Chinatowns

Exploring Chinatown 贾凯珞 中文二

二〇一三年四月十五日

Chinatown’s Background info !   China town:中国城 （Zhōngguó chéng）

!   1st Chinatown: Binodo’s Chinatown in Manila, Philipines est. 1594

!   China towns in America:

!   Begin in 1800’s

!   Stop 1882-1943 (Chinese Exclusion)

!   Ended in 1943 and more China towns are created

“Chinatowns usually cater to new immigrants, with many unskilled workers who don’t speak English.

When the new [immigrants] acquire skills and better jobs, they often move out of

Chinatowns for a better quality of life. That makes Chinatown necessary – but also vulnerable”

– Peter Kung (Asian-Am prof)

What’s so Special about Chinatown?

•  Each Chinatown is created for a unique reason •  Provided opportunity •  Blends cultures

•  Preserves the Chinese Culture

Chinatown in Washington D.C. !   Historical

!   19th Century to escape discrimination !   Pennsylvania Avenue NW at 4 ½

St.

!   1931: forcibly disbanded by US government

!   Creation of a new Chinatown along H Street NW

!   Approximately 20 restaurants

“The neighborhood is small and fragile, seemingly forever on the brink of extinction. Its identity

hinges on a smattering of things: the restaurants, the red and green lamppost, the Chinese characters on

street signs…”. – John DeFerrari

!   Ping Pong (dim sum)

!   Tony Chung’s Seafood Restaurant

!   Starbucks 星巴克 (Xīngbakè )

!   Subway

Friendship Archway !   272 painted dragons

!   60 feet tall

!   7 roofs

!   Styled after the Qing dynasty architecture

!   Proposed in 1984, completed in 1986

!   7000 glazed ceramic tiles

!   Built to attract business

!   Alfred Liu

Houston Chinatown Est. in 1983

!   Chinese Community Center or the Houston Chinese Culture Service Center （休斯頓中华文化服务中心 Xiūsīdùn zhōngguó wénhuà fúwù zhōngxīn）

!   Shang Dong Noodle House (山东面馆) !   Crawfish and Noodles (小龙虾及面食

Xiǎo lóngxiā jí miànshí) !   Tofu Village (豆腐村Dòufu cūn) !   Dim Sum King (点心王Diǎnxīn wáng) !   Fung’s Kitchen (丰厨房Fēng chúfáng) !   Ranch Supermarket (九九超市) !   Golden Foods Super market (金食品超市

场 Jīn shípǐn chāo shìchǎng) !   Dun Huang Market (敦煌市场 Dūnhuáng

shìchǎng) !   Wells Fargo (富国银行 Fùguó yínháng) !   Metro Bank (shu 都银行 Dōu yínháng) !   Golden Bank (金银行 Jīn yínháng) !   City Bank Texas (德克萨斯州城市银行

Dé kè sà sī zhōu chéngshì yínháng)