The origin of Qingdao Haiyun'an Sugar Ball Festival

Qingdao Haiyun'an Sugar Ball Club has been around since the Ming Dynasty. At that time, Hou Haiyun'an was very popular, so the 16th day of the first lunar month, which is the first tide day in the new year, is designated as the temple fair day. Every time there is a temple fair, the incense becomes more prosperous. At the same time, there are many entertainment activities such as singing, donkey racing, stilt running, and land boat running in front and behind the temple. Food and toy vendors also gathered one after another. Among them, there were especially many selling sugar balls (called "candied haws" in Beijing). Sugar balls made from mountain plants, soft dates, yam, orange nin, etc. were put on the market one after another, and they competed for sales. Characteristic. After a long time, the masses came to call the Haiyun'an Temple Fair the Sugar Ball Club.

Because most of the temple fair foods are sugar balls, and the production skills are exquisite, there are many varieties of colors, and they also imply reunion, prosperity, and good luck, so they are deeply loved by the people, so the Haiyun'an Temple Fair is gradually named after it. The Sugar Ball Club became famous in both urban and rural areas. Over time, it became known as the "Haiyun'an Sugar Ball Club". It has a history of more than 500 years and is the largest folk temple fair in Qingdao.

In order to explore and protect the excellent folk cultural traditions, Qingdao City restored this popular folk festival in 1986. The festival is held for three days, from the 16th to the 18th day of the first lunar month every year. On the day of the temple fair, there are colorful folk art activities such as Maoqiang, Liuqiang, shadow puppets, juggling, paper-cutting, New Year pictures, Yangko competitions, gongs and drums competitions, etc. There are a dazzling array of sugar balls of different shapes, various snacks and handicrafts. There are millions of Chinese and foreign tourists coming to attend the meeting.

In 1991, Qingdao Haiyun'an Sugar Ball Club was awarded one of the 100 national key folk tourism projects. In 2005, it won the title of "China's Top Ten Folk Festivals". In 2006, it was included in the first batch of intangible cultural heritage lists in Shandong Province. Haiyun'an Sugar Ball Club has become a well-known brand event in the country and one of the most popular folk temple fairs in the country. The Sugar Ball Club aims to use sugar balls as a medium to vigorously develop new tourism festivals that integrate economic and trade, tourism and cultural activities, prosper folk culture, and create a good and harmonious festival atmosphere. Going to the Haiyun Temple Fair and eating candy balls on the 16th day of the first lunar month has become an essential part of Qingdao citizens’ life in the first month.