Guan Yu in Mendocino
Chinese Exclusion Act and the creation of The Kwan Tai Temple
The Kwan Tai Temple was created during a time of oppression and alienation for Chinese American citizens. Two years after the Temple opened in 1882, the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act was signed. The act barred any new Chinese immigrants from becoming American citizens, and it barred existing Chinese immigrants from certain types of work. This was the culmination of a long period of alienation and anti-Chinese rhetoric. The Chinese immigrant population was among the first immigrant groups to undergo this type of othering, particularly on a systemic level.1 Violence against the Chinese community in Mendocino was not uncommon at the time, and many sites for the community like the Kwan Tai Temple were destroyed.
Given the oppressive environment which the Mendocino Chinese community faced at this time, it is not surprising that the chosen deity for Kwan Tai Temple is Guan Yu. As one of the most popular deities in China, particularly among lower classes, he would have been an extremely familiar figure to the immigrant community. His loyal and violent nature would also have brought comfort to the community, as he could be invoked to bring wrath towards enemies. The Mendocino community became very close-knit and loyal to one another2, and one can assume that Guan Yu’s loyalty to the Han and to Liu Bei was looked to as an example to follow.
In Lorraine Hee-Chorley’s book Chinese in Mendocino County, she describes a common ritual performed at the temple. A recently killed
chicken was taken to the temple to be blessed for the new year.3 Incense and paper money were burned, and wine and treats were offered to Guan Yu in return for his blessing. Then, the chicken was taken home and eaten, imbued with his blessing. In the early 1990s, the temple was bought from its’ original owners and converted to serve as a museum in addition to a temple. While the temple remains an active place of worship, it also serves as a tourist attraction as a piece of the ‘Chinese Heritage Trail’, recognized as an important piece of Chinese-American history.
The video provided below offers a comprehensive exploration of the historical significance surrounding the Kwan Tai Temple, shedding light on its profound importance to the community of Mendocino. Delving into its rich past, the video encapsulates the temple’s role as a cultural cornerstone, showcasing its enduring relevance and deep-rooted connections to the people it serves. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous research, viewers are invited to immerse themselves in the intricate tapestry of traditions and beliefs that have shaped the temple’s legacy, making it a cherished symbol of heritage and identity for generations.
- Lee, Erika. “The Chinese Exclusion Example: Race, Immigration, and American Gatekeeping, 1882-1924.” Journal of American Ethnic History 21, no. 3 (2002): 36–62. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27502847. ↩︎
- “Kwan Tai Temple of Mendocino.” The Temple of Kwan Tai. Accessed February 9, 2024. https://www.kwantaitemple.org/. ↩︎
- Hee-Chorley, Lorraine. Chinese in Mendocino County. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2009. https://books.google.com/books?id=WtC8KsVZDvwC&pg=PA71#v=onepage&q&f=false ↩︎