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Coordinates: 39°8′5.98″N 121°35′13.03″W / 39.1349944°N 121.5869528°W / 39.1349944; -121.5869528
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In the 1860s, a temple was erected in Marysville to serve its substantial Chinese population. The history of the original and other non-extant temples is unclear; but in 1880 a new one was built and dedicated, which is still in place and in use. The foremost of the gods that are worshiped is [[Heidi (god)|Běidì]] ({{zh|t=北帝|l=North Deity|labels=no}}, [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]]: ''Pak Tai'', ''Bok Tai''; non-standard Toishanese: ''Buck Eye'', ''Beuk Aie''), also known as [[Xuanwu (god)|Xuan Wu]], ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|玄武}}}} "Dark Warrior" or "Mysterious Warrior"), a [[Shen (Chinese religion)|Deity]] in [[Chinese folk religion]] believed to govern the northern region and rain, hence its place of reverence at Bok Kai Temple, or Northern Creek Temple.<ref name="LTom 2020">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Cu-DwAAQBAJ |title=Gold Country's Last Chinatown: Marysville, California |author1=Tom, Lawrence |author2=Tom, Brian |publisher=The History Press |location=Charleston, South Carolina |date=2020 |isbn=9781467143233}}</ref>{{rp|45-67}} <ref name="Ho&Bronson 2022">{{cite book |last1=Ho |first1=Chuimei |last2=Bronson |first2=Bennet |title=Chinese Traditional Religion and Temples in North America, 1849–1920: California |date=2022 |publisher=Chinese in Northwest America Research Committee |location=Seattle, Washington |isbn=9781723851469 |quote=... expand on information in the present authors' "Three Chinese Temples in California" (2016) ... [and correct] several errors made in that book...}}</ref>{{rp|41,253-269}}
In the 1860s, a temple was erected in Marysville to serve its substantial Chinese population. The history of the original and other non-extant temples is unclear; but in 1880 a new one was built and dedicated, which is still in place and in use. The foremost of the gods that are worshiped is [[Heidi (god)|Běidì]] ({{zh|t=北帝|l=North Deity|labels=no}}, [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]]: ''Pak Tai'', ''Bok Tai''; non-standard Toishanese: ''Buck Eye'', ''Beuk Aie''), also known as [[Xuanwu (god)|Xuan Wu]], ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|玄武}}}} "Dark Warrior" or "Mysterious Warrior"), a [[Shen (Chinese religion)|Deity]] in [[Chinese folk religion]] believed to govern the northern region and rain, hence its place of reverence at Bok Kai Temple, or Northern Creek Temple.<ref name="LTom 2020">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Cu-DwAAQBAJ |title=Gold Country's Last Chinatown: Marysville, California |author1=Tom, Lawrence |author2=Tom, Brian |publisher=The History Press |location=Charleston, South Carolina |date=2020 |isbn=9781467143233}}</ref>{{rp|45-67}} <ref name="Ho&Bronson 2022">{{cite book |last1=Ho |first1=Chuimei |last2=Bronson |first2=Bennet |title=Chinese Traditional Religion and Temples in North America, 1849–1920: California |date=2022 |publisher=Chinese in Northwest America Research Committee |location=Seattle, Washington |isbn=9781723851469 |quote=... expand on information in the present authors' "Three Chinese Temples in California" (2016) ... [and correct] several errors made in that book...}}</ref>{{rp|41,253-269}}

The temple plays a central role for the "bomb festival"; the first such festival in Marysville dates back to at least 1873, before the current temple was built. Although a dozen Chinese communities in California held "bomb festivals" in the late 19th century, usually on ''yee yuet yee'' ({{zh|c=二月二|l=second-month second}}), the second day of the second month of the lunar year, Marysville's festival is the only one to persist to the present day, year after year with few exceptions. The "bomb" used is a specially made firecracker that launches a bamboo "good fortune" ring (one newspaper called it the "wheel of fortune") high in the air above the assembled crowd. The lucky person who catches it as it drops, fights off others vying for it, and retains full control of it, usually to the temple door, receives a reward from the temple. In the 1880s, the Marysville dragon, Moo Lung, was added to the festivities. In the 1950s, when Marysville was the only community firing off the "bombs", the name was changed to the Bok Kai Festival.<ref name="LTom 2020" /><ref name="Ho&Bronson 2022" />


The temple remains a primary focus of the present Marysville Chinese-American community, who have dedicated themselves to preserving the temple and celebrating the Bok Kai Festival.<ref name="sfgate2015">{{cite web |title='Bomb Day' touches off proud tradition in Marysville |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Bomb-Day-touches-off-proud-tradition-in-6156409.php |website=sfgate.com |access-date=8 January 2024 |date=March 24, 2015}}</ref>
The temple remains a primary focus of the present Marysville Chinese-American community, who have dedicated themselves to preserving the temple and celebrating the Bok Kai Festival.<ref name="sfgate2015">{{cite web |title='Bomb Day' touches off proud tradition in Marysville |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Bomb-Day-touches-off-proud-tradition-in-6156409.php |website=sfgate.com |access-date=8 January 2024 |date=March 24, 2015}}</ref>

Revision as of 06:49, 31 January 2024

Bok Kai Temple (Chinese: 北溪廟)
Full view of the Bok Kai Temple
Bok Kai Temple is located in California
Bok Kai Temple
Bok Kai Temple is located in the United States
Bok Kai Temple
LocationMarysville, California
Coordinates39°8′5.98″N 121°35′13.03″W / 39.1349944°N 121.5869528°W / 39.1349944; -121.5869528
Built1880
NRHP reference No.75000498[1]
CHISL No.889
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 21, 1975
Designated CHISL1975[2]

The Bok Kai Temple (Chinese: 北溪廟, literally North Creek Temple) is a traditional Chinese temple in the city of Marysville, California, located at the corner of D and First Streets. Since 1880, it served as the center of what was a bustling Chinatown for a small town known as the "Gateway to the Gold Fields".[3] It is the only in situ 19th-century Chinese Temple in the United States that is still active.[4]: 253 

History

When the Chinese from the Pearl River Delta west of Canton arrived in California during the gold rush, many on their way to work the gold mines landed in riverboats at Marysville. Its importance as a supply depot grew and was imprinted in their Cantonese language: Marysville was known as Sahm Fou (三埠, Third City); Sacramento Yee Fou (二埠, Second City); and San Francisco Dai Fou (大埠, The Big City).[3]: 17  [5]

In the 1860s, a temple was erected in Marysville to serve its substantial Chinese population. The history of the original and other non-extant temples is unclear; but in 1880 a new one was built and dedicated, which is still in place and in use. The foremost of the gods that are worshiped is Běidì (北帝; 'North Deity', Cantonese: Pak Tai, Bok Tai; non-standard Toishanese: Buck Eye, Beuk Aie), also known as Xuan Wu, (玄武 "Dark Warrior" or "Mysterious Warrior"), a Deity in Chinese folk religion believed to govern the northern region and rain, hence its place of reverence at Bok Kai Temple, or Northern Creek Temple.[6]: 45–67  [4]: 41, 253–269 

The temple plays a central role for the "bomb festival"; the first such festival in Marysville dates back to at least 1873, before the current temple was built. Although a dozen Chinese communities in California held "bomb festivals" in the late 19th century, usually on yee yuet yee (Chinese: 二月二; lit. 'second-month second'), the second day of the second month of the lunar year, Marysville's festival is the only one to persist to the present day, year after year with few exceptions. The "bomb" used is a specially made firecracker that launches a bamboo "good fortune" ring (one newspaper called it the "wheel of fortune") high in the air above the assembled crowd. The lucky person who catches it as it drops, fights off others vying for it, and retains full control of it, usually to the temple door, receives a reward from the temple. In the 1880s, the Marysville dragon, Moo Lung, was added to the festivities. In the 1950s, when Marysville was the only community firing off the "bombs", the name was changed to the Bok Kai Festival.[6][4]

The temple remains a primary focus of the present Marysville Chinese-American community, who have dedicated themselves to preserving the temple and celebrating the Bok Kai Festival.[7]

Current use

The temple is infrequently used as an active place of worship, but is preserved as both a California Historical Landmark and as a protected property on the National Register of Historic Places. A Bok Kai festival and parade is held annually in the spring, during which time the temple is opened for ceremonies as well as for interested parties to tour. Other tours may be arranged by contacting the Temple caretaker.[7]

  • The dragon in the parade at the annual Bok Kai festival
    The dragon in the parade at the annual Bok Kai festival
  • The front view of the Bok Kai Temple
    The front view of the Bok Kai Temple
  • The gate of the Bok Kai Temple from the street
    The gate of the Bok Kai Temple from the street
  • Bok Kai Temple historical marker plaque
    Bok Kai Temple historical marker plaque
  • Small sedan chair for the Gods
    Small sedan chair for the Gods
  • Exhibition
    Exhibition

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. ^ "Bok Kai Temple". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Tom, Brian; Tom, Lawrence (2008). Marysville's Chinatown. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738559766.
  4. ^ a b c Ho, Chuimei; Bronson, Bennet (2022). Chinese Traditional Religion and Temples in North America, 1849–1920: California. Seattle, Washington: Chinese in Northwest America Research Committee. ISBN 9781723851469. ... expand on information in the present authors' "Three Chinese Temples in California" (2016) ... [and correct] several errors made in that book...
  5. ^ Chan, Sucheng (August 1984). "Chinese Livelihood in Rural California: The Impact of Economic Change, 1860-1880". Pacific Historical Review. 53 (3): 273–307. doi:10.2307/3639231. JSTOR 3639231. Retrieved December 3, 2023. To this day, Chinese Americans call San Francisco "Dai Fou" (Big City), Sacramento "Yee Fou" (Second City), and Marysville "Sam Fou" (Third City).
  6. ^ a b Tom, Lawrence; Tom, Brian (2020). Gold Country's Last Chinatown: Marysville, California. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. ISBN 9781467143233.
  7. ^ a b "'Bomb Day' touches off proud tradition in Marysville". sfgate.com. March 24, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
Further reading

External links

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