Chinese art exhibit to open for Bok Kai weekend
Mar. 7—Brian Tom grew up in the only home with a bay window on First Street.
During an era when Marysville had a budding Chinatown, he spent much of his time palling around with his siblings and cousins, attending various Chinese schools and programs.
"They fire the bombs off at this intersection during Bomb Day, and my cousin Gordon's father wanted to watch it from his home," laughed Tom.
Tom comes from one of the largest Chinese families to establish themselves in Marysville with roots going back to 1851. The history and connection he shares with the city has propelled him to co-author several books including "Marysville's Chinatown," "Sacramento's Chinatown," and "Locke and the Sacramento Delta Chinatowns," all a part of the Images of America series.
His cousin, Gordon Tom, is equally well known among the community and has developed a reputation for being the town's photo documentarian. Together, the Toms have done their due diligence in working to preserve the history of what has been referred to as the last Chinatown of the Gold Rush era.
"I'm happy and proud of my cousin Brian for what he is doing with the old Suey Sing building, which I'm a member of," said Gordon Tom. "He's really brought it back to life with his museum. I'm honored that he asked me to help and work with him on this new project. I remember all the fun we used to have growing up here in Chinatown and now it feels like we've come full circle."
As the CEO and standing president of the Chinese American Museum of Northern California, Brian Tom has established several exhibits portraying the development and impacts of Chinese-American communities throughout the West Coast of the United States. Last year, the museum was able to obtain the historic Suey Sing building at 305 1st St. in Marysville and renovations are now underway that will both expand and elevate current displays.
The move was relatively easy, having only to cross the street from their former location at 232 1st St. Tom described this place as a bit cramped and looks forward to spreading out in their new two-story home which will include a lobby, two to three exhibit rooms, and even a lecture hall.
"My purpose is to educate the public," said Tom. "The Marysville Chinatown is very very unique, there is not a single small Chinatown in Northern California that has anywhere near the buildings and history as the Marysville Chinatown. We really want to keep building on that history."
To help celebrate this move, Tom has worked to curate his own personal art collection into an exhibit called "Posters and Paintings from China's Modernization Period." In this series, visitors are meant to mill about the exhibit room clockwise — starting with a painting of a woman on a scroll.
"China had a revolution in 1911," explained Tom. "These are advertising posters, mainly from Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s, so suddenly the image of a woman changes. Before we never actually saw a woman smiling."
The exhibit then progresses to depictions that reflect the "Chinese Century of Humiliation" which includes the first and second Opium Wars, international settlements, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Nanjing Massacre.
"I wanted the visitor to get a sense of how it all evolved," said Tom. "There's a lot of things that people don't know about and most of the information you get about China is kind of like misinformation. ... Hopefully this gives people a different perspective."
With a better understanding of the social and political climates affecting China, guests move on to the second portion of art pieces labeled "Reform and Opening Up." These pieces tend to be more varied and colorful, less structured and more abstract. Their presence is meant to represent present and future Chinese generations as they move forward in the world.
"It's amazing how much and how fast things have changed," said Tom in reference to women's clothing and one final painting of a Chinese man with a dog. "Just 15 to 20 years ago the Chinese didn't have dogs as pets, but there's a lot of pets there now."
Tom's personal collection will be ready for visitors this weekend during the annual Bok Kai celebration. Tours with Tom will be held at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and again at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The museum will also be open on the first Saturday of every month from noon to 4 p.m. It is recommended that guests reserve a tour with Tom to fully appreciate his collection.
Other activities at the new Chinese American Museum will include a 2 p.m. talk with David Lei on Saturday which will cover the customs, rituals and beliefs associated with Chinese temples.
Bok Kai schedule of events
Judy Mann, a Marysville resident and historian, has been named this year's grand marshal for the 2024 Bok Kai Festival. This year is the year of the dragon, specifically the wood dragon which is said to symbolize authority, abundance, and good fortune. The 144th annual Bok Kai Parade will be held on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. beginning at 7th and D streets in Marysville. The parade will continue along D Street to 1st Street, rounding the corner to C Street and a judging stand at 2nd Street. The route will commence at 5th Street.
The highlight of the event is always the parade dragon and lion dancers, however ear protection is recommended due to the abundance of firecrackers. Live music, vendors, and other activities will be held after the parade from 2-10 p.m. with a particular focus on the WoodButcher for entertainment. A fireworks show will be held at 7:30 p.m. with prime viewing at the corner of First and C streets.
Bomb Day will be celebrated on Sunday with a car show on C Street and a rib cook off starting at 9 a.m. Cook-off judging will commence at noon at the Yuba County Library. Martial arts and Chinese cultural performances will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in historic Marysville with local vendors open until 4 p.m. The firing of the rings will begin at this time at the corner of 1st and C streets.
Bok Kai is an annual event meant to honor and commemorate the Chinese water god deity known as Bok Eye who is believed to protect Marysville from flooding. Bok Kai is celebrated according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, always held on the weekend nearest to the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar.
