The Taoist Temple located in Hanford, California

2010-02-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/articles/2010/02/06/news/doc4b6e2cd954cb7709353220.txt
Link to a Hanford Sentinel article.

2009-09-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

2009-07-08T10:58:00.001-07:00

This article appeared on the front page of the "Valley Voice Weekly", Volume XXIX No. 35, July 2, 2009.

Famed Imperial DynastyCould Be Reopening
By Miles Shuper
Hanford - The Imperial Dynasty, one of California's few five-star restaurants whose chef prepared escargot for world leaders and offered some of the best wines from a 70,000-bottle wine cellar, could be reopened in the next few months.
The Dynasty's escargot was known worldwide, attracting gourmets from not only the East Coast but other countries. The Hanford restaurant closed in 2006.
Although chef Richard Wing is retired, family members reportedly are working to put the Hanford restaurant back in business. Aerianna Wing has applied for a liquor license with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. She was unavailable for comment. Her mother, Richard Wing's sister-in-law, would only say any discussion of the reopening would be premature.
Hanford building officials said there have been no fillings for building permits. The landmark restaurant, established more than 125 years ago in Hanford's historically rich Chinatown, has been a Mecca for gourmets from all over as well as one of the Valley's most noted dining establishments with a world class wine cellar.
The Dynasty has been a family operation. It was founded in 1883 when Richard Wing's grandfather opened up a noodle house in the city's Chinatown. Richard began working in the kitchen at age six, peeling vegetables and shelling shrimp. He joined the Army during World War II and in 1945, caught the attention of Gen. George C. Marshall who took him to China as his personal chef.
The assignment included being a food tester for Marshall who was allergic to shellfish and strawberries. Wing tasted foods in kitchens in Asia and Europe, learning from top chefs in those areas. During his time with Marshall, Wing also cooked for Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower.
Wing returned to Hanford in 1958, transforming his grandfather's one-time noodle house into a five-star restaurant.
He described his menu as more French cooking than Chinese, with a bit of German, Russian, Italian and Swiss flavors tossed in.
The fame spread and gourmets and others often made reservations weeks ahead. Walt Disney often flew into the Valley and it was reported that a group of wealthy New York businessmen came to Hanford once a month just for the famed escargot.President Ronald Reagan had the Wing family escargot served at his inauguration.
The above story is the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.

2008-10-06T19:47:00.000-07:00

Moon Festival
By Shawbong Fok
sfok@HanfordSentinel.com

The 29th-Annual Moon Festival in Hanford's China Alley kicked off with lion dancing and the pound of taiko drums beating on Saturday afternoon. Dozens of guests arrived at China Alley, once the epicenter of California's third largest Chinese community in the first-half of the 20th century, to celebrate the autumn harvest, otherwise known as the moon festival. Traditionally, families gave food, gifts and mooncakes to each other. But the festival brings this celebration to the public in the hopes that it could help spur donations to remodel several old buildings in the alley.

"We also want to give the community a chance to share the moon festival," said Camille Wing, a trustee of the Hanford Taoist Temple Preservation Society, which presented the festival.

Lion dancers from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo came to ward off evil spirits and sprinkle good luck throughout the alley as they bent, leaped and kicked their way into the lion dance.

"It's a blessing," said Alan Swe, captain of the lion dance team. "It's an ancient Chinese art form that uses martial arts."

Taiko drums were played by the Fresno Gumyo Taiko. In the old days, taiko drums were used to notify islanders in Japan when enemies were coming. Drummers would bang on hollow wooden logs to sound off enemy encroachment. Taiko drums have also historically been used for music during festivals, according to Sophia Nagao, a member of the Taiko group from Fresno. The pounding sounds reverberated throughout the alley to the attention of dozens of guests.

Engineering students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo performed the Lion Dance during the Moon Festival on Saturday afternoon. Gary Feinstein photos/The Sentinel

Many came to see the festival to learn about Chinese culture, now a small presence in Kings County.

"We come every year," said Patricia Lambert, 27, a college student from Avenal. "What you usually get is European culture. It's rare to see something outside Europe."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2423.

2008-09-19T08:58:00.001-07:00

Hanford Taoist Temple Preservation Society Presents
The 29th Annual
MOON FESTIVAL
Saturday, October 4, 2008
12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Cal Poly's Chinese Lion Dancers
Fresno Gumyo Taiko
Food and Crafts Booths
Tea and Cookies in the Garden
Hanford Bonsai Society Display
Tours of the Taoist Temple and Museum

China Alley, Hanford
(located 1/2 block north of East 7th Street between Green and White Streets)
Entertainment at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
For more information:
582-4508
Thank you to our sponsors:
MACKEY AND MACKEY
GWF POWER SYSTEMS
KINGS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
GRISWOLD LASALLE COBB DOWD & GIN L.L.P. ATTORNEYS

2008-07-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

AUTHOR TO VISIT HANFORD
You are invited to meet...
Nancy Tan,
Certified Yoga Instructor & psychotherapist
When:
Saturday, August 2, 2008
1:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Where:
Taoist Temple Gift Shop & Museum
No. 12 China Alley, Hanford
(1/2 blk north of East 7th Street between Green and White Streets)

Books available for purchase

Book signing by the author

CD Yoga Nidra available for purchase

QUIET MIND, HEALTHY BODY: THE ART OF LOW-STRESS LIVING offers simple but effective remedies for stress relief and strategies for stress prevention. With a holistic approach, the book addresses stress in the physical, mental, emotional and relational realms. The author presents complex concepts in simple language and a compassionate voice. The reader will come away with a good understanding of the dynamics of stress, effective tools for stress relief, a blue print for stress prevention, and a positive and hopeful outlook.

The Taoist Temple Gift Shop & Museum will be open from Noon-6 p.m., Saturday, August 2nd.

Tours are available.

Questions??? Please call 582-4508

Portions of the book sales will be donated to the Taoist Temple Museum.

2008-06-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

The 29th Annual Moon Festival will be held on October 4, 2008 in China Alley.

2008-06-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

Popular PBS program host visits Hanford
By Eiji Yamashitaeyamashita@HanfordSentinel.com
"Wow, this is amazing!" You could almost hear that familiar enthusiastic twang resounding inside a Taoist temple the other day, as Huell Howser -- a beloved PBS program host -- took careful steps into the key China Alley artifact in the tucked-away corner of downtown Hanford with his cameraman.A faint smell of dust and incense marks the worship hall, where an elaborate altar evokes a glimpse into the early Chinese immigrants' spiritual life. Even the ceiling itself -- with all the lanterns, kerosene lamps, gas and electric lights -- is a vivid reminder of the 115-plus years that the building has endured.Everything in the dark brick-walled room represents a piece of local history.China Alley offered quite a perfect place for Howser who toured Hanford about two weeks ago for his "Road Trip" series to explore its cultural and historical heritage and its points of pride.Howser spent two full days in Hanford on May 20 and 21, filming the next episode of his "Road Trip with Huell Howser," a series in which he sets out on a California highway on a wayward journey of discovery.
That's one of a dozen programs he produces, including the popular "California's Gold" on PBS.The day after his trip to Hanford, he was back in his Palm Springs home recalling fondly the small Central Valley town that can often be overlooked by those traveling on main thoroughfares like Highway 99 and Interstate 5."Hanford is a perfect example of what you'll find if you just take the time to look," Howser said. "You've got a town a lot of people drive by but don't stop and visit unless they have a reason to pull off the road. But here you have a prestigious Fox Theatre, Carnegie Museum, China Alley and a world-class Japanese museum and friendly people."We're surrounded by all these treasures, but we're so busy that we forget that we've got a lot of wonderful places to visit. They are right under our noses," Howser said.Under that underlying theme, Howser will be introducing Hanford to the rest of California in a way that the city has never done on its own.An hourlong documentary of his road trip to Hanford hits the airwaves this Thursday on Valley Public Television at 8 p.m. The repeat will run in the Valley on June 14 at 6:30 p.m. The episode will also be aired in Southern California on Sunday, June 8, on KCET, a public television channel in Los Angeles, at 7 p.m.Viewers may be in for the best show he has ever shot for the series."He said, 'It's going to be my best show. You're going to love it,'" said Dave Jones, director of the Hanford Conference and Visitor Agency, the official tourism promotion agency for the city.Jones facilitated Howser's itinerary in Hanford, taking him on a fire truck tour of downtown, taking him to breakfast at Star Restaurant, coffee at Art Works, ice cream at Superior Dairy, a visit to the Fox Theatre, Carnegie Museum and Church of the Saviour on the first day."I'm excited," Jones said. "The best part of the whole thing was that people he interviewed during the visit were so open and friendly. They were so excited about Hanford -- people at Superior, ladies playing bridge at Art Works, the Humason family at the Fox, people at the Carnegie Museum."They were all candid," Jones said. "These people couldn't have been trained for 100 years to be that good."On the second day, Jones was joined by Camille Wing from the Taoist Temple Preservation Society in giving Howser a tour of Hanford's China Alley and the Ruth and Sherman Lee Institute for Japanese Art at the Clark Center."He was quite amazed that we have what we have ," Wing said. "I'm so pleased that he can present us to the world. We are fortunate that he came in and filmed as much as he did. It's going to be good for promoting our town."That's exactly the hope for Jones at the visitor agency.Jones said he was told by a marketing manager of Amtrak that the last place Huell Howser visited saw an increase in tourism by 27 percent the following year. For Hanford, that could mean several thousand more tourists a year. "It's an exciting time for our town," he said.Hanford -- with its historic heritage -- likes to play up its "hidden treasure" potential as a tourism destination. For quite some time, the city has engaged in efforts to preserve its historic look and cultural heritage and revitalize its downtown district in the name of maintaining what many would call small-town charms.Howser said it was a matter of time for Hanford to get his attention."For years now, I've gotten letters from residents or people from close communities who passed through Hanford," Howser said. "Some people at KVPT in Fresno have also been talking to me for about a year now about Hanford and its Japanese museum. All of these just came together."Still early in the process, Howser gave away a small glimpse into his thoughts in putting together this particular episode."The theme of our show is, there were a lot of pleasant and unexpected surprises when I visited Hanford," Howser said. "The real impact of the program may be felt outside of your viewing area, where people are introduced to Hanford for the first time. But this could serve your area as well, giving the community a renewed sense of pride."Howser's programs explore the nooks and crannies of California to pursue the kind of imageries and stories that mainstream media won't touch. With a cameraman in tow and a microphone in hand, Howser takes viewers into little-known places and obscure neighborhoods.But through his shows, Howser says he isn't just turning people on to specific towns like Hanford.The Nashville, Tenn., native says he is challenging Californians to go out and explore their own home."I want people to realize that if Huell Howser, who is not from California, can go around California, they can start nosing around their own communities, too," Howser said. "It doesn't take Huell Howser to make these discoveries. It's in everyone's power to make these discoveries themselves."The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.(June 4, 2008)

2008-03-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

2007-12-30T12:12:00.000-08:00

Photos from the October 6, 2007 Moon Festival.

2007-12-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken on the evening of December 15, 2007.

2007-12-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Photos of the 2006 Moon Festival. Photos by Philip Pinhero.

2007-09-19T21:05:00.000-07:00

The 28th annual Moon Festival will be presented by the Taoist Temple Preservation Society on October 6, 2007, from noon until 5:00 p.m.

The Cal Poly Lion Dance Team from San Luis Obispo will perform as well as the Fresno Gumyo Taiko. Tours of the Taoist Temple and Museum will be ongong throughout the afternoon. Admission is free. Food and soda booths will be available. Tea and Moon Cakes will be served in the garden. The Hanford Bonsai Society will be showing their miniature trees.

Located in China Alley, 1/2 block north of East 7th Street, between Green and White Streets.

For information please call, Hanford 559-582-45-08.

2007-09-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

Treasure is back home
By Eiji Yamashitaeyamashita@HanfordSentinel.com
Camille Wing, a diminutive woman of 4 feet 11 inches, stood before a time-weathered, 9-foot Chinese brass sword looming over her, and muttered to herself: "Oh, I'm glad."Wing, 79, founding member of the Hanford Taoist Temple Preservation Society, never thought she would be able to see the sword, a key artifact absent for four decades from the Hanford temple."What a treasure. I'm so glad we got it back in our lifetime," Wing said.After nearly five decades, the broadsword -- a symbol of the Chinese god of war to which the Hanford Taoist Temple was dedicated -- has come home.Instead of collecting dust inside the storage of a San Francisco Chinatown museum, the sword now rests permanently in a dark corner of the historic Taoist Temple, which is at least 114 years old
Camille Wing, a member of the Hanford Taoist Temple Preservation Society and caretaker of the temple, stands in front of the Guan Dao sword of Guan Gong on Tuesday afternoon. (Ralph Berrett/The Sentinel)
The recent repatriation marks the first item recovered from the San Francisco-based Chinese Historical Society of America, which local China Alley advocates say still holds more artifacts from Hanford.They say items including the sword were taken for research and preservation by the San Francisco organization in the 1960s. Since its inception 28 years ago, Hanford's Chinatown preservation advocates have had sporadic correspondance with their counterparts in the Bay Area for the return of the sword.A long-delayed reply to the inquiry came this summer, Wing said."Now that they have staff, there was a person who was going through a box of papers and found my letter. She gave me a call and told me we could have it if we could come and get it," Wing said, referring to the sword.Anna Naruta, director of archives for the Chinese Historical Society of America, said the sword came into the organization's hands in the '60s, when it used to take historical investigative trips into areas previously populated by Chinese immigrants, such as Hanford, and gather artifacts for preservation of Chinese American history.In response to local historical preservation efforts sprouting, the organization has been trying to return artifacts to their original locations, Naruta said."We couldn't be any happier to transfer back the item that the society borrowed a long time ago," Naruta said in a phone interview Wednesday. "It was great to be sharing it ... We are just thrilled to know that there's a strong local organization that is preserving the Chinese American history in partnership."The sword was brought back on Labor Day weekend by Lance Clement, principal of Parkview Middle School in Armona and a member of the temple preservation society."I'm just glad I could get involved in it," Clement said. "I went up there with my wife Marcie and my sister-in-law and my niece, who has never been to San Francisco. We made it our Labor Day weekend."Clement said the sword could be dismantled into smaller pieces so it could be brought back. The sword was reassembled in Hanford, he said.The imposing brass sword -- time-tarnished by its history -- stands so tall that it almost reaches the ceiling of the temple.The sword symbolizes Guan Gong (160-219), one of the best known historical figures in east Asia who played a significant role in the civil war that led to the Han Dynasty during the second and third centuries.Guan Gong's life stories have largely given way to fictionalized ones, mostly found in the historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." He has been deified and worshipped by Chinese people as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness as well as god of commerce.Among the Cantonese Chinese who emigrated to California during the 19th century, worship of Guan Gong was an important element of their culture.Hanford Taoist Temple, a historical landmark reportedly built in 1893, is a typical example of a historic Chinese shrine dedicated to Guan Gong in California.The crescent moon broadsword known as "Guan Dao" -- named after its creator Guan Gong -- is made up of a long curving blade attached to a long staff.The hero's famed sword has a dragon's head engraved on the shaft. Together with his sword, Guan Gong is often depicted as a red-faced warrior with a long, lush beard. A tapestry of his portrait could be found behind the main altar in the Hanford Taoist Temple.With its elaborate alter, lanterns and kerosene lamps hanging from the ceiling, the temple is a vivid reminder of the 114-plus years of history the building has endured.For Hanford, this temple marks the legacy of Chinatown, which at its height drew the largest concentration of Chinese immigrants between Sacramento and Los Angeles, according to anecdotes.The Temple at 12 China Alley and its museum downstairs are open to the public the first Saturday of every month. The temple will celebrate the annual Moon Festival on Oct. 6.The reporter can be reached at 582-0471, ext. 3059.(Sept. 13, 2007)
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History Buff wrote on Sep 13, 2007 3:56 PM:
" VERY cool.......LOVE our local history. Thanks to Camille, Lance and everyone I can't think of for nurturing this legacy;) "

Willyoupublish wrote on Sep 13, 2007 6:54 PM:
" After sending comments critical of the shody reporting and story writing in this paper, and not having them published.....I would like to say this was a great story. Lots of information and very interesting. Mycompliments to Eiji Yamashita, very nice. "

2007-09-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

2007-05-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

2006-11-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

The video can be seen at:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Detour/Black_Sheep.jsp?locale=en_US

Black sheep motorcycle commercial now on TV, online
Hanford Sentinel, The (CA)November 19, 2006Author: By Eiji Yamashita
Sentinel Reporter
Estimated printed pages: 2
The mystery of baa-ing black sheep in China Alley this past summer has finally unraveled.It turns out that the sheep were the unlikely cast in a Harley-Davidson motorcycle commercial now appearing on television.Company officials say black sheep capture the celebration of individualism, which they call the "heart and soul" of Harley riders. And Hanford, with its rustic charm, happened to offer a perfect backdrop for the scenario of the commercial, they said."It's a distinct, beautiful little town, and it is very well tended," said Tom Watson with Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson's marketing department. "It's our type of small town America. We enjoyed our stay."When the filming crew for a new Harley-Davidson commercial shoot arrived in Hanford this June, they came with a flock of sheep instead of shiny machinery and outlaw riders and the trademark "potato-potato-potato" exhaust sound.A camera, handled by Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson, chased sheep running back and forth on Hanford streets and parks all day long.But how exactly a production company would work cinematic magic for a 60-second ad out of a rather odd sequence of scenes was kept a carefully guarded corporate secret.Five months later, that secret is out. With a marketing campaign "Live by it," Harley-Davidson's new black sheep commercial hit national TV six weeks ago.The commercial has been airing on the NASCAR Chase for the Cup programming, and this weekend happens to be the last weekend for the 60-second TV spot this year, said Tom Watson with Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson's marketing department.The commercial will run again in the spring, Watson said.For those who missed the commercial on TV, it is viewable online at www.harley-davidson.com.A flock of black sheep separating from the white sheep herd, rushing down from the foothills and ending up assembling at China Alley - it's all part of a long clich/, escape from the herd, played out in the commercial."Black sheep are less common in appearance and attitudes," Watson said. "The commercial depicts the spiritual journey to individualism, which is the "heart and soul" of Harley-Davidson riders."The commercial uses scenes shot in Hanford as well as in some parts of Tulare County, such as Lake Kaweah. But Hanford accounts for most of the images in the commercial.The commercial, featuring "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses, also served as a premiere of the track from an unreleased album, "Chinese Democracy.""Axel Rose really enjoyed the commercial, too," Watson said.(Nov. 19, 2006)
Section: News
Copyright, 2006, The Hanford Sentinel

2006-11-04T21:21:00.000-08:00

The Taoist Temple Gift Shop will be open three Saturdays in December.
December 2, 2006
December 9, 2006
December 16, 2006
12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

2006-10-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

The Moon Festival display that appeared at the Hanford Public Library in the weeks preceding October 7.

2006-10-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2006. 2:00 p.m. Photos by Philip J. Pinheiro.

2006-10-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

The following article appeared in the October 8, 2006 issue of the Hanford Sentinel.
Community keeps annual festival alive

By Eiji Yamashita
Sentinel Reporter

Place your vote at the bottom of the article

HANFORD - One of the largest crowds in recent Moon Festival history crammed into a tiny stretch of historic China Alley on Saturday, as lion dancers and Taiko drummers breathed life back into the old Hanford Chinatown.

"It's very rewarding," said Camille Wing, a member of Toist Temple Preservation Society, which toils to put on the festival each year and restore China Alley, including the landmark 133-year-old temple structure.

During the last 27 years, the community has embraced the annual event, the fruit of the cultural heritage left by the Chinese immigrants from the 19th century. Saturday was no exception.

"That's something we're trying to do, and it's our purpose to save the old heritage, buildings and the history," Wing said.

For Wing and other members of the society, this year's festival has especially been an uplifting experience.

The event was not going to take place this year, if it wasn't for the last-minute sponsorship thrown in by a local family business.

In June, the society announced it was canceling the beloved annual Hanford tradition, which had taken place each year for 26 years, because of severe funding shortfall. But then came a help from Jim and Kathy Mackey who together own Mackey and Mackey Insurance in Hanford.

A day after they heard the news, the family agreed to underwrite the event.

"What it boils down to is, this community has been really good to Kathy and me," Jim Mackey said at the festival. "It's time to start giving back, and this is a great cause. I just love seeing the kids here. Just look at their eyes when they watch lion dancers. It's energizing."

For Kathy Mackey, China Alley has nostalgic value.

"When I was 4 or 5 years old, my parents took me to China Caf/. And when I got a little older, they actually took me to the Pagoda and the Dynasty ... I have a lot of fond memories here, so we just felt it's something we want to see continue."

Now, it seems the Taoist Temple Preservation Society has found a steady source of funding.

"They are in our budget now," Mackey said about the festival. "We're going to continue."

The festival, which features a lion dance and a Taiko drum performance, is the major fundraiser for the society. The group preserves the integrity of Hanford's Chinatown area and legacy of Chinese immigrants who settled in the community before anyone else.

The Moon Festival is a Chinese celebration held in mid-September to give thanks for the bounty of the earth. In Hanford, it is celebrated on the first Saturday of October as a way to introduce the community to the Chinese culture that has shaped the history of the town.

On Saturday, the festival was attended by by a large, diverse crowd of more than 200 visitors from Hanford and other areas.

Young and old alike took their time to stroll through the old temple and the museum and showed enthusiasm as they watched the cultural performances in the alley.

"I'd bet we won't see this kind of community support in some of the bigger cities. This really brings this town together," said Rod Andrus of Fresno, who was among the crowd to watch the lion dance. "Not many communities have their Chinatowns anymore. Somebody had the foresight to preserve it. We are very lucky that we still have what we can see here."

(The reporter may be reached by e-mail at:

eyamashita@hanfordsentinel.com)

(Oct. 8, 2006)

2006-10-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

The following article came from the Web site: valleyvoicenewspaper.com Specifically, the Valley Voice Archive. I realize that this blog is about the Taoist Temple, but since the Imperial Dynasty is located right next to the Temple, the restaurant is part of the history of China Alley, as is the Taoist Temple. Hence, the posting of the following article on this blog site. Please note that at the end of the article, the restaurant's business hours and phone number are listed. As of this date, the restaurant is closed.

The Last Days of a Local Dynasty
By Cassandra Queen

Hanford - The Imperial Dynasty Restaurant in Hanford's historic China Alley will close its doors in mid-February, ending more than a century-old family business. The closing also marks the end to yet another great Chinese dynasty.

In Chinese history, a dynasty is a ruling family that passes control from one generation to the next. The longest Chinese dynasty lasted more than 800 years, while the shortest-lived lasted only 15 years. The ancient Chinese believed their ancestors in heaven had chosen their leaders and supported their rulers because of what they called the “Mandate of Heaven.”

According to family member Camille Wing, five generations of the Wing family have worked at the restaurant. Two of the family members owner and chef, Richard Wing and his sister Harriet are looking toward a long overdue retirement when the restaurant closes its doors at the end of this month. The two, both in their 80s, are part of the third generation of Hanford's Wing family.

Camille, who's also a member of Hanford's Taoist Temple Preservation Society, but no longer works in the restaurant, explains that it was Richard Wing's grandfather, Gong Ting Shu known by the Anglo name Henry Wing who first entered into the restaurant business when he began a small restaurant in the early 1880s, known then as Mee Jan Low (English translation: "Beautiful and Precious Restaurant"). This first Wing family restaurant occupied only the upstairs, central part of the block on which the Imperial Dynasty now resides. Gong Ting Shu passed away in 1923 and his son, Gong Chow Wing Richard Wing's father sustained the Wing family business.

In the 1930s, Gong Chow Wing like his father, he was also known as Henry Wing closed the Mee Jan Low and opened the Chinese Pagoda Restaurant on the corner of China Alley and Green Street. As you enter onto China Alley and gaze up at the corner of the building, the old Chinese Pagoda neon sign is still there. Take a few more steps and you'll see a smiling, fat Buddha statue standing at the entrance of the now-closed restaurant. Just a few more steps and you're at one of two entrances into the Imperial Dynasty Restaurant.

In 1958, the Imperial Dynasty was opened next door to the Chinese Pagoda. Through the purchase of bordering properties, the restaurant continued to occupy most of the building. According to members of the Wing family, by the late 1950s the Wings owned all the property on China Alley except the Taoist Temple and two properties across the street, Numbers 13 and 13 ½, which are now owned by the Taoist Temple Preservation Society.

Today, the restaurant is more than a historical landmark. If you ask patrons from near and far, they will tell you that the restaurant's legacy comes from a combination of its unique cuisine, its engaging environment, and most notably, the Wing family.

Richard Wing' had a remarkable career, which isn't limited to being a restaurant owner and chef. Before he entered into the restaurant business, Richard served as chief aide to General George C. Marshall from 1945-47.

“During the war and after the war, Richard traveled to Europe and learned a lot of interesting things about other cultures, other cooking. He was able to come home and practice what he'd learned,” said Camille Wing.

Richard Wing is credited as being an innovative, small-town chef who is well-known for creating culinary delights that are a fusion of Chinese and Continental (French) cuisine. Wing is said to be one of the originators of this cuisine, which was referred to "Chinois" beginning in the 1960s. The name may sound familiar, as Wolfgang Puck has a Santa Monica restaurant of the same name, described by some dining guides as a “Franco-Chinese” eatery. Wing is also legendary for his nine-course gourmet dinners for which reservations were required one to two weeks in advance.

In 1980, Richard received an invitation to prepare a special dish for the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan. According to family members, Richard had to decline, in part because his leaving for the Washington, D.C event would have meant closing the restaurant doors to its everyday customers, to the already existing reservations.

In addition to his culinary genius, Richard Wing knows his wine. The restaurant used to have an extensive, award-winning wine list until the Wings stopped restocking their on-site wine cellar in preparation for closing.

“Customers used to always want to take a walk through the wine cellar because of the selection of wines there,” added Camille Wing.

The vaulted ceilings and walls of the Imperial Dynasty are dressed in Chinese antiquities and artifacts. Newspaper and magazine articles, as well as numerous awards, line the walls of the entryway, telling the historical tale of the restaurant and its owners. The most fascinating accounts of the restaurant's history, however, are the stories told by the fourth- and fifth-generation Wing family members, who like the generations before them, attentively and graciously tend to their nightly guests.

Fourth-generation family member, Sherrill Harris of Visalia, explains that the restaurant is more than a workplace for the Wing family. According to Harris, “This is where all of our family meets.” Her daughter, Erica Harris, also of Visalia, started working at the restaurant every weekend beginning at the age of 15.

Erica, who also works as a registered nurse, says that she has memories from helping out as early as age 10, which is the same age her mother started working at the Dynasty. “There are three generations here now,” Erica recently said during one of her shifts at the restaurant. “When I started here, it was my mother, my sister, my grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins…when we have family come from out of town, they come here first because they know they'll always find their family here.”

Jennifer Wing of Hanford adds, ”This [working at the restaurant] is our daily bonding. Day in and day out, seeing each other.” Jennifer, also a fourth-generation Wing, says that it's easy to recount all the good memories of working at the Dynasty. “My favorite,” she imparts, “was when Bing Crosby was here and went upstairs to play the baby grand piano and he sang Pennies from Heaven to my Aunt Mary.” According to Jennifer, the restaurant has had its share of celebrity diners.

The Imperial Dynasty in Hanford much like Chinese dynasties of the past has many loyal followers, or simply “customers” to the Wing family. Ralph Tucci, the Executive Director of the Hanford Conference and Visitor's Agency, enjoys sharing his firsthand experience of assisting visitors who have come from all over the globe to visit the restaurant. He also notes that many San Joaquin Valley residents ride the train from Fresno or Bakersfield to have dinner at the Imperial Dynasty. There are also accounts of groups of businesspersons traveling from the East Coast to dine at the restaurant, tales of people traveling by car, train or plane to experience what Tucci describes as “an event.”

According to Hanford businessperson, Ed Broadus, a returning customer for more than twenty years, “This is the place to be and be seen if you're from Hanford.” Broadus describes the food as “amazing” and points out that the Wing family “always remember who you are and your drink of choice.”

Tucci describes eating at the Imperial Dynasty as a “real special event.” He said that he hopes they'll postpone closing until just after Chinese New Year's. “Now I look back and realize that I haven't eaten there as much as I should have. The days of the [Imperial] Dynasty as we know it, will be gone. It's been an icon and lot of it's him [Richard Wing].”

Richard Wing and his sister Harriet are just a few weeks away from retirement, but they are currently experiencing “an encore” because the Dynasty's closing date originally scheduled for the beginning of January was pushed out to the middle of February.

“It's time to retire and there's no family member to take over and no buyer,” Tucci succinctly stated.

Harriet, who has managed the Dynasty since its opening, is also the “backbone” of the family, according to Camille Wing. “She keeps the family together,” said Camille, adding, “She tells me that the first thing she's going to do [when the restaurant closes] is sleep.”

As they've been anticipating the restaurant's closing, the last couple of months have been “emotionally overwhelming” for the family, according to Arianne Wing of Hanford, who is also a fourth-generation Wing. She says that her family is grateful to the restaurant's customers. “People have been coming and telling us all these lovely stories…their own history of all these years they've spent with us,” recounts Arianne. “It just makes me realize how fortunate we've been…it's just nice to be spending these last months with so many friends and family and I wish we could thank all the people who have been so loyal to us all these years. We're seeing three or four generations of [customers'] families going through here ourselves.”

Regardless of when the Wing family closes the Imperial Dynasty's doors, its legend will live on in the stories told by five generations of Wings and the scores of delighted customers who passed through its doors.

The Imperial Dynasty is located at 2 China Alley in Hanford. The restaurant is open for dinner at 4:30pm Tues-Sun. For reservations, call 559-582-0196.

2006-10-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken on the morning of June 14, 2006. Independent Media, a Los Angeles based production company, was in town to film a 60 second Harley-Davidson commercial. Filming took place not only in China Alley, but also at Lacey Milling. What you see are the props being set up before actual filming of the commercial begins. At this point in time, painting had not yet begun on the front of the Taoist Temple.

A photo of the production manager and production company security officer.

2006-09-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

I was informed by Camille that a solution to the balustrade situation was found. Yesterday (Thursday) Phil and the gentleman who owns (?) works for (?) the "This Old House" company met at the temple and discussed the problem. It seems that there is a material that could be used to fill in the rotted areas of the wood and the total replacement of said balustrade would not be required.

Work on the Temple Talk newsletter continues.

2006-09-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 13, 2006.
Phil dropped by the library around 12:00 p.m. He told me that he was doing some research on the Internet to find a company that could reproduce the balustrade that was rotted through. He gave me a print out from the Blueberry Woodworks Web site (http://www.traditional-building.com/brochure/members/woodturners.shtml)
He also mentioned that he was discovering more spots of dry rot and warped wood on the balcony area. I suggested that someone from the board go up on the balcony with Phil to take digital photos and notes of all of the damage so that we would have a complete picture of what further repairs are needed beyond the paint job itself. He left saying that he would continue with his on-line research.

At 5:00 p.m., Camille called and said that she had been by the Temple and found that Phil had painted or primed all but one balustrade. So maybe the others were not so badly damaged that they needed complete replacement. Camille is still trying to find a local woodworker with a lathe to reproduce the one balustrade that needs replacement.

2006-09-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 8, 2006. 8:30 a.m.

The repaired skirts, ready to be painted.

Phil Pinhero discussing the finer points of wood rot in a balustrade.

Phil removing a loose balustrade. He found eight loose balustrades that he suggested should be replaced with new ones made of redwood. His two suggestions: (1) do research on the Internet and find a mail order company that deals in home restoration and order the balustrades or (2) find a carpenter or someone with a lathe and have them make new ones. The one downside to the mail order idea is that the exact pattern of the original may not be found.

Phil checking for loose balustrades.

Phil sanding down the balcony area.