Oroville Chinese Temple facts for kids

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Oroville Chinese Temple
U.S. National Register of Historic Places


Location in California Show map of California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1500 Broderick St., Oroville, California
Built	1863
NRHP reference No.	76000478
Added to NRHP	July 30, 1976

The Oroville Chinese Temple (列聖宮) is a special place built in 1863 in Oroville, California. It was created for Chinese folk religious worship. Today, the City of Oroville owns the temple. It is open to everyone as a museum. People still use it for worship sometimes.

History of the Temple
Original Temple Buildings
Later Additions to the Temple Complex
See also

History of the Temple

In the late 1800s, about 10,000 Chinese immigrants lived near Oroville, California. Many came to find gold during the California Gold Rush around 1849. For the first 20 years, only men came to Oroville. They were not allowed to bring their families. Most came from the Canton and Shanghai areas. They brought their rich culture and a strong desire to succeed. They hoped to return home wealthy.

Around 1850, the Chinese community in Oroville built their first Chinese temple. It was made of wood. This temple burned down, and so did a second one. The third temple was built with red brick from Palermo, California. The Tongzhi Emperor and Empress of China helped pay for it. This third temple was finished in September 1863. It is the same building you can see today.

Temple Banner

The temple survived many fires and floods over the years. But in 1907, a huge flood damaged the temple and all of Oroville. At the same time, there was an economic depression in the United States. Many Chinese people left Oroville. They moved to bigger U.S. cities or went back to China. The remaining Chinese families, especially the Chan family, kept the temple complex going until the 1930s.

In the 1930s, these families decided to give the temple complex to the City of Oroville. The city officially took ownership in 1937. The Chinese families had three important requests. First, the city agreed to build a museum. This museum would hold artifacts that the old temple did not have space for. Second, the city promised that all three temples would still be open for worship. Third, the city would teach volunteers about Chinese culture, beliefs, and artifacts. This would help visitors understand the temple better. The new museum building was finished, and the center reopened in July 1949.

The temple originally had three main parts. These were the Chan Room for Confucian meditation, the Moon Temple for Buddhist rites, and the Council Room for community events. Later, new parts were added. These include a Chinese tapestry hall, a display hall, and a Chinese garden.

The Chinese Temple museum reopened on April 10, 2021. It had been closed for a year because of COVID-19. The museum is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Original Temple Buildings

Main Temple: Liet Sheng Kong

Main Temple Interior

The oldest brick temple was finished in 1863. It is called Liet Sheng Kong. This name means "Temple of Many Gods and Goddesses." In this temple, visitors could worship any deity they wished. The inside walls and ceiling are covered with hanging boards. These boards have carvings or writing to honor Chinese deities for answering prayers.

The room has three altars. One teak altar at the front came from China. It shows a beautifully carved courtyard scene. A second altar holds incense burners. The third altar, also from China, sits at the back wall. This altar holds three carved wooden statues of Chinese deities. On the top sides of this altar are two papier-mâché Southern lion heads. Chinese people used these to scare away evil spirits. They were also used in Chinese festival parades. Inside the temple, there is a gong. Just outside the entrance, there is a very large ceremonial urn from China.

Chan Room: A Place of Remembrance

The Chan Room

The Chan Room was built in 1864, next to the Main Temple. It is also called "Suey Cing Bak." This room was built to remember General Chan Low Kwan from the Soong Dynasty. He was also known as the "Viscount of Purification." All people named Chan or Chin from the Wong Tun district of Toy Sun county in Guangdong province are direct descendants of Chan Low Kwan.

This room has many interesting items. One very special item is a large, teak bridal sedan chair. It is of Chinese Imperial Palace quality. This chair had curtains and was used in parades and wedding ceremonies.

Council Room: For Community Gatherings

The Council Room

The Council Room was built in 1868. It has a beautiful hanging screen made of carved wood with gold leaf on it. The room also has two procession shrines. These were carried in parades during Chinese festivals. The Council Room was mainly used for business dealings. In the late 1800s, few Chinese people in Oroville could read or write. It is thought that the few educated Chinese men helped others record their business deals here.

Moon Room: Devoted to Buddha

The Moon Room

The Moon Room, or "Wong Fut Tong," was built in 1868. It is located on the floor above the Council Room. The Moon Room gets its name from its unique circular door. This room is dedicated to Buddha. It holds three statues, one of which shows Buddha reaching out his hand to display the "sign of wisdom." The main color in this room is red. Red is a lucky color in the Buddhist tradition.

Later Additions to the Temple Complex

Tapestry Hall: Art and Artifacts

The Tapestry Hall was built and opened in 1968. It holds beautiful Chinese tapestries and parade umbrellas. There is also a 16th-century imperial pillar rug, a lovely bronze urn, and many other Chinese artifacts. A unique collection of old shadow puppets made from donkey skin is also here. These puppets were used in plays that taught Chinese people about their culture. They were especially important for those who could not read or write the Chinese language.

Display Hall: Daily Life and Costumes

Chinese Frock

This Display Hall was also opened in 1968. It was built to show artifacts given to the Chinese Temple. It has Chinese costumes, furniture, and other items that show the daily life of Chinese people.

The room also displays tapestries and decorative items. One interesting item is a pair of shoes once worn by a woman with bound feet. This room also has a collection of large paper mache puppets. Chinese people used these in their theater when actors were not available. These puppets were first brought to Oroville by puppeteers from China. They were left behind when many returned to their home country.

Cullie Room: Historical Clothing

This room was added to the complex in 1976 as an American Bicentennial project. Charlotte Cullie, a local person who gave money to good causes, donated funds for it. The clothing and artifacts in the room were given by two Chinese missionaries, Mabel Clay and Jessie Mae Henke.

The collection includes mannequins showing Chinese and United States historical clothing styles from 1840 to 1940. This collection was given to the city of Oroville in 1976.

Garden: A Peaceful Place

The courtyard garden was created in 1968. It has plants that are native to China. A few annual flowers are added each year for more color. The garden also has a pond with lily pads and koi fish.

The Chinese garden has been around for over three thousand years. Historically, it is a calm place for prayer, meditation, and quiet talks.

Workers Hut: A Miner's Home

In 1976, a historical replica of a Chinese gold miner's hut was built. It was made from barn wood dating back to the 1860s. It was first shown as a Butte County exhibit at the California State Fair. Later, it was donated to be an exhibit at the Oroville Chinese Temple grounds.

Fong Lee Room: A Shop Replica

Apothecary Cabinet for Herbal Remedies c1860

The newest room at the Oroville Chinese Temple was funded by the Chin (Chan) Shew Ting family trust. It honors Chin Kong Yu, who was one of the first Chinese shopkeepers in Oroville. This room opened on April 16, 2008. It has a Chinese apothecary cabinet that was used to hold herbal remedies. The room also has old gold scales and items used for gold transactions. This room looks like a replica of Chin Kong Yu's original shop. It has light fixtures, cabinets, cases, and other items from his shop in the late 1800s.