FRANKFURT, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The first Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt kicked off on Friday. The fair celebrates Chinese New Year with a wide range of festive events, and will run until Feb. 2.

It features authentic Chinese national intangible cultural heritage, such as Chaoyang Yingge dance from Guangdong, Ansai waist drumming from Shaanxi, traditional folk crafts like sugar painting, and performances by Chinese robots and robotic dogs.

Last December, the Spring Festival was officially inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Chinese Consul General in Frankfurt Huang Yiyang said: "The Spring Festival originates from China but belongs to the world. The Frankfurt Spring Festival temple fair is not only an event for the Chinese compatriots in Germany to celebrate their traditional festival but also an important platform for promoting the Global Civilization Initiative and fostering cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and Germany, bringing our peoples closer together."

Turgut Yueksel, a member of the Hessian State Parliament, said at the opening ceremony of the first temple fair for Spring Festival in Frankfurt that this event is very precious. It conveys Chinese cultural characteristics and brings a unique style to the local residents of Frankfurt, Yueksel said.

Chen Tanpeng, coach of the Ximen Yingge Team from Shantou, Guangdong province, told Xinhua that the performers will offer a rich cultural feast to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts.

"I find the environment in Germany to be excellent, the people incredibly warm, and the food absolutely delightful. We are very happy to be here and are thrilled to celebrate the New Year in such a wonderful place," Chen said. Enditem

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