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Tin How Temple

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{{Infobox religious building

| name = Tin How Temple

| native_name = 天后古廟

| native_name_lang = zh

| image = Tin How Temple (2818561789).jpg

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| alt = Photograph of the sign above the entrance to Tin How Temple at 125 Waverly Place in San Francisco's Chinatown. The

| caption = Entrance to Tin How Temple at 125 Waverly Place in San Francisco's Chinatown

| map_type = United States San Francisco Central#United States San Francisco Bay Area

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| coordinates = {{coord|37.79457|-122.40710|type:landmark_region:US-CA|format=dms|display=title}}

| coordinates_footnotes =

| religious_affiliation = Taoism

| locale =

| location = 125 Waverly Pl

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| municipality = San Francisco

| district = Chinatown

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| state = California

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| country = United States

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The Tin How Temple (also spelled Tianhou Temple, {{zh|t=天后古廟 |s=天后古庙 |p=Tiānhòu gǔ miào}}) is the oldest extant Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown, and one of the oldest still-operating Chinese temples in the United States.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rPGtIVIERA4C&q=%22The%20First%20Tianhou%20Temple%22&pg=PA171|title=Religion at the Corner of Bliss and Nirvana: Politics, Identity, and Faith in New Migrant Communities|last1=Lorentzen|first1=Lois Ann|last2=Gonzalez|first2=Joaquin Jay|last3=Chun|first3=Kevin M.|last4=Do|first4=Hien Duc|date=2010-07-01|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0822391166|pages=169|language=en}} It is dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu, who is known as Tin How (天后, Empress of Heavens) in Cantonese.{{cite web |url=http://www.chinatownology.com/tin_how_temple.html |title=Tin How Temple |website=chinatownology.com |access-date=15 March 2018}}

History

Many people from China began immigrating to the United States, particularly California, during the California gold rush for various reasons. When arriving in they built temples, including the Tim How Temple, the Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park, the Temple of Kwan Tai in Mendocino, California, among others.

The temple was purportedly founded in roughly 1852 or 1853,{{Cite book |last=Queen II |first=Edward L. |title=The Encyclopedia of American Religious History |last2=Prothero |first2=Stephen R. |last3=Shattuck Jr. |first3=Gardiner H. |publisher=Proseworks |year=1996 |isbn=0-8160-3545-8 |volume=1 |location=New York |pages=85 |author-link2=Stephen Prothero}} reportedly at its current location by Day Ju, one of the first Chinese people to arrive in San Francisco.{{cite web |url=https://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/california/san-francisco/things-to-do/sights/reviews/tin-how-temple-156731 |title=Tin How Temple |publisher=Fodor's Travel |access-date=15 March 2018}} The building was later destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire, with the image of the goddess, the temple bell, and part of the altar surviving. By then, ownership of the building site had transitioned to the Sue Hing Benevolent Association,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/09/travel/where-chinatown-reveals-itself.html |title=Where Chinatown Reveals Itself |author=Kam, Katherine |date=9 December 2001 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=15 March 2018}} which reopened it in 1910 on the top floor of a four-story building it built on the site. The temple closed in 1955 and reopened on May 4, 1975, after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 had caused a rejuvenation of San Francisco's Chinatown.

In May 2010, the one-hundredth anniversary of the temple was celebrated by a religious procession through the streets in the neighborhood, including dances and fireworks. The temple is a significant landmark in Chinatown; the Chinese name for Waverly Place is {{zh |t=天后廟街 |s=天后庙街 |p=Tiānhòu miào jiē |l=Tin How Temple Street |labels=no}}.

Visiting

The temple is open daily between 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M., excepting holidays.{{cite web |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/attractions/tin-how-temple/a/poi-sig/384111/361858 |title=Tin How Temple |publisher=lonely planet |access-date=15 March 2018}} Admission is free with permission from the attendant, and donations are accepted. Photography is not allowed inside the temple.

See also

Although both temples are dedicated to Mazu, the Tin How Temple is not to be confused with the "Ma-Tsu Temple of U.S.A." two blocks north of it, which was founded in 1986 with affiliation to the Chaotian Temple in Taiwan. There is also another temple that is dedicated to Mazu in Los Angeles's Chinatown which is known as Thien Hau Temple (Los Angeles).

=Other notable Chinese temples=

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Gallery

File:San Francisco - Waverly.jpg|Tin How Temple (left building, top floor)

File:Chinatown 21 (4253556647).jpg|View of Transamerica Pyramid, Embarcadero Center, and Hilton San Francisco Financial District from temple balcony

File:Chinatown 22 Buddhist Temple (4254271566).jpg|Jingxiang temple altar

File:Chinatown 23 Buddhist Temple (4253514495).jpg|Devotee lanterns; donor names are written on red paper and attached to the lanterns

References

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External links

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  • [https://chinatownology.com/tin_how_temple.html Tin How Temple] at chinatownology.com
  • {{cite web |url=http://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Chinese_Temples_in_San_Francisco |title=Chinese Temples in San Francisco |author=Dr. Weirde |publisher=FoundSF |access-date=15 March 2018}}
  • {{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Tour-For-San-Francisco-Virgins-2800819.php |title=Tour For San Francisco Virgins |author=Wach, Bonnie |date=6 February 2004 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=15 March 2018}}

{{Chinatown, San Francisco}}

Category:Chinatown, San Francisco

Category:Religious buildings and structures in San Francisco

Category:Taiwanese-American culture in California

Category:Taoist temples in the United States

Category:Temples in California