Organizers of a Ditan Park's temple fair have reacted angrily after a controversial survey listed the event as the worst during this year's Spring Festival.

Visitors to oldbeijing.net, a website that has promoted the capital's traditional culture for a decade, were asked to rate fairs in eight categories, including setting, authenticity and price.

The results, which were compiled from 72 votes and published on Monday, put Ditan bottom in six categories, including air quality, food prices and sanitation.

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Zhang Jinsong, a spokesman for the fair, refused to comment, apart from to say he disagreed.

However, in an interview with Beijing News he questioned the authority of the poll, suggesting that 72 netizens cannot represent the opinions of the 1.2 million who visited the fair during the holiday.

Founder of oldbeijing.net, Zhang Wei, admitted 72 is a small number. Yet, when it comes to preserving traditional culture, he thinks every opinion should be cherished.

"The attitude of the (Ditan) temple fair organizers is unacceptable," he said. "Last year, Longtan temple fair was the worst, but they've been humble enough to accept the result and made changes. This year, they are much better. That's truly our original intention, to encourage temple fairs to improve."

The survey, which started last year, is part of an annual review by city officials that awards cash prizes to organizers of the best temple fairs.

Zhang Wei said the most significant problem with temple fairs is that they are losing an educational function.

"Temple fairs are ultimately a platform to display Beijing's traditional cultures and handicrafts, not simply a carnival," he said, adding that people are no longer interested in traditional performances.

"My crosstalk group gave a street show at the temple fair but only 25 yuan a day," he said. "Instead of giving money to organizers of temple fairs, the government should support traditional programs."