| Third Month Fair | |
|---|---|
| Official name | 三月街 (Sānyuè Jiē) |
| Observed by | Bai people and other ethnic groups ofYunnan[1] |
| Type | Traditional and official |
| Celebrations | Street market, performances, sporting events |
| Begins | 15th day of the third month of theChinese calendar |
| 2024 date | April 23 |
| 2025 date | April 12 |
| 2026 date | May 1 |
| Frequency | Annual |
TheThird Month Fair (Bai language:salwa zix[note 1]) is one of the most important festivals celebrated by theBai people ofsouthwest China.[1][2] It includes a street bazaar, performances, sports, and games, and takes place annually inDali City,Yunnan. The fair lasts several days, starting on the 15th day of the third month of theChinese calendar (in April or May of theGregorian calendar).[2][4][8] In 2025, it begins on April 12.[9]
The festival is also known as theMarket of Guanyin,Guanyin being the bodhisattva of mercy inChinese Buddhism.[4] It is said that Guanyin came to ancient Dali on the 15th day of the third month of the Chinese calendar, so an annual temple celebration was established on that day.[4]
An alternative origin story says that the festival celebrates the marriage of a princess, from the family of thedragon king ofErhai Lake, and a fisherman.[2] The princess and the fisherman went to an annual market, held by gods and goddesses on the 15th day of the third month, that had precious stones andmedicinal herbs.[2] A version of this story says that the market was on the Moon, and the couple went to buy fishing materials but did not find any.[4] This celestial market (or a new market inspired by it) was moved to Earth, and it became the Third Month Street Fair.[2][4]
The festival is observed by the Bai people and other ethnic groups of Yunnan.[1] It begins on the 15th day of the third month of theChinese calendar (in April or May of theGregorian calendar),[2][4][8] and lasts several days.[note 2]
The Third Month Fair dates back to theTang dynasty[2][8] and began as a Buddhist temple gathering (miaohui).[8] It is traditionally a time to pray for the harvest.[4] It is also associated with love, and is considered a time for courting.[4][8]
It is celebrated with a street fair held belowMount Diancang, nearDali Old Town;[4] the Dali area is the cultural center of the Bai people. Stalls at the fair sell a wide variety of goods, includingmedicinal herbs, handicrafts,Pu'er tea, traditional candy, local ham, livestock, silk, gemstones such asamber andjade, wooden sculptures,embroidery, hats, shoes, kitchenware, fishing and farming tools, and furniture.[2][3][4][8] Animals sold at the market include cattle, horses, mules, andInner Mongolian camels.[8]
One of the fair's most well-known products istraditional medicine, and the Third Month Fair is said to have the most extensive array of medicinal products for sale anywhere in western Yunnan.[8] A survey of the 2012 fair found hundreds of types of traditional medicine for sale, including some from other parts of China and from India, Myanmar, and Thailand.[7] The most popular traditional medicines sold at the market includeMagnolia biondii,Crataegus pinnatifida, andGlycyrrhiza uralensis.[7]
The festival involves singing and dancing performances as well as competitions, includinghorse racing,dragon boat races, ball games, board games,archery, wrestling, andmartial arts.[1][4][8] People dress up in traditional festive attire, and the old town is extensively decorated, including withlanterns and flowers.[8] The fair is famous throughout the country and has become a tourist attraction, attracting sightseers from other parts of China and abroad.[1][3][4][8]
In modern times, government officials have lent support to the Third Month Fair, seeing it as a way to promote economic growth, especially forminority communities, and to show support for Bai culture.[3] The festival was formally recognized by the government ofDali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in 1991.[1]
In the 1990s, the government invested in permanent structures for the market, including roads and hundreds of stalls.[3] The project involved close to 4 millionRMB from the local government and theYunnan government and more than 13 million RMB from other investors.[3]
In 2008, the Third Month Fair was recognized at the national level as part of China'sintangible cultural heritage.[8]
The Third Month Fair is alocal public holiday in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.[10] It was made a public holiday in 1991, with residents getting two days off.[11][12] This was later expanded to three days off, from the 15th to the 17th of the third month of the Chinese calendar.[10] In 2025, this corresponds to April 12 through 14.[9]
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