为进一步打造“经济强镇、旅游重镇、人居名镇”，在中华民族传统节日元宵这一天，以 “弘扬慈孝文化，挖掘传统文化”为主题的第四届慈城文化庙会隆重登场。它把具有慈城地方特色的慈孝文化庙会和商市庙会相结合，开展民间娱乐、风味美食、贸易交流等综合性活动，挖掘亮点，提升创意，打响了慈城文化庙会这张品牌。

The fourth Cicheng Temple Fair was held this year at Lantern Festival. The Fair brought together a commercial fair and the "Filiality Fair" which is one of Cicheng’s major traditions and a part of its charm. The combined fair offered entertainment, snacks and business opportunities. It was a display of the best and the most inventive that Cicheng has to offer, and was a great advertisement for the city.

″Filiality″ Temple Fair
慈孝文化庙会

On the morning of March 4 there was a “First Writing” ceremony at the Confucian temple.
“First Writing” is a traditional induction to learning how to write for Chinese school children, similar to the modern ceremony for first years going to school for the first time. In dynastic China it was a very important moment in the life of every student. Holding the ceremony is a way of introducing children to the brilliant cultural traditions of China just as they enter their studying years. It lays the foundations for their good behavior and strong moral fiber, and marks another year in Cicheng’s long history of strong filial virtue.

The ceremony involves washing the children’s faces with the "top scholar zhuangyuan" cloth and water from the "zhuangyuan" well; bowing to the statue of Confucius; a leading teacher gives the lecture on Cicheng filiality and dots the children starting school with vermillion, to unlock their capacity for learning. Local residents also have the chance to reenact the story of Dong An, the famous Han Dynasty good son who drew water every day for his sick mother, and there is a water-carrying competition.

3月4日上午在孔庙举行“开笔礼”。“开笔”，与我们今日的开学仪式差不多，是中国传统上对少儿开始识字习礼仪式的称谓。传统而又庄重的开笔仪式，在古代是极为隆重的典礼，对于每个读书人来讲有着重大的意义。举办开笔仪式，就是希望可以通过传统的方式，让准备进入求学阶段的小朋友，了解中华民族的优秀传统文化，为日后形成正当的行为规范和高尚的道德情操奠定基础。另外，当日还仿照汉代董黯挑水汲母的故事，举行了孝子挑水比赛。

Visitors are attracted by local specialties at the temple fair
Teachers paint a dot between eyes to awaken the intellect



Commercial fair
庙会商市
The temple fair gathered together a host of regional farm specialties and local snacks. New year cake is Cicheng's most famous local specialty, and there were tastings, cake sales and cake-making demonstrations. There were also opportunities for visitors to the fair to get their hands dirty and learn to make some snacks for themselves.

庙会商市上汇集了农副产品、特色美食。其中以年糕为主，包括年糕品尝、售卖、群众参与传统年糕制作等，并开设地方风味小吃制作，吸引游客参与制作。