灵山庙会

申报地区：宜阳市2009年06月第2批

  灵山庙会因寺起会，灵山寺位于宜阳城西8公里洛河南岸的灵山北麓，曾名报忠寺、悬泉寺、寿安西寺，相传因周灵王葬于此而得名。

  灵山庙会始于隋唐，宋朝以后达到鼎盛，自明、清以后，庙会规模逐渐扩大，其内容更加丰富。据寺内碑刻记载，来自西安、郑州、三门峡、焦作等地和周边县区的信徒香客更是络绎不绝，庙会繁盛。

  灵山庙会会期为每年农历二月初一至十五，其内容主要为求子、祈福、认干亲、还愿等民间信仰活动。相传灵山的送子观音非常灵验，前来求子的信徒回家时都要多买一张车票，意即带着孩子回家，民间有叫“祈娃娃会”。随着庙会规模的扩大，形成了集民间信仰、民俗社火表演、民间集市贸易、传统饮食为一体的民俗文化盛会。

  近年来，在政府部门的引导下，庙会内涵不断丰富，专题的文化庙会已成功举办22届，民间传统庙会逐渐演变为融宗教信仰、佛事活动、文艺汇演、科普经贸、旅游观光于一体的综合性大型文化庙会，成为洛阳地区春节之后、洛阳牡丹花会之前影响豫西的民间文化盛会。

  灵山庙会延续至今仍有旺盛的生命力，充分反映它是基层群众历来所喜爱的文化样式，具有较高的民俗学及文化历史研究价值。

Lingshan Temple, also known as Baozhong Temple, Xuanquan Temple, and the West Temple of Shou' an, is located at the northern foot of Lingshan Mountain on the south bank of the Luo River, 8 kilometers west of Yiyang County. The temple was named after Emperor Ling of the Zhou Dynasty(1046BC-256BC), who was said to be buried in the Phoenix Mountain behind the temple. Lingshan Temple Fair traced its origin to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, reaching its peak after the Song Dynasty. After Ming and Qing Dynasties, the scale of temple fair gradually expanded, with richer activities. The temple fair flourished during that period. According to the records and inscriptions in the temple, pilgrims from the surrounding cities, including Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Sanmenxia and Jiaozuo, and the neighboring counties and districts came in an endless stream Lingshan Temple Fair is held from the first to the fifteenth day of the second month of China's lunar calendar each year. The activities mainly include praying for offspring, praying for blessings, claiming family connections and votive offerings. Legend has it that Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Lingshan Temple is very effective. Believers who come to pray for an offspring will buy an extra ticket when they go home, wishing they could take their children home, which was named"Praying for Offspring" by the folk. The expanding Temple Fair becomes a cultural festival integrating religious beliefs, Chinese folk performance, fair trade and traditional diet. In recent years, under the guidance of the government, temple fairs have been enriched. The special cultural temple fair has been successfully held for 22 years. gradually evolving into a comprehensive and large scale cultural temple fair integrating religious beliefs, Buddhist activities, theatrical performances, popular science, economy, trade and tourism. It becomes an influencing cultural event, together with the Spring Festival and Luoyang Peony Cultural Festival in western Henan Lingshan Temple Fair retains its exuberant vitality, which fully reflects that as a cultural event, it is preferred by ordinary people and is of cultural and historical alue to folklore.