The cultural center was proposed in 1984 by a Cantonese grocery store owner. Among other things, it was intended to commemorate the Cantonese community’s achievements in the Central Valley and to maintain ties with the Guangdong government. Construction was completed in 1990.
One activity of the center is to help the Chinese government raise money and build schools in China. The cultural center also works to preserve aspects of Chinese culture in Visalia. It invites artists from China to hold classes on such subjects as the martial arts and calligraphy. But the artists come only every other year, and then on a once-a-month basis. There were also classes on the Chinese language but those were discontinued due to a lack of interest.
Other than hosting banquets and fund-raisers, the cultural center now also hosts annual celebrations of Chinese New year and Confucius’ birthday.