the Taihuai region had already formed a temple fair celebrated every July.

During the Qing Dynasty (AD 1644-1911), Emperor Qianlong (AD 1736-95) advocated Buddhism. He went to Wutai Mountain five times and gave orders to build temples and hold pujas in June every year.

Activities during the horse and livestock fair are dynamic, and monks from different regions crowd onto the mountain to perform rites or chant in Taihuai county, making Mount Wutai a vibrant place full of religious colors.

Visitors tour the temple complexes on Mount Wutai during the horse and livestock fair, and appreciate local folk customs at the variety of activities taking place. [Photo/English.jschina.com.cn]

The Wutai Mountain region has abundant pasture land with an agreeable climate and geographical conditions. Every year around June, a great number of farmers, herdsman, and traders bring their animals to the town of Taihuai in Wutai county, a tradition that began during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644). The event may last 30 to 40 days. Meanwhile, pilgrims and travelers would also pay a visit to the fair. Approximately 140,000 to 150,000 people gathered in the Taihuai region at its peak. And the fair gradually developed to be a significant assembly of folk and religious activities.

In recent years, the horse and livestock fair has grown to a larger scale, the number of cows, donkeys, mules, and horses for trade has increased to over 10,000 every day during the event.

The splendor of the event has gained unprecedented prosperity year after year, greatly enriching Mount Wutai, one of the four most famed Buddhist mountains in China, with its flourishing bazar and diversified cultural traditions and relics.