Visiting Dali’s Third Month Fair: Markets, Food and Bai Traditions

What the Third Month Fair is

Dali’s Sanyuejie, or Third Month Fair, brings trade, performance, sport and community celebration together. It is also known as Guanyin Market and Sanyuehui. Closely associated with Bai traditions, it has long been a meeting place for the wider region rather than simply a shopping street for visitors.

The fairground lies outside Dali Old Town’s west gate, below Zhonghe Peak in the Cangshan range, with Erhai beyond the town. The traditional opening falls on the fifteenth day of the third lunar month, with a fair period commonly described as seven to ten days. That does not give you the Gregorian dates or event programme for any particular year. Its recognition as a local festival in 1991 and inclusion in the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008 help explain why market life and cultural events share the same space.

Give the market more than a quick walk

The main approach from the west gate has long been lined with temporary stalls, while side lanes and activity areas spread the visit farther. A straight walk to the far end is not the same as browsing the fair. Allow several hours if you want time to look, eat and return without constantly checking the clock.

Look for Jianchuan woodcarving, worked marble, Xiaguan tuocha tea, embroidered clothing and local straw hats. The attraction lies in the differences between stalls: a small carved detail, a textile pattern or how a tea seller explains a product. Compare quality, price and quantity before buying. Ask before photographing people at work, and leave room for others to pass rather than stopping across the whole lane.

Eat in pauses, not all at once

The food is another reason to leave time. Bai three-course tea, fish-head casserole, rushan milk fans, chicken with sour papaya, beef with chestnuts and yellow-braised chicken represent different kinds of stops, from a small taste to a sit-down meal. Choose according to appetite and sharing portions instead of treating every named dish as an obligation.

Plums deserve their own look. Dali preparations range from sour-salty plums with chilli to stewed plums and elaborately cut diaomei. Their balance of sourness, sweetness and salt varies, so ask for the style and quantity you want. A market stall may sell several preparations together; do not assume they all taste alike.

Understand the celebrations before choosing an event

Horse events are a prominent part of the fair’s sporting identity. Traditional competitions have also included crossbow shooting, swings, blowpipes and spinning tops. Music can range from folk singing to Dongjing ancient music and Bai Dabenqu singing with instrumental accompaniment. Dragon and lion dance, community performances and group dancing add other rhythms to the market day.

The fair held on 19–25 April 2019 was one edition; dates and activities vary by year. Its opening performance and horse events used the racecourse, while music and community activities took place around the old fairground, the large tree gathering area and venues in the old town. Associated events included cycling, badminton, basketball, motorcycle competition, book fairs, art exhibitions and film screenings. These illustrate the festival’s range; they are not promises that the same competitions, locations or sessions recur every year. Choose from the actual programme for your travel year.

Plan the arrival and the way home

Crowds affect both the fair and the streets around it. If arriving from the railway station or Xiaguan, check current public transport and the final approach to the west-gate area. Festival traffic controls may alter the most direct approach; agree a legal pickup point and allow extra time for the return. A private car still needs somewhere permitted to stop.

Queue together and respect the order rather than having one person hold a place for a whole group. Keep valuables secure in dense crowds, carry sun protection and take breaks. A little cash in small denominations can be useful where a seller’s payment options are limited, but ask rather than assume. Use bins and follow the customs of each stall or dining place, including halal food rules. If a purchase or price is unclear, settle it calmly before paying. A manageable shopping bag and a clear route home make a better end to the day than one final rushed purchase.