CRI听力:Crickets for Sale in Winter Market

It's a sound that's music to the ears of these cricket aficionados.

Here in northern China, cold weather hasn't cooled the passion for these cricket fans – not the sport, but the insect. Thousands are braving sub-zero temperatures to purchase the insects at the Tianqiao Culture Market in Beijing.

Keeping crickets as pets is a tradition that dates back to ancient times in China.

They have long been considered a symbol of prosperity and luck in the country's culture.

Farmers often welcome the chirping of crickets in spring as sign to begin their ploughing.

Also, poems from the 1,300-year-old Tang Dynasty talk of both royalty and ordinary citizens having pet crickets kept in tiny cages.

During the days of Chairman Mao, cricket-keeping was declared illegal and the cricket trade was forced underground.

But since then, it has made a comeback among both young and old Chinese people, who cherish the tiny insects for their chirping songs.

Wang Xuhan, a cricket aficionado, has been keeping crickets for many years.

"I started keeping crickets as a hobby when I was very young. It's one of Beijing's old traditions as well. Usually, I think of it when winter arrives, and I buy a new cricket every winter."

Han believes listening to the crickets is particularly important when deciding which one to buy.

"The sound is quite important for choosing a cricket. We usually choose the one with a pleasant and loud chirp. Nothing is more important than that, I think. It is able to cheer you up while it sits in your pocket. It's possible for me to hear the tune of summer while listening to its chirp in winter."

For the dozens of sellers lining the alleys of this market, crickets are big business.

During a weekend, each individual seller can sell as many as 700 crickets - with common varieties retailing for as little as 20-30 RMB ($3-$5 USD), while rare and sought-after breeds can go for as much as 1600 RMB ($264 USD).

Customers here crowd around the most popular vendors, straining for a glimpse of crickets on display.

To get a closer inspection before bargaining for the best price, buyers stroke and place the insects in their hands.

With temperatures here hitting sub-zero, the winter weather can slow these cold-blooded insects down, forcing seller to be more creative.

Sellers keep their crickets tucked away in Styrofoam containers or inside jacket pockets for warmth.

They also use squeaking sounds or wooden instruments to coax the sluggish insects to chirp.

For some of these cricket buyers, where to keep their crickets is almost as important as the crickets themselves.

Simple plastic tubes with vent holes in the lid are available, but many prefer tiny, intricate cages that sometimes cost more than the crickets themselves.

Jian Huaxing is a craftsman who specializes in cricket cages made from hand-carved gourds.

"After we make a container, we have to make a lid and match it with the container, and the wood for the lid should be high-quality, like red sandalwood, ebony and cocobolo."

For CRI, I'm Shen Ting.