Talk:Marysville, California

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[edit] Comment

It has not been finally determined what the cause of the July 4, 2004 explosion during the 4th of July fireworks show at Ellis Lake was. It may have been a "rogue firework" from the show; however, there is also evidence that it was caused by a firework or other explosive device thrown into the crowd.

[edit] Public Works Project?

Some residents claim that the building of the lake was a public works project during the depression. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.21.32.213 (talk) 08:00, 18 April 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Plagiarism?

It appears the following, appearing in this version of the page, is content not original to Wikipedia but cut and pasted from somewhere, possibly the Friends of the Marysville Bok Kai Temple. I've removed it from the article. Michael Patrick (talk) 23:32, 21 March 2008 (UTC)

BOMB DAY Bomb Day, or in Chinese, Yee Yeut Yee, takes its name from the colorful firing of the bombs highlighting the celebration, which is in tribute to the Chinese Water God, Bok Eye. Each year on the second day of the second month of the Chinese lunar year, the Chinese community of Marysville and the Marysville Yuba County Chamber of Commerce join in putting on the Bomb Day celebration, which marks Bok Eye's birthday. When the day falls on a weekday, the festivities usually are held for two days during the weekend. The annual two-day event draws thousands from Marysville and surrounding communities. It also attracts thousands of Chinese from all parts of the United States, Canada and Mexico, who come to worship at the Bok Kai Temple and join in the festivities. Although the celebration includes the colorful parade, a fashion show, dance, exhibitions by Lion Dancers, banquets and other entertainment, the highlight of the event is the firing of the bombs. The Good Luck bombs are fired in a roped arena where young Chinese, and occasionally adults, scramble for “good fortune” rings which are shot into the air from the bursting bombs, traditionally bring good fortune to the holder throughout the year. The rings may be kept by those who retrieve them in the scramble, but often they are sold to people who want to keep the lucky charms for a year. Those who purchase them, in turn, pay a fee at the temple to hold the rings. The No. 4 ring is the luckiest, and therefore the most sought after ring of all, and brings on the liveliest scramble when the bombs are fired. The bombs, resembling giant firecrackers, are handmade in Marysville specifically for Bomb Day. Commissioned to do the job is Al Wong, Jr., who learned the tedious and ancient craft from the former bomb master Jim Pon. Wong has produced the bombs for this event starting in 1993. A special permit and license are issued each year by the State Fire Marshal to the Marysville Chinese Community for this annual production of approximately 111 bombs. In addition to the fun and excitement of the celebration, Bomb Day has another aspect - it enables the Chinese to worship at the temple, which honors Bok Eye, worshipped by the Chinese for banishing evil spirits and for controlling rains and floods of spring in time for planting. LOOKING BACK AT EARLIER CELEBRATIONS There are no records pinpointing exactly what year Bomb Day was initiated in Marysville, but it is assumed by most Chinese here the event must have been observed as far back as the 1860s when the First Bok Kai Temple was built. People who have done research on the Temple, though, look at the year 1880, when the present Temple was dedicated, as the start of Bomb Day celebrations in Marysville. They establish this fact from an article describing the dedication of the Temple in the April 2, 1880 issue of the Marysville Weekly Appeal, of which excerpts follow: "The Boc-ky Church, or Chinese Temple, recently erected on D and Front Streets, in this city, was dedicated on Saturday with much pomp, noise and enthusiasm. The management under the committee composed of Yee Wood Gung, Wong Ting Oy, Chow You and Lung Sine, was successful in all points though the attendance was not as large as anticipated. At no time during Sunday were there present over fifteen hundred Chinese, male residents included. But they made noise enough for twice the number. At an early hour on the morning of the 21st instant a regular bombardment of the Yuba commenced with bombs and firecrackers, and by daylight the Temple was in order for formal dedication." Ten priests, seven of whom traveled from San Francisco, took part in the dedication and procession to the temple. The procession, starting from C Street down First Street, moved "under the inspiring music of the brass band. The procession was headed by a Chinese with a string of burning firecrackers hanging eight or ten feet from the end of a pole. Following were roasted and decorated pigs, sheep and other toothsome looking edibles, which were set up on trays having four shoulder handles and each were packed by the offering train, and one to be sacrificed upon the altar of the new Temple. "The festivities continued in a quiet way Tuesday and will conclude on the 24th on the lot near the old temple where prize bombs will be discharged into the air, and there will follow an energetic scramble among the young athletes to secure a charmed gift." Chinese who have been here since before the turn of the century recall bomb days that followed, from year to year. They explained that there were lapses during the First World War, in the early 1930s when China was involved in a revolutionary war and during the Second World War. But of all the Bomb Day celebrations, the 1930 observance was perhaps the most spectacular and celebrated. That's the year a half a dozen leading movie newsreel companies covered the event for presentation in movie theaters throughout the nation and several foreign countries. There were an estimated 15,000 people at the parade, which included the famous Marysville Dragon which was brought back from "retirement" after 13 years of idleness. It was the year the famous Chinese opera singers, Hom York Lum and Hom Suey Fong, both sisters, were brought from San Francisco with a $30,000 bond and an assurance for their "safe return." After World War II, Bomb Day in Marysville was renewed in 1947 and has been an annual event since.