OROVILLE – Music, fanfare and a dancing dragon are all on tap Sunday for the Chinese New Year celebration at the Oroville Chinese Temple and Museum.
The free celebration is open to the public will start at noon at the temple and museum complex, 1500 Broderick St.
Kicking off the celebration of The Year of the Tiger is a special Lion Dance Blessing. The Lion Dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion’s movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune, according to Jordan Daley, city senior administrative assistant.
Following the dance, the Butte Music Teachers Association of California Youth Orchestra will perform classical music starting at 1:30 pm and ending at 3:00 pm
This event will showcase a newly donated arrangement of Lego depicting Chinese “culture, scenes and buildings,” said Daley. The Lego were donated by one of the museum docents and constructed by the docent’s grandchild. They will be on display in the complex’s main building for the event and for a limited time following the event.
“We are looking forward to bringing this free event back to the community after having to cancel last year due to COVID. We’ve loved partnering with youth orchestra all these years. And, we are looking forward to showcasing new Lego display,” said Daley.
The Oroville Chinese Temple complex traces its roots back to the 1860s when the Chinese community was very vibrant and active in the area.
Within the temple grounds are three separate temples; the Temple of Many Deities, a temple of Confucianism, and a Buddhist temple. Also on the grounds is a display hall featuring tapestries from the temple and the long-gone Chinese Theatre. The Cullie Room showcases Chinese and American costumes from 1840 to 1940. The Fong Lee Building has a replica of an herbal and gold purchasing shop. The courtyard and gardens feature plants native to China and a traditional fish pond. City docents will be on site providing interesting insights to each of the areas.
The temple and museum will reopen for tours in March after being closed due to the pandemic. For more information or to arrange a tour contact the Oroville Parks and Trees Department at 538-2401 or by visiting www.cityoforoville.org.
