The Lutai Fair in Ninghe, Tianjin, is one of northern China's long-standing traditional markets, attracting visitors from across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. With a history of around 460 years, the fair hosts hundreds of stalls offering local food, Spring Festival decorations, and agricultural products, while showcasing rural culture and daily life.

Egyptian visitor Ahmed Mohamed Saleh explored the fair, experiencing its lively traditions. Visitors can hear vendors calling to customers, smell local delicacies, and watch the social interactions that characterize rural Chinese markets.

A highlight is the 100-yuan ($14) New Year shopping challenge, in which participants buy food and gifts within a limited budget. Ahmed walked the aisles with strawberries, spicy crayfish, pickled cabbage, and Spring Festival couplets, sampling local flavors and discovering traditional festival items.

The fair also includes intangible cultural heritage displays, featuring traditional crafts and local skills, as well as a village chef competition. Chefs from nearby towns prepared northern Chinese dishes.

These activities demonstrate the preservation of traditions in a modern context. The Lutai Fair shows how rural markets function in community life while drawing urban and international visitors. It serves as a platform for cultural exchange and a window into local customs, reflecting northern China's agricultural heritage and Spring Festival traditions.

Huang Linyi and Zhang Haoyu in Tianjin contributed to this story.