Taoist Temple
Hanford's Chinatown grew and prospered rapidly to include its own restaurants, additional homes, grocery stores, laundries, tobacco shops, herbal shops with several herb doctors in residence, sundries stores and, of course, many gambling establishments; a virtual "city within a city." It is a fascinating adventure to visit the Taoist Temple and museum. Allowing us a step back into history we can almost feel the presence of worship in the temple and business of living within the alley. After climbing the steep steps to enter the temple, one is surrounded by vestiges of a by-gone era. Furnishings are the original pieces with the exception of some flowers on the main altar table which were donated by a couple from Bakersfield following the demise of the originals. The building is constructed of "on-site" hand made brick, creating one foot thick walls. The internal walls were then covered with a thin layer of plaster which was painstakingly painted to simulate brick.

Greeting the visitor at the top of the stairs are several large plaques covered with Chines characters, which list the names of members of the Sam Yup Association who donated monies for the building's construction. On the south wall are carved figures of the eight immortals (mythical personages likened to the Patron Saints in Catholicism) while their corresponding ceremonial staves are displayed next to the stairwell. Across the room is a ceremonial "oven" or incinerator in which were burned paper offerings of money or clothing to the individual's ancestors. Silk embroideries show symbolic animals and birds, the meaning of which are explained by docents. The tools of individual "worship" have remained where they were used, leaving a treasured legacy through which we may partially learn of their fascinating ways.

The street level of the Taoist Temple building has been converted into a museum, illustrating a variety of lifestyles of Hanford's Chines residents. Each room, which once housed bedrooms for single men, now display various items depicting kitchen accouterments, gambling "tools of the trade" and pieces saved from the L.T. Sue Herb Store located across the street. Since herbalists often lived in their store, typical furnishings are displayed as well. Along the walls of the hallway are pictures of early Hanford Chines residents. Near the front of the lower level is a very small shop from which may be purchased informative literature or tokens of remembrance of a visit to China Alley. The proceeds of the little store are used to assist the building's maintenance.

Imperial Dynasty
The renowned Imperial Dynasty Restaurant, with its warm, welcoming ambiance and superb, award winning continental cuisine is accessible Tuesdays through Sundays from 4:30 p.m.. The menu is especially pleasing to the palate with a mouth of watering variety of flavors. They Dynasty balances tradition with trend in featuring its high quality continental cuisine of meats, poultry and seafood prepared with the various classic sauces based in butter, wine, cream, stocks, and herbs. Complete dinners from the menu range from $10.00 to $30.00, not including, of course, favorite selections from the lounge or special requests from the famous, well stocked wine cellar. For exceptional gourmet, nine course dinners, it is necessary to make arrangements with a reservation approximately one to two weeks in advance. (559) 582-0296

What once served several seemingly individual, side by side buildings, have, over a span of at least half a century, been combined into one single unit which explains the multi-chambered Imperial Dynasty Restaurant which warmly greets the visitor. The original restaurant, located in the central part of this block called Mee Jan Low, was owned by the Wing Family. It was located upstairs, above the Sun Lung Jan Store which dates back to the early 1880's. That first upstairs restaurant, which has since been expanded to its present size through gradual purchase of the adjacent properties, has now been in the family for over a century.

Contained within the walls of the multifaceted Imperial Dynasty Restaurant are museum quality Chines artifacts and treasures. Although surrounded with Chinese antiquity, the Imperial Dynasty Restaurant does not serve Chinese style cuisine, only superb continental style offerings. There are, however, several excellent restaurants in town that do serve Chinese or Cantonese style dishes.

• Ride Amtrak to Historic Hanford - Amtrak reservations: 800-872-7245
• Ride to and from your destination on our 1950 Studebaker Fire Truck
• Take an escorted walking tour with a Show-Off Tour Guide
• Ride the antique Carousel - reservations: 559-582-5024