The poetry gathering was held for three days. To make it more fun and interactive, organizers set up activities such as on-the-spot poetry writing, poetry puzzles and other games, all of which allowed the public to experience the romanticism and beauty of poetry.

At this year's temple fair, a food award featuring good taste and fun attracted many young tourists. The event not only included on-site experiences of making traditional food such as Boluo rice dumplings, but also offered sales of traditional souvenirs and mementos from time-honored Chinese brands.

The handicraft exhibition invited national and provincial-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors to display the handicrafts of Boluo chicken, Guangdong embroidery, and Chinese pith paintings.

Fuxu dragon boat cruises around the South China Sea God Temple. ZHU WEIZHAO/FOR CHINA DAILY

Colin Fuller, a United States native who resides in the district, visited the temple fair for the first time. He said he used to mistake the Boluo chicken for something edible instead of a beautifully crafted artwork with bright colors.

He said he brought his family to the temple fair so that they would understand more about the local culture.

Wang Dan, the director of the opening ceremony, said this year's cultural festival upheld and preserved the essence of traditional folk culture while integrating innovative creations that capture Huangpu's distinct characteristics.

"In the past three years, the people of Huangpu district have constantly sought to improve and refine traditional culture," Wang said. "Through the use of exceptional traditional Chinese culture, they have developed a myriad of valuable artworks with distinctive Huangpu characteristics and present-day features. Thus, during the opening ceremony, we presented the works accumulated over the past three years in hopes of helping more people understand and fall in love with Huangpu through such an event."