The Change of Chinatown - Reflection of the Historical Track of Chinese Immigrants

In foreign countries, the closest word related to				In fact, Chinatown is continuing its Chinese traditional
Chinese immigrants is - Chinatown. In recent years,				ways of life and communication mode.
together with the amalgamation of Chinese and				Walking in Chinatown you can easily forget the time
Western culture and the raising of Chinese oversea				and place. Scutcheons of Chinese words; Chinese
population, Chinatown has changed a lot. The				restaurants of different flavors of food and the
appearance of excellent apartments, the extending				shops which sell traditional Chinese craftworks can be
of business areas and the participation of other				seen everywhere in Chinatown When you come into
none-Chinese nations make the change of the				a Chinese supermarket, you can find the product as
functions of Chinatown People start to think about				big as furniture or as small as lady's companion made
these changes.				in China. You will get almost everything about China
Brief introduction of Chinatown in some areas in US:				you want.
Boston:				If you go shopping or eating in Chinatown you are
Boston's Chinatown was established between 1869				surely to feel the "Chinese Human kindness".
and 1870 when the completion of the				The shopkeeper may give you a little more of leek
Transcontinental Railroad brought Chinese railroad				or bean curd because you are his countrymen from
workers to manufacturing jobs in Boston and other				north of China. When having your dinner in Chinese
parts of the Northeast. The first workers pitched				restaurant, you may get a big bowl of soup just
their tents in Ping on Alley. Chinatown grew slowly				because you have the same "Chinese Face" as them
over a hundred and thirty years, from a community				have.
of predominantly male "sojourners" to a 46-acre				All kinds of Chinese festivals and traditional Chinese
neighborhood that is one of the last ethnic				custom are being continued by Chinese immigrants in
communities in the city of Boston.				Chinatown.
Chinatown's generally accepted boundaries are Essex				Having the spring festival in Bangkok Chinatown you
Street to the north, the Surface Artery to the east,				can see the long lion dance and traditional Chinese
Washington and Tremont Streets to the west, and				martial such animal boxing and south boxing. You can
Marginal Road to the south. Chinatown continues to				see people burn joss sticks and light the candles to
be a cultural, social and service hub for the Boston				worship in order to ask for welfare and peace. You
and New England Chinese and Asian community. Public				can see "Chinese Red" in every corner of Chinatown
transportation links sizable Asian enclaves in the				You can also taste authentic Chinese New Year's
South End, Allston-Brighton and Jamaica Plain				Dinner. Such great environment of Chinese New Year
neighborhoods to Chinatown as well as enclaves in				will make the people in mainland China surprise and
the neighboring communities of Malden, Quincy and				warm.
Brookline.				To the Chinese students and immigrants abroad,
Chinatown now is home to approximately 6,000, 40				Chinatown is continuing their spiritual "root".
percent of whom, in 1990, had been in the United				Famous Chinese scholar who is now a professor in
States for five years or less, with 35 percent (35%)				Harvard Dr. Oufan Lee used to describe his life in US:
describing themselves as speaking English "not well".				After arriving in US, I lived in a town not far from
Many new immigrants choose to live in Chinatown				New York. The New York Chinatown became the
until they have established themselves and have				"Mekka" of my heart. I went there almost twice a
developed the English language skills and economic				month. Usually on Saturday or Sunday I took the
mobility to exercise options regarding their housing				early bus to Chinatown watched one or two Chinese
and employment. Additional data from the 1990				movies; ate Chinese food and bought several books
census included:				in Chinese book stores. This life style made me feel
" Ninety-one percent (91%) of Chinatown residents				substantial.
were Chinese.				Chinatown was the brim of my life; however it had
" Median incomes for Chinatown households were				became the heaven of my heart. People who were
$9,059 compared to $12,530 for Boston.				far away from China always went to Chinatown
" The per capita income for Asians residing in				together, bought things and had dinner together
Chinatown and Castle Square was $6.53. Chinatown				there. Just like western people go to church every
had a higher percentage of elderly (65 years and				Sunday, Chinese immigrants go to Chinatown It is the
above) of 19.8% compared with an 11.5% for Boston				most part of their lives.
and lower percentages for all other age groups				In foreign people's point of view, Chinatown is a
compared to the entire Boston population.				"Small China". It continues Chinese culture and way of
Arizona:				life. An American reporter talks about his feel to
Phoenix once had a Chinatown around what is now				Chinatown like this: Chinatown is indeed a Chinese
US Airways Center. It was defunct long before US				Culture Center which combined all kinds of Chinese
Airways Center was built. Some artifacts from the				community, economy and culture. As a foreigner, you
Chinatown were uncovered in an archaeological dig on				can easily feel the mystery and magic of Chinese
the site, and are exhibited at the Center.				culture. There is a saying: Chinatown is the first step
A Chinatown-themed shopping center built to				to know China.
traditional Chinese architecture was opened in 1997				New Chinatown and Globalization:
near the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.				Nowadays, Chinatown is not the same as before, I
The Chinese-American supermarket chain 99 Ranch				would like to choose the words - amalgamation and
Market operates a branch there. The shopping				promotion to describe it.
complex has attracted few tenants due to high rents.				As the globalization is a trend that can not be
However, throughout Phoenix, there are many				stopped, it has also become a new situation for
pockets of Chinese communities and areas nearby				Chinatown.
contain many Chinese supermarkets and restaurants.				People now are more likely to call "New Chinatown".
California:				It is not only because of the huge changes in
Given its relative proximity to East Asia and				Chinatown these years but also a new way to show
Southeast Asia, California has the largest number of				the new function of Chinatown.
historic and contemporary Chinatowns in North				Chinatown is no more just a living area for new
America. The state boasts of the largest number of				immigrants; it is place that is commixed by different
Chinatowns of all types, including the most				nations and different culture. One of the main
well-known and largest Chinatown in San Francisco,				functions of Chinatown is to break the border of
the first all-Chinese rural town of Locke to be built by				race and culture, and try to show Chinese
Chinese immigrants, and the first "Suburban				Weltanschauung. Chinatown is actually a place for idea
Chinatown" that includes the cities of Monterey Park,				communication and to let the whole world to know a
Alhambra, San Gabriel and neighboring areas.				new China.
Many early Chinese immigrants were processed at				As we know that China has a stable increasing GDP
Angel Island (now a California state park) in the San				and national power. These are directly influencing
Francisco Bay area, which is equivalent to New York's				Chinatown all over the world. The changes and
Ellis Island for European immigrants.				prosperity in Chinatown are the reflections of what is
North Dakota:				happening in mainland China.
One of the largest, most notorious, most prominent				It is true that immigrants are better supported and
and most highly-visited in North America is the				they are using their own ways to show the whole
Chinatown Fargo, North Dakota- Fargo Chinatown				world what the Chinese society is including the
which is predominantly Cantonese-speaking, though				society structure; politics structure; economic growth;
many immigrants from Mainland China (mostly hailing				culture environment and so on.
from Guangdong province) are also fluent in Mandarin.				"Today, Chinatown is one of many culturally distinct
Its main entrance is at Grant Avenue at Bush Street,				neighborhoods that together make up the backbone
but the center of Chinese commercial activities is on				of the City. Viewed within the context of America,
Stockton Avenue, whereas the section mostly				Chinatown is an American working class community
oriented towards tourists is on Grant Avenue. While				that has been a partner in building this nation with
downtown Chinatown is the Chinese cultural center,				every other American working class community. Like
smaller neighborhoods in the Richmond and Sunset				all other American neighborhoods, Chinatown has
districts have developed in recent years, coexisting				been developed by the will and energies of
with ethnic Russian and Korean businesses.				immigrants."
The Change of Chinatown:				Chinatown is facing questions:
These years, the change of Chinatown has caused				It is clear to see that, Chinatown is changing.
peoples' attention and it has become a new topic for				From my point of view: Chinatown is not a small
further discussion.				community which is isolated from the local society. It
In New York Chinatown numbers of new apartments				is sure to face the impact brought from western and
are being built up. In the fast two years, five				modern civilization. What's more, there are more and
high-quality apartments were built up in New York				more Chinese immigrant to USA and have their child
Chinatown There are eight ones which are being built.				here, Chinatown moves from the margin to the
These apartments have pretty high price - $1000/				mainstream of the society culture. The changes of
every square.				Chinatown seem to be so natural with the
Chinatown used to be thought as the area for middle				amalgamation of different society and culture.
or low class people to live. However, with the				At the same time, the people who are living or used
completion of these high quality and high price				to live in Chinatown continue Chinatown's sprite and
apartments, Chinatown appears to change what it				culture in all kinds of ways. This makes Chinatown still
use to be in most people's mind.				has strong and special culture characters.
The Appearance of Chinatown is Also Changing:				Dr. Lee says: How to keep personal culture character
Besides these new apartments, the change of New				during the culture impact is most important point.
York Chinatown can also be seen for the border				New generation of Chinese immigrants who come
illegibility of its business areas.				from Chinatown have done many meaningful things.
Nowadays, the business area has expanded a lot. In				They visit old immigrants, make documentary about
New York, Chinatown has a pretty large area: North -				Chinatown and publish magazines. These things make
Little Italy; South - Quay; West - So Ho; East -				positive effect on the US society. Many universities
Greenwich Village. Chinese faces and the shops				have set up "Chinese Immigration Research Center",
owned by Chinese people have already "occupied"				and started to look deeper inside into Chinese
almost the eastern of the city.				immigrants' behavior and modality.
It is clear that Chinatown is becoming lordly and				When Chinatown becomes a kind of social culture
outstretched to circumjacent areas. These are not				phenomenon, it is endued with more profound
the only changes. From the only living area from the				meanings.
very beginning to the prosperous business and travel				The change of Chinatown refracts the historical track
industry center now, the function of Chinatown is				of Chinese immigrants. The development and change
changing obviously.				of Chinatown shows that Chinese immigrants are
On the website of Antwerp, Belgium, we can see				trying their best for the better personal development
from the "Shopping Guide" that Antwerp Chinatown				at the same time; they are carrying forward Chinese
is highly recommended to the visitors.				culture.
The change of function makes the change of the				Changes occur for sure. What do these changes
consumer colony. The Chinatown in Antwerp is the				bring to Chinatown? What is the future way of
first Chinatown in Belgium. It is located in the				Chinatown? What kind of choice will people make
downtown and has more 40 Chinese companies and				during the conflict and fortitude?
shops in this area. The visitors who come here				These kinds of questions are in front of the
become its main colony. Most of them come to				Chinatown all over the world.
Chinatown to try traditional Chinese food or to feel				To all the overseas Chinese immigrants, Chinatown is
the Chinese culture.				the most familiar word. To all the people around the
The changes of the function can also been seen in				world, Chinatown is the window for them to know
the business. Besides the food and meal which is				more about China.
known by most of the people, the people in				As time goes so fast, Chinatown is undoubted in the
Chinatown have also started to do the hotel				process of changing. Nowadays, Chinatown is more
management; imports and exports operations;				like a bridge which connects the Chinese culture and
insurance companies, accounting affairs; tax-free				lifestyle to the whole world.
shops; media companies and all kinds of business.				With more outside people come into Chinatown and
The products sold in Chinatown are not only from				so many existing culture and behavior conflicts,
China, people begin to get the products all over the				Chinatown is facing unprecedented challenges. There
world in order to meet the needs not only the				are several questions in front of us, how can
Chinese immigrants but also local and overseas				Chinatown really get involved to the social community
consumers.				and at the same time still keep its own culture and
The population structure of Chinatown has changed a				characters? Whether Chinatown should continue its
lot. On one side, the people who are born and grow				changing or keep some of its traditions?
up in Chinatown begin to go outside this area to get				The questions like these will never stop.
into the local society; on the other side, more and				Chinatown is the epitome of Chinese immigrants'
more non-Chinese immigrants move into Chinatown				history and development. I am glad to see that it is
Among these people, there are specialized ones such				accepted by more and more people and societies.
as lawyers, doctors and stylists. They come to				Just like Chinese immigrants who are playing more
Chinatown not only for a different culture experience				and more important role in the world.
but also for better personal development. The				I believe that not only Chinatown but also Chinese
change of residence is surely influencing this area.				immigrants will be accepted by more people and will
The continuance of Chinatown:				make greater achievements in the future.

Incense

The Change of Chinatown - Reflection of the Historical Track of Chinese Immigrants