Lytton Chinese Museum
May 13, 2017. The day began with a blessing. An ornate and powerful lion wove and swerved around the space, bringing blessings to a site with a long spiritual history. The new Lytton Chinese Museum was opening for the first time and members of the Shaolin Hung Gar Kung Fu Association performed a Lion Dance for guests and local dignitaries. According to Nonie McCann of the Bridge River Lillooet News, “The crowd was mesmerized as the two-person Lion wove, twisted, leapt and swerved around the entryway of the museum.”
The lion unveiled a message of good fortune for the new building, but to owner Lorna Fandrich, the blessing was already there. A long-held dream had become a reality.
Fandrich and her husband, Bernie, had originally purchased the property years ago as a place to store rafting materials from their Kumsheen Rafting business. After reading a newspaper article from 1933 that talked about the site’s history, a seed was planted for what would years later become a place to honour and recognize the culture and sacrifices of the men who came to Canada and risked their lives to build our railroads, work in mines, and provide for their families back home.
Fandrich discovered that the lot they had purchased had once been the site of a temple, or Joss House. The word “Joss” refers to burning incense, and “Joss House” was a non-Chinese term for a temple or community hall – a place where incense was burned. Built in 1881, the original three-room Joss House also enjoyed a grand opening in April, 1883. Dignitaries and local Chinese residents attended the ceremony to bless the building. The building housed representations of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, and Shen Nong, the God of Agriculture, as well as other deities.
Chinese workers were not always treated with mercy as they worked under harsh, even cruel conditions to mine for gold and build railways in many areas of British Columbia, including Lytton. Many died, the others scraped together as much money as they could to send home to their families. There is still much evidence of this early Chinese history in the area. The Chinese immigrants were also merchants, and were known for their skills at vegetable farming. The temple was an important place for all of them. It was not only a place of worship, but a guest house and meeting space for the community. The original temple was sold against the will of the consul-general for the Republic of China around 1928 and later destroyed.
The new museum came together thanks to Fandrich’s dream and the panel of experts she chose to help her create an authentic experience for visitors. The new building is a reconstruction of the original 1881 temple. An alter and space for study and meditation set the tone for the space. Displays arranged around the space portray how the Chinese workers and immigrants helped shape the history of the area, adding a rich layer to the already deep history of Lytton and the surround region. Many of the pieces in the displays came from the personal collection of Lillooet resident, Al Dreyer, who had gathered them over the years.
In 2016 the site was granted official heritage status under Heritage B.C.’s Chinese Historic Places Recognition Project. Recognized as a historic place with provincial significance, the Lytton Joss House will be included on the B.C. Register of Historic Places as well as being suggested for inclusion on the Canada Register of Historic Places. All of this stems from the legacy of the B.C. Government’s 2014 Apology for Historical Wrongs against Chinese Canadians.
Bibliography and Sources:
Fandrich, L. Personal interview. May, 2017.
“Gods in a woodshed” (no date), in Lytton Chinese History Museum, Retrieved June 2, 2017 from http://www.lyttonchinesehistorymuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Gods-in-a-Lytton-Woodshed.pdf
“Lion dancers bless Lytton’s new Chinese History Museum” (May 17, 2017). In Bridge River Lillooet News, Retrieved June 2, 2017 from http://www.lillooetnews.net/news/regional-news/lion-dancers-bless-lytton-s-new-chinese-history-museum-1.20002402
“New Museum built on historic Lytton cultural site” (May 8, 2017). In CBC News British Columbia, Retrieved June 2, 2017 from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-museum-built-on-historic-lytton-cultural-site-1.4105053
“Welcome to the Lytton Chinese History Museum” (no date). In Lytton Chinese History Museum, Retrieved June 2, 2017 from http://www.lyttonchinesehistorymuseum.com/
Detailed access information:
Near the centre of the huge pull-out off Hwy 1, just South of Lytton, you'll see a trail that takes you down a small hill.