In my last column, I highlighted the China Alley Preservation Society’s collaboration with the Hong Kong Museum of Chinese History, which has dedicated an entire gallery to the rich history of Hanford’s China Alley.
Shortly after the Taoist Temple Museum arson in attack in 2021, the Preservation Society was introduced to a renowned wooden plaque and couplet restoration specialist based in San Francisco. Celebrated for his expertise in traditional Chinese craftsmanship, the “Master” carefully cleans, repairs, and revitalizes intricate calligraphy and carvings, ensuring their cultural and historical integrity is conserved and aesthetic and spiritual significance is preserved. We enlisted his skills to restore many of the historic couplets damaged during the arson.
After conservation was completed in San Francisco, several of the couplets were shipped to Hong Kong and are part of the current Hanford China Alley exhibit. Gems of the Temple travel far and wide to be restored, valued and appreciated, and returned, enlivening hope for the future…