The Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds

 

Yesterday was the Chinese New Year celebration at the Joss House (a temple where Chinese gods were kept and worshipped was called a joss house) in the small mountain town west of us, Weaverville, Ca. It had been closed for three years due to the pandemic and lockdowns. It was our first time visiting it on the inside. We've walked around the grounds before. 

The temple is the oldest continuously used Chinese temple in California. 

This Taoist Temple of Worship is now a California State Park 

Art objects, pictures, mining tools, and weapons used in the 1854 Tong War are on display. This Taoist temple is still a place of worship and a fascinating look into the role played by Chinese immigrants in early California history. 

The front of the building, painted bright blue to replicate the color of the sky, a symbol of heaven to the Chinese, has white lines that resemble the tile work of similar temples in China. On the temple roof sit two Chow Win Dragon Fish, once believed to keep wooden structures safe from fire.

The true historical significance of the Joss House is that during China’s Cultural Revolution, many of the old rural-style temples were dismantled or destroyed. The Weaverville Joss House is an intact and complete temple of that
era, which no longer exists in many parts of China.

The Temple is a house of worship, and services are not held in the same manner we are accustomed to in western Christianity. It is used by followers of Taoism to consult the gods on an individual basis.

The ornate wooden gate to the porch and the fanciful gables and cornices on the building reflects the Chinese presence

My photos do not give the beauty of the bright red and ornate gold trimmings, any favor. It was just so pretty and old. 

The door guardian 

Interesting tidbit

 Just beyond the very high thresholds of the entrance doors stand two more wooden doors—“spirit screens”—to keep out evil spirits. According to traditional Chinese belief, such spirits are unable to travel over barriers or around corners. The park instructor said that the evil spirits are lazy.

A very large lampshade - I bet this is beautiful at night. 

A closer look at the tapestry of that lampshade.

Okay at first, to me it reminded me of a face - with a red tongue...

Do you see it? 

It's not a face - This is an incendiary they use to burn the joss paper in the red envelope which is an offering conveyed into the spirit world through the fire’s smoke.

A red envelope with joss paper inside - traditional Chinese-Taoist practice that sends money and material goods to deceased relatives in the afterlife.

Made in China

A Gong 

The temple contains a wealth of religious artifacts brought to the area by the Chinese during California’s gold rush. The interior was made with wood and materials brought over from mainland China in the 1850s. 

The original one burned in a fire and once again, everything inside was transported from China including the wood. 

Except for the installation of protective railings and electricity, its interior has not been changed since 1874. 

Three ornately carved wooden spirit houses contain clay statues of male and female deities. An altar table holds candles, incense sticks, oracle fortune sticks, wine cups, and pictures of immortals painted on glass. 

A small wooden table holding food offerings sits in front of the altar, and a stone urn under the table offers beverages, including sweet plum wine. 

Beautiful arrangements of blossoms that I thought were so pretty. 

Flags and red envelopes

A look toward the altar - not very good lighting. 

Along the side walls, processional banners, drums, gongs, and association flags used in the Chinese New Year parades are displayed.

Looking upward - 

There are very small living quarters for the temple attendant and a very small boarding room with bunk beds for Chinese travelers attached to the temple building.

The Conference room

Hundreds of faded orange papers with the names of contributors and the amounts of their contributions for temple upkeep hang on the walls of the conference room. 

I had to laugh - imagine the contributions we give to the church were done this way? 

Do you think more people would give? 

A closer look 

We had a really nice time, learning about this temple we have driven by for years. Even as a child, when we would go up to these parts for camping, my folks never had the time to stop. 

More than 2000 Chinese men lived and worked here as gold miners, cooks, builders, and loggers. The Chinatown encompassed two blocks including the Joss house, the oldest in America, and one of two remaining Chinese-built, rammed-earth structures in California. 

For more historical information

https://www.historynet.com/chinese-immigrants-on-americas-western-frontier/

I hope you enjoyed my little visit to a Chinese Temple. 

Until next time, Take Care

Debby