Fuzhou Ting (Fuzhou Pavilion), Tacoma

Fuzhou Ting, or Fuzhou Pavilion, stands within Chinese Reconciliation Park, a waterfront memorial to the local Chinese community expelled in 1885. Its location adds historical weight, lying near railroad tracks built partly by Chinese labourers and close to the former “Little Canton” settlement destroyed during the expulsion.

The pavilion itself was donated by Fuzhou, China, as part of a sister-city relationship and a broader effort to turn memory into a visible public gesture. Completed in 2011, it was assembled with help from master craftsmen from China. Its eight granite columns are among its strongest features: each one stands about 10 feet tall and weighs roughly 3,000 pounds. During construction, the craftsmen used a traditional Chinese ink-line tool called a Mo Dou to mark alignments, rather than standard chalk lines.

Although traditional in appearance, the pavilion was adapted for modern seismic and high-wind standards, with hidden reinforcements beneath its tiled roof. Nearby features, including the Sojourners’ Room, carved stones, and upright pylons, refer to Chinese migration, labour, displacement, and civic responsibility. The stone pillars were raised on September 22, 2010, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday linked to family reunion.