Hang Won Lung, the Bok Kai dragon, follows the pearl of wisdom. 

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - 2024 is the year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac. The last Dragon year was in 2012 and the next one won’t be until 2036. So, on March 9 and 10, the 144th annual Bok Kai Parade and Festival in Marysville was extra special, celebrating Bok Eye, the Chinese water god.

Dancers from the Xian Yun Academy performed at the Bok Kai Festival. 

POW! POP! POP! CRACKLE! FIZZZZ! According to Jon Lim, a fourth-generation Chinese American and president of the Marysville Chinese Community, the sound of the firecrackers are to scare off the bad spirits during the Bok Kai parade, especially just before the giant dragon, Hang Won Lung, dances by.

Director of the Chinese Museum in Marysville, Brian Tom, conducted tours.

The crowd saw plenty of firecrackers, cymbals, bells, drums and chimes as the parade passed by.

Bok Kai Grand Marshall Judy Mann and Bok Kai hostess Naomi Houston rode in antique and vintage cars.

Speaking of cars, there were many, ranging from antique to classic to recent, and an impressive line of Yuba County Sheriff Department vehicles, including a boat and a Jeep that looked like a tank. The shiny red firefighting vehicles drove by with horns blaring. One of them was a steam pumper used to fight fires in the mid-1800s. Riding atop and waving was Marysville City Council Member Stuart Smith Gilchrist.

Stacy Federico and Maureen Sala of ‘Fabulous Finds’ hung a cabbage outside of their vintage store to feed the dragon. 

The parade also included colorful dragon floats, dragon costumes, dancing and martial arts displays. One tiny red dragon rode on a classic Radio Flyer wagon. The Lincoln Elementary School from Oakland brought a baby pink, extra-long dragon that undulated and danced for the crowd. The Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts had its Dragons Marching Band, which added upbeat music to the moving displays.

The firecrackers went off again and the anticipation was high when the star of the whole parade, the great Hang Won Lung showed his colorful head. Bobbing and weaving, the 100’ dragon followed the Pearl of Wisdom held high upon a pole just out of his reach. At intervals, the dragon would curl up his long body and take a quick nap, then uncurl and continue chasing the pearl.

Young girls perform the Honor Dance at the Bok Kai Festival. 

Much of Chinese art depicts a dragon holding a pearl and the story about the dragon is one of the oldest and best-known legends in Chinese folklore. The story goes that during a famine in central China, ruled by a greedy emperor, a young boy looks for food in a field. He digs up a patch of turf to bring home, and under it, finds a pearl. He takes the pearl and hides it in a sack of rice. The field of turf dies but the sack of rice overflows, and the boy and his mother share their good fortune with their neighbors. The greedy emperor hears about the pearl and wants it for himself but the boy hides the pearl by swallowing it, which then transforms him into a mighty dragon. From that day forward, the dragon would protect the land and its people.

Children from Lincoln Elementary School of Oakland had their own extra-long pink dragon in the parade.

Another legendary tidbit: Did you know you can feed the dragon as it passes by? Often during the dragon’s dance, business owners and homes will hang a cabbage or lettuce on a string outside their doorways. When the dragon eats the offering, he then spits it back out, which seems a bit rude but represents the dragon spreading wealth, prosperity and good luck. Stacy Federico and Maureen Sala of the Fabulous Finds vintage store hung a big cabbage outside their establishment which sits along the parade route.

During and after the parade, the Chinese American Museum of Northern California was open to the public. Speaker David Lei gave a fascinating talk about “Customs, Rituals, and Beliefs” of the Chinese people, and Brian Tom, museum director, conducted tours.

Marysville City Council member Stuart Smith Gilchrist rides on top of a Steam Pumper used to fight fires in the mid 1800's. 

At the end of the day were fireworks and then live music at the WoodButcher bar until 10 p.m.

On Sunday, the festivities continued with the Bok Kai Temple opening its doors to the public. Inside sits the 1878 head of the oldest surviving dragon puppet, Moo Lung. The temple was built in 1880 and is one of the oldest operating Taoist temples in the country. On this special day, it is traditional that worshipers bring offerings for the saints: roast pigs, chickens, cakes, dumplings, fruits and nuts are placed on altars to be blessed and then later eaten at extensive family picnics.

The graceful movements of the cultural dancers entertained the crowd throughout the celebration. There was a car show and a rib cook-off where you could sample and vote for the most delicious ribs and browse through the many custom cars (without touching the chrome with sticky fingers).

An extravagant finale was the “Firing of the Bombs,” a loud and boisterous activity where the colorful firing of the bombs highlights the celebration, which is in tribute to the Chinese Water God, The Bok Eye. According to the Bok Kai Temple website, the bombs are fired in a roped arena where the young scramble for "good fortune" rings, which are shot into the air from the bursting bombs and traditionally bring luck throughout the year. The rings can be kept by those who retrieve them in the scramble.

The 144th annual Bok Kai Parade and Festival was a huge success and enjoyed by all who attended.