Chapter 8 Chinese Culture in America

The child is teaching at Humboldt State University in California, so he stayed in his apartment in Eureka when he went to the United States this time.The local area belongs to the mahogany area, with Yunfeng Jiamu, gloomy and gloomy, the eyes are vast, covered by sparse forests, the environment is far away from the hustle and bustle, and it seems to be out of the world.The only thing that makes people feel depressed is that there is not a single Chinese character everywhere, and there are only three restaurant signs of "Shanghai", "Hunan" and "Guan's Restaurant".The child told me that there is a Yunlin Temple in Weaverille (translated as "Weaver City" by Mr. Liu Wuji) more than 200 miles southwest of Eureka.

One day, I set off in the early morning when the wind was rustling in the pines and the clouds were drifting.Summer in California is the dry season. The tobacco in the plains is yellow and the temperature is getting higher and higher. When we arrived at Weaver City at noon, we had already changed from winter clothes to summer clothes.The park is called State Histuric Park. There is a mahogany archway erected at the gate of the park. There are three big characters in the middle: Yunlin Temple. Fifty-four tourists, and another woman built it when she came to settle here, and now the park management office sends people to manage, sell tickets, and guide tourists to watch."

First of all, enter the showroom. Inside the glass cabinet are the daily clothes and all kinds of soldiers used by overseas Chinese who came to California to pan for gold. It can be seen that they have worked hard to start a business.The other wall is full of Chinese zodiac signs, Bu Xiujiu, and the time of the year, which shows that although the overseas Chinese are in a foreign land, they still never forget the customs of the motherland.After a female tour guide led the tourists across a Quzhu Red Bridge, they saw the Yunlin Temple built of clouds.According to the tour guide's description, the roof is covered with blue tiles (made of plastic sheets) so that ghosts and ghosts will not dare to invade; the wooden platform in front of the temple, although it is only six or seven inches high, is wide and covers the entire temple gate. There is a platform barrier, it is difficult to approach the temple gate.Probably because foreigners heard Chinese ghost stories and knew that zombies can only jump but not walk.Pheasant Gate Red Threshold, quiet and evasive cards are arranged on the left and right, and the door couplet is "Yunlong Kaitai luck, Lin Fengzhen Shengping", with inlaid characters and golden lacquer dragon patterns.Another couplet, "De Ze Fu the world, loyal and good to protect the country", has gold characters on the red background. Both couplets were established in Jiaxu in the 13th year of Tongzhi. Although the calligraphy is not flamboyant, the strokes are correct.When the gate is opened, the two gates immediately appear in front of the eyes. The distance between the two gates is less than five feet. The jade door Qiong has a strange beast eaves. This gate is not opened. It is said that this gate can ward off evil spirits. To run away in a hurry.In the middle of the shrine is enshrined the Pole Zhentian Zhenwuxuantian God and the emperor of the three worlds of loyalty and martial arts who subdue Moguan. Corrosion changes, more and more antique.As soon as the tour guide enters the door, he first turns on a glazed lamp in front of the Buddha on the roof, and then turns on the bright and dark lights in various places one by one while explaining, to show the mystery.In the northwest corner of the hall, there is a small door leading to a simple monk's house. At that time, an ascetic monk lived here for more than ten years before he passed away.On the wall of his living room are his straw hat shoes and black robes, and the walls of the outer room are covered with numbers of lamp oil and incense donated by devout men and believers from ten directions, as a reference for credit. On the door frame is written "Jin Fan Safely and Straight to the Other Shore" in regular script The horizontal bar, a stroke of Su, shows that the ascetic has a lot of hills in his heart, and he is a caring monk who never forgets his homeland. Unfortunately, the tour guide can't tell his surname, so he has disappeared into oblivion.

After visiting Yunlin Temple, it was time for lunch. There is a family restaurant called Brewer's Cafe across the street. It is a small and well-known local restaurant. Although there are 20 or 30 seats inside and outside, it was almost full when we went. The proprietress specially introduced it Her clam chowder and grilled trout are the best. It was trout season at that time. According to the case, the soup is fresh and tender, which is indeed a delicacy that is hard to find in metropolitan restaurants! On the way back, I passed WilloW Creek, also known as "Willow Creek". It is said that since the discovery of giant footprints in 1813, people who went to the mountains to collect wood may find traces of giants. Some people described him as flat-topped and protruding, with long arms and big feet. Some people say that he has huge eyes and a belly, a body like a giant spirit, brown hair all over his body, and he is a monster between humans and beasts.So according to what everyone saw and heard, a full-body image of a giant was engraved at the intersection, and the passage of the discovery of the giant was also set aside on the stone pedestal below to commemorate it one by one.I remember that newspapers and magazines in Taipei once published the news that the footprints of giants or snowmen were found in California, USA, and now I can see it clearly.There is a small bookstore in the local area. In addition to displaying pictures of local landscape magazines, there are six or seven kinds of books about giants. One magazine said: "In the early winter of last year, someone was lifting fish in the spring of strange rocks in the evening clouds and mist. Ruo. Chasing a gazelle coolly, the distance is only 50 to 60 meters, which is the closest human beings have seen a giant. Unfortunately, there was no camera at hand at that time, otherwise the true face of the giant, which is suspicious and dreamlike It can be shown in front of everyone’s eyes.”

Behind the statue of the giant, there is a scenic spot with lush trees and beautiful rocks. The child said: "That is the primitive tribe where Indians live together." Because I had to go back to Eureka that day, I didn't have time to visit, otherwise it would be very difficult for the life of Indians. , can increase a little bit of understanding. The scenic spots mentioned above are located in the remote northwest of California, which are places that are difficult for tourists to set foot in, so write down what you have seen and heard for your reference when you travel to the United States.In addition, in the vicinity of Big Foot, whether it is a motel or a restaurant, there are wooden signs of giant footprints hanging in front of the door to attract people.As for the ashtrays, key chains, brooches, and pins sold in department stores, they are all marked with big footprints and are delicate and delicate.People's pervasive salesmanship is really worthy of our emulation.