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The Street of Gamblers (Ross Alley) Arnold Genthe, 1898, showing the large population of Chinese men who used San Francisco as a springboard to the California gold fields. The term "Chinatown" is an Americanism that dates to the mid-nineteenth century.
The Street of Gamblers (Ross Alley) Arnold Genthe, 1898, showing the large population of Chinese men who used San Francisco as a springboard to the California gold fields. Arnold Genthe (January 8 1869 – August 9 1942 was a Photographer, best known for his photos of San Francisco 's Chinatown, the 1906 San Francisco The term "Chinatown" is an Americanism that dates to the mid-nineteenth century. [1]

A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. Greater China ( is a term referring collectively to both the territories administered by the People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau) Chinatowns occur all over the world, including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, Australia, Europe and the United Kingdom. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

In the past, overcrowded Chinatowns in urban areas were generally shunned by the non-Chinese public as ethnic ghettos, and seen as places of vice and cultural insularity where "unassimilable foreigners" congregated. The software program VICE (all caps standing for V ersat' I' le C ommodore E mulator, is an Emulator for Commodore Nowadays, many old and new Chinatowns are considered significant centers of commercialism and tourism. Commercialism, in its original meaning is the practices methods aims and spirit of Commerce or Business. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Some of them also serve, to varying degrees, as centers of multiculturalism, if in a somewhat superficial manner. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified Superficial is a general term meaning "regarding the Surface " often Metaphorically Both in the literal as in the metaphorical sense the term has often a

Many Chinatowns are focused on commercial tourism, whereas others are actual living and working communities; some are a synthesis of both. Chinatowns also range from rundown ghettos to modern sites of recent development. In some, recent investments have revitalized run-down and blighted areas and turned them into centers of economic and social activity. In certain cases, this has led to gentrification and a reduction in the specifically Chinese character of the neighborhoods. Gentrification, or urban gentrification, is the change in an Urban area associated with the movement of more affluent individuals into a lower-class

Some Chinatowns have a long history, such as the Chinatown in Nagasaki, Japan, or Yaowarat Road in Bangkok, both of which were founded by Chinese traders more than 200 years ago. ( is the Capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Bangkok 's Chinatown is located on Yaowarat Road (เยาวราช in Samphanthawong district Chinatown, San Francisco, California was the first Chinatown to be established outside Asia, during the California Gold Rush, which began in 1848. San Francisco 's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America. The California Gold Rush (1848&ndash1855 began on January 24 1848 when Gold was discovered by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California Other cities in North America where Chinatowns were established in the mid-nineteenth century include almost every major settlement along the West Coast from San Diego to Victoria BC and Vancouver BC. Victoria (vɪkˈtɔɹiə is the capital city of British Columbia. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal By the second half of the nineteenth century, bustling Chinatowns were also established in New York and Chicago. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The discovery of gold in Australia caused the establishment of relatively small Chinatowns in cities there, and similar migrations of Chinese resulted in tiny settlements termed "Chinatowns" being established in New Zealand and even South Africa. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa European Chinatowns, such as those in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, are for the most part smaller and more recent than North American Chinatowns. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Other Chinatowns are newer, such as in Chinatown, Las Vegas in 1995, Dubai, and Santo Domingo and have received official recognition. The Chinatown of Las Vegas, Nevada ( Chinese: 拉斯維加斯中國城 ( Pinyin: Lāsīwéijiāsī Zhōngguóchéng is a series of large Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Santo Domingo de Guzmán (known as Santo Domingo population 2084852 (Metro (2003 estimated 2253437 (Metro in 2006 is the Capital and largest city in the

Chinatown in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Chinatown in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Melbourne, Australia 's Chinatown is located within the Melbourne Central Business District and is centered near around the eastern end Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page
The gate to Montreal's Chinatown which has Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese restaurants inside the complex.
The gate to Montreal's Chinatown which has Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese restaurants inside the complex. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec

Contents

History of the earliest Chinatowns by region

Yokohama Chinatown ((Japanese: Chukagai, Mandarin Chinese: Zhong hua jie) in Yokohama, Japan
Yokohama Chinatown ((Japanese: Chukagai, Mandarin Chinese: Zhong hua jie) in Yokohama, Japan
New York City is home to three Chinatowns. The oldest is centered on Mott Street in Manhattan.
New York City is home to three Chinatowns. Yokohama Chinatown ( Japanese: 横滨中華街, yokohama chūkagai; Simplified Chinese: 横滨中华街 Mandarin Pinyin is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū and is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The City of New York The oldest is centered on Mott Street in Manhattan. Mott Street is a narrow but busy thoroughfare that runs in a north-south direction in the New York City borough of Manhattan, United States. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York
Chinatown in São Paulo, Brazil
Chinatown in São Paulo, Brazil
Gate of Chinatown, Portland, Oregon
Gate of Chinatown, Portland, Oregon

Trading centres populated mainly by Chinese men and their native wives had existed throughout Southeast Asia for many years but emigration to other parts of the world from China accelerated in the 1860s with the enactment of the Treaty of Peking, which opened the border for free movement. São Paulo ( is the largest city in Brazil, with its metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers The Convention of Peking or the First Convention of Peking is the name used for three different treaties which were concluded between Qing China and the The early emigrants came primarily from coastal province of Guangdong and Fujian (Fukien)—where Cantonese, Min Nan (Hokkien), Hakka, and Chaozhou (Teochew, Chiu Chow) are largely spoken—in southeastern China. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the This article is about the People's Republic of China province The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly Initially, the Qing government of China was unconcerned by the emigration of this population as they were likely considered socially undesirable and "traitorous" to China. Moneymaking was also frowned upon in Confucianist China, which Chinese migrants were intending to earn wages as sojourners. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B However, the Chinese were not a unified group but were divided upon sub-ethnic/linguistic lines, as feuds between those of Cantonese (Punti) and Hakka stocks were common. Generally, there were also sub-divisions based on Chinese clans/surnames.

Taishanese and Cantonese settled in the first North American (United States, Canada), Australian, and Latin American Chinatowns (Cuba, Mexico, Peru). Taishan (Chinese 台[[wiktionary 山|山]] Mandarin: Táishān Cantonese: Toisan; Taishanese: Hoisan, Other Most of them were brought as coolie slaves to build the railroad. Coolie (variously spelled Cooly Kuli Quli Koelie etcis A historical term for manual labourers from Asia particularly China and India, in the 19th As a group, the Cantonese are linguistically and ethnically distinct from other groups in China with migrants especially coming mostly from the Siyi and Sanyi regions (with various variations of spoken Cantonese) of Guangdong; Cantonese remained the dominant language and heritage of many Chinatowns in Western countries until the 1970s. Due to laws in some countries barring the importation of Chinese wives (for fear of the perceived Yellow Peril), some Chinatowns emerged as bachelor’s societies where males dominated and the male-to-female ratio population was generally skewed. Yellow Peril (sometimes Yellow Terror) was a color metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with Immigration of Chinese In Latin America, many Cantonese-speaking migrants arrived as indentured labourers particularly in Peru (to work in the deadly guano fields) and Cuba (to labor in sugar plantations) giving those countries substantial Chinatowns.

The Hokkien and Teochew (both groups speaking the Minnan sub-group of Chinese dialects), along with Cantonese are the dominant group in Southeast Asian Chinatowns. The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects Chinese migrants also pioneered some major Southeast Asian cities, such as Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and hence Chinese influence is felt there. Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K The Hakka groups established Chinatowns in Africa (particularly Mauritius), Latin America and the Caribbean. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Northern Chinese settled in Korea in the 1940s.

In Europe, early Chinese were generally seamen who jumped ship and began to provide services for other Chinese mariners. In the nineteenth century and early twentieth century the United Kingdom treated China as part of its unofficial Empire employing Chinese in its merchant marine in significant numbers. Consequently, from the 1890s onwards, significant Chinese communities grew up in London and Liverpool—the main ports for the China trade. However, these communities were a mixture of Chinese men, their British wives and their Eurasian children. Moreover, they were generally inhabited by those Chinese catering for Chinese seamen. The majority spread throughout these cities usually operating laundries at this time.

France received a large settlement of Chinese immigrant laborers, mostly from the city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province of China (to this day, France continues to attract many Chinese immigrants from this particular province; Paris’ newest Chinatown in Belleville is heavily influenced by such immigrants). This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Wenzhou currently administers 3 district, 2 county-level cities and 6 counties. Chinatowns are also found in the Indian cities of Calcutta (once Hakka influenced) and Bombay. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial

By the late 1970s, the Vietnam War also played a significant part in the development and redevelopment of various Chinatowns in developed Western countries. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia As a result, many Chinatowns have become pan-Asian business districts and residential neighborhoods. By contrast, most Chinatowns in the past were solely inhabited by Chinese from southeastern China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

Historic Chinatowns such as San Francisco (see Chinatowns in North America#Northern California) has had a significant influence on the perception of Chinatowns in western countries. This article surveys individual Chinatowns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Although, in reality it and other North American Chinatowns fall outside the tradition of Chinese settlement in having significant numbers of Chinese women.

Asia

Yaowarat Road, Chinatown in Bangkok
Yaowarat Road, Chinatown in Bangkok
Main article: Chinatowns in Asia

Chinatown, Singapore Singapore's Chinatown centers around the major Eu Tong San street and branches out over a large area onto side streets. Chinatowns in Asia are widespread with a large concentration of Overseas Chinese in East Asia and Southeast Asia and ethnic Chinese whose It is served by an MRT station by the name of 牛车水 (Pinyin: niu2che1shui3) literally meaning "bullcart waters". Near the station is a large covered shopping area primarily geared at tourists, although not far from this one can find local markets, bakeries, full-blown Chinese malls, plenty of restaurants, the night market on Smith Street, and several temples including the recently completed Buddha Tooth Relic temple. A curiosity of the Singapore Chinatown is that in the middle of it is the large Sri Mariamman Hindu temple. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Unlike other countries with Chinatowns, in which the population of Chinese origin is relatively low in number, Singapore's population is dominated by over 70 percent Chinese descendants. Hence, the "Chinatown" is not a center of immigration and inexpensive food but rather a center of celebration of Chinese culture and often more upscale in taste than outside it.

Yaowarat Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Established in the 1700s, Chinatown is located in one of the oldest areas in Bangkok. Bangkok 's Chinatown is located on Yaowarat Road (เยาวราช in Samphanthawong district It was set up by Chinese traders who came in junks to trade with Thailand (Siam) during the Rattanakosin period, about 1700s. By the end of 1891, King Rama V had cut many roads, Yaowarat Road is one of them. Therefore Chinatown doesn't consist of only Yaowarat Road, but also covers others such as: Charoen Krung Road, Mungkorn Road, Songwat Road, Songsawat Road, Chakkrawat Road etc. Yaowarat is the centre of the area.

Yokohama Chinatown's Goodwill Gate
Yokohama Chinatown's Goodwill Gate
The Kuan Yin Temple (Kwan Yin Si) is a local place of worship for Burmese Chinese in Bago and serves as a Mandarin school for the local community.
The Kuan Yin Temple (Kwan Yin Si) is a local place of worship for Burmese Chinese in Bago and serves as a Mandarin school for the local community. Yokohama Chinatown ( Japanese: 横滨中華街, yokohama chūkagai; Simplified Chinese: 横滨中华街 Mandarin Pinyin

Tayote Tan, Yangon, Myanmar

Meaning Chinese Roads or Quarters, it covers almost a fifth of downtown Yangon. Yangon (also known as Rangoon) is the largest city and a former capital of Burma. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The lay-out of Chinatown dates back to the British expansion of Yangon, around the 1850s, thus being as old as the downtown.

Binondo District of Manila, The Philippines

Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1571, trade between ethnic Filipino Malays and Chinese traders was already established in pre-colonial Manila. Barangays The word Binondo came from the word Binundok which means mountain or boondocks The City of Manila The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The City of Manila Manila's Chinatown is one of the oldest in Asia, established sometime in the late 17th century. It is home to many ethnic Chinese who left the Chinese mainland for a home in the Philippines. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Binondo is a stone's throw away from the District of Intramuros, which was the Philippine's administrative capital under Spanish rule. Barangays The word Binondo came from the word Binundok which means mountain or boondocks History Pre-hispanic settlement The site of Intramuros was originally a large Malayan-Islamic settlement named "Maynilad" ruled by Datus Rajahs Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The district was within the range of Intramuros' canons to quell any uprising the Chinese could have started. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Binondo became a center of commerce during the American colonial era of the Philippines, since the Chinese were known to be experts in trading and finance. Barangays The word Binondo came from the word Binundok which means mountain or boondocks Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Banks, department stores, restaurants, insurance companies, nearly all giant commercial establishments were built in Binondo, the most prominent of which are located in the Escolta Avenue, though these are somewhat out of vogue and dilapidated today. World War II destroyed much of Binondo's commercial establishments. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After the war, most companies relocated to Makati, the current central business district of Metro Manila. The City of Makati, or simply Metropolitan Manila ( Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila, Kamaynilaan) or the National Capital Region (NCR ( Filipino: Pambansang

Shinchimachi, Nagasaki, Japan

With the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty by the Qing in the late 17th century, some Chinese (supporters of the Ming) fled to Japan and formed a Chinatown community in Nagasaki before the start of the 18th century, making it (along with the Binondo district of Manila of the Philippines) one of the earliest Chinatowns to be established. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Barangays The word Binondo came from the word Binundok which means mountain or boondocks The City of Manila The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Under the isolationist policies of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, Chinese and Dutch traders and settlers were confined to Nagasaki. Sakoku ( Japanese: 鎖国 literally "country in chains" or "lock up of country" was the Foreign relations policy of Japan under which The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Trade was subsequently resumed with China and Shinchimachi became a trading hub. Shinchimachi has long been the ethnic Chinese cultural and commercial center in Japan, although it size pales in comparison to its counterpart in Yokohama. is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū and is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area

Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

In the early 18th century, Chinese settlers established Chinatowns mainly in Southeast Asia, including the Cholon district of the former Saigon, Vietnam. Cholon is the name of the Chinese district of Ho Chi Minh City (the former Saigon the largest such Chinatown district in Vietnam. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Cholon was heavily fortified by Chinese to protect against frequent harassment by native Vietnamese Tay Son loyalists. The name of Tây Sơn ( 西[[wikt 山|山]] is used in many ways referring back to the period of Peasant rebellions and decentralized dynasties established between It remains largely a bustling Cantonese-speaking enclave, comprising Districts 5 and 6 of the city, now renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

Americas

An intersection in Chinatown, San Francisco.
An intersection in Chinatown, San Francisco.

Chinatown, San Francisco, California, United States As a port city, San Francisco's Chinatown formed in the 1850s and served as a gateway for incoming immigrants who arrived during the California gold rush and construction of the transcontinental railroads of the wild western United States. This article surveys individual Chinatowns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the San Francisco 's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America. Chinatown was later reconceptualized as a tourist attraction in the 1910s. Once a community of predominantly Taishanese Chinese-speaking inhabitants, it has remained the preeminent Chinese center in the United States. Incidentally, the fortune cookie was invented here.

Chinatown, New York, New York, United States New York's Chinatown is one of the largest in the world and continues to be a location of shopping and recreation for both Chinese immigrants and those interested in Chinese cuisine and culture alike. As a major port of immigration to the United States, New York's Chinatown also includes large residential areas as well as common residential services such as laundromats, grocery stores, and markets.

Chinatown, Boston, Massachusetts, United states Boston's Chinatown is smaller and focused on food, as almost every business in the roughly 4 blocks is in the food industry. While small supermarkets also exist, most Chinese immigrants in Boston go elsewhere to much larger and more complete markets that have set up elsewhere outside the cramped Chinatown. Boston's Chinatown also gained popularity for the several companies that served Boston Chinatown to New York Chinatown bus routes, of which today two continue to operate and use Boston's South Station instead, a short walk from Chinatown.

Chinatown, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Vancouver's Chinatown is the largest in Canada, and the second largest in North America, after San Francisco, CA. Chinatown in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is the Western Hemisphere's second largest Chinatown in area (after San Francisco and Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page [2] Dating back to the late 19th century, the main centre of the older Chinatown is Pender and Main Streets in downtown Vancouver, which is also, along with Victoria's (Chinatown, Victoria), one of the oldest surviving Chinatowns in North America, and has been the setting for a variety of modern Chinese Canadian culture and literature. Victoria (vɪkˈtɔɹiə is the capital city of British Columbia. Chinatown is a neighbourhood in Victoria British Columbia. It was the first Chinatown in Canada and second in the Americas (after San Vancouver's Chinatown contains numerous galleries, shops, restaurants, and markets, in addition to the Chinese Cultural Centre and the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden and park; the garden is the first and one of the largest Ming era-style Chinese gardens outside China. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

Chinatown, Toronto, Ontario, Canada In the Greater Toronto Area there are around 50 Chinese malls and plazas selling products shipped over the Pacific. Toronto 's Chinatown (多倫多華埠 is an Ethnic enclave in Downtown Toronto with a high concentration of ethnic Chinese residents and businesses extending Downtown there are bilingual English-Chinese signs on major streets. Old Chinatown was established in the early 20th Century and moved to the current location at Dundas and Spadina in the 1970s. Although this is the largest Chinatown, there is no single one Chinatown in Toronto as there are several similar regions in the Greater Toronto area.

The Chinatown Gate in Chinatown, Chicago
The Chinatown Gate in Chinatown, Chicago

Chinatown, Chicago, Illinois, United States What once used to be one street of Chinese restaurants and gift shops has grown to include housing developments, businesses and an outdoor mall. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The Chinatown Neighborhood in Chicago Illinois, is on the near South Side (located in the Armour Square community area centered on Cermak and Chinatown Square consists of restaurants, gift shops, doctor's clinics, groceries, banks, and other businesses such as insurance offices, hair saloons and eyeglass shops. Even though the area is constrained by the Red Line train at the east border, the Amtrak railway on the west side, 26th Street along the south end, and the empty railroad lot to the north, the area is growing outward toward McCormick (east), the Loop (north), Bridgeport (south/SW), and Pilsen (west/NW). Most of the Chinese population lives in Bridgeport where it was once dominated by Italians and Irish. Now the population is moving toward McKinley Park and Brighton Park. Chicago has another Chinatown uptown, predominately Chinese-Vietnamese. It is growing, and housing prices are almost double those of the original Chinatown.

Chinatown, Houston, Texas, United States There are two Chinatowns: the old Chinatown located downtown near the George R. Houston, Texas, United States has two Chinatowns Old Chinatown is located in Downtown Houston near the George R Brown Convention Center and the new one located west of Bellaire in the Alief neighborhood along Bellaire Boulevard between Gessner and Dairy Ashford. Houston Chinatown is a place of food, Chinese groceries, films, souvenirs, and the offices of the Chinese Merchants’ Association.

Europe

Main article: Chinatowns in Europe

Chinatown, London, United Kingdom

London's Chinatown was established in the Limehouse district in the late 19th century as Chinese seamen established themselves in the city. This article discusses Chinatowns in Europe. Several urban Chinatowns exist in major European capital cities The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff Its reputation has come to define Chinatowns as exotic and dangerous with various vices, such as opium dens and gambling dens (called fan tans). Chinatown served as the setting for classic British anti-Chinese literature such as villainous Dr. Fu Manchu as well as a setting for one Sherlock Holmes story. Dr Fu Manchu is a Fictional character first featured in a series of novels by English author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 Its end came as Limehouse was destroyed during The Blitz by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. The Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941 in World War II. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including With an influx of new immigrants from then British possession of Hong Kong, a new Chinatown (mainly commercial) became established in the Soho district of central London in the 1950s and 1960s. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho.

Chinatown, Liverpool, United Kingdom

Similar in many respects to London's original Chinatown in its origins and the inter-marriage between local women and Chinese men, Liverpool's Chinatown never had the glamour of that of London. The Chinatown in Liverpool in Merseyside, is at Nelson Street and the Duke Street area and is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe.

At the beginning of World War Two there were 20,000 Chinese seamen based in the city and London's Chinatown was reduced to insignificance. Chinese sailors settled down with local women and in the war years the city's Eurasian population grew rapidly. By the end of the conflict it numbered around 1,000. With the end of the War the men were forcibly repatriated leaving behind them their wives and their children. Few were ever to see their families again. see: [1]

With the Communist victory in China 1949, men were no longer recruited from the Mainland. Rather they came from Hong Kong and Singapore. Some did settle and marry local women but Liverpool's Chinese or rather Eurasian population had reached its peak and was in decline as they married into the local community.

In the late 1950s a new group of Chinese began to arrive in significant numbers from Hong Kong's New Territories. New Territories, abbreviated to NT or NT, is a region in Hong Kong excluding Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters Island For the first time Liverpool and London had Chinese Chinatowns. Their mixed race past became forgotten.

Chinatown, le quartier chinois, Paris, France

During World War I, 140,000 Chinese arrived in France as temporary labour, replacing French male workers who went to the war. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Most left after 1918, but a community of 2,000 stayed and created the first Chinatown (l'Ilot Chalon) near the Gare de Lyon. The Gare de Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. Nothing is left of it today.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Wenzhou Chinese settled in Paris and worked as leather workers near the Jewish neighborhood in the 3e arrondissement. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Wenzhou currently administers 3 district, 2 county-level cities and 6 counties. Taking over the wholesale trade lost by the Jews during the German occupation of France during World War II, this Chinese community still exists today, but remains extremely discreet. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The German occupation of France in World War II occurred during the period between May 1940 to December 1944 World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including No obvious signs of Chinese culture are to be seen in the rue du Temple, though most shops in this wholesale neighborhood are held by overseas Chinese.

Today's Chinatown was created in the 1970s in 13e arrondissement. Fleeing persecution and civil wars in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, those overseas Chinese, mostly Teochew and Cantonese, settled in this newly renovated area. Unlike the Wenzhou settlement in 3e arrondissement, signs of Chinese culture are more likely to be seen and a strong business community has developed. An estimated 68,000 residents of Chinese origin now live in this area of Paris.

With China opening up, more Chinese settlements are developing in Paris and its suburban areas. In Belleville (19e arrondissement), another wave of Wenzhou have settled and has taken over this originally North African settlement. Belleville is a Neighbourhood of Paris, France, located in the XXe arrondissement and XIXe arrondissement and parts of the Xe Large communities are to be found in small towns outside Paris like Lognes/Torcy, or Noisy Le Grand, where earlier migrants settled, but again without bringing out the usual signs of Chinatown. Lognes is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 20 Torcy is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 21 Noisy-le-Grand is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France.

Illegal immigration from China is booming; authorities also fear that France's "Authorized Destination Status" with easier visa procedures for China nationals will only increase uncontrolled migration. Illegal workshops have been existing for several years, without always being located within "official" chinatowns and still exist and flourish in different areas in the 11e arrondissement and outside of the city of Paris.

Features

The features described below are characteristic of most Chinatowns. In some cases, however, they may only apply to Chinatowns in Western countries, such as those in North America, Australia, and Western Europe.

(See also: Chinatown patterns in North America)

Entrance to the Chinatown, Sydney
Entrance to the Chinatown, Sydney

Arches, or Paifang

Many tourist-destination metropolitan Chinatowns can be distinguished by large red arch entrance structures known in Mandarin Chinese as Paifang (sometimes accompanied by mason lion statues called "fu lions" on the opposite sides of the street that greet visitors). This article discusses Chinatown patterns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the United States Sydney's Chinatown ( Chinese 雪梨華埠 or 悉尼唐人街 is an urban locality in the southern part of the Sydney central business district Paifang ( Cantonese Transliteration: paaifong) also called pailou (Cantonese transliteration paailau) is a traditional Chinese They usually have special inscriptions in Chinese. Historically, these gateways were donated to a particular city as a gift from the Republic of China government (such as Chinatown, San Francisco) and business organizations—an exception is long-neglected Chinatown in Havana, Cuba, which received materials for its paifang from the People's Republic of China as part of Chinatown's gradual renaissance. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Construction of these red arches was also financed by local financial contributions from the Chinatown community. Some span an entire intersection and some are smaller in height and width. Some paifang can be made of wood, masonry, or steel and may incorporate an elaborate or simple design. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar, and the term "masonry" can also refer to the units themselves Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0

Chinatown, Boston looking towards the paifang
Chinatown, Boston looking towards the paifang

However, some Chinatowns that still do not have the arch feature are considering installing one, such as the Chinatowns in the U. The only historically Chinese area in New England, Chinatown Boston is located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Paifang ( Cantonese Transliteration: paaifong) also called pailou (Cantonese transliteration paailau) is a traditional Chinese S. cities of Seattle (artistic renderings at http://www.chinatowngate.org) and Houston and the Canadian city of Toronto, as these arches are believed to increase tourist traffic. Additionally, work is being done by the Chinese community of London, United Kingdom, to promote a newer, more authentic Chinese arch on Wardour Street—as opposed to existing gwei lo versions present on Gerrard Street (pictured above)—in Chinatown, London. Gweilo (zh-hk [[wikt鬼佬 鬼佬]] Jyutping: gwai2 lou2 Cantonese kwɐ̌ɪ lə̌ʊ sometimes also spelt Gwailo) is a Cantonese The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. London's Chinatown now has an official website Chinatown London

Bilingual signs

The street signs in Oakland Chinatown are given in English and Chinese.
The street signs in Oakland Chinatown are given in English and Chinese. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U

Many major metropolitan areas with Chinatowns have bilingual street signs in Chinese and the language of the adopted country. Other public services are sometimes bilingual also (for example, banking machines; the Calgary Police Service began adding Chinese characters to patrol vehicles assigned to Chinatown in the 1980s to increase ties to the community). Organization Founded in 1885, the current head of the CPS is Chief Rick Hanson

Antiquated features

Many early Chinatowns were characterized by the large number of Chinese-owned chop suey restaurants (chop suey itself is American Chinese cuisine and is not considered authentic Chinese cuisine), laundry businesses, and opium dens, until around the mid-20th century when most of these businesses began to disappear; though some remain, they are generally seen as anachronisms. Chop suey ( Chinese 'mixed pieces' is an American-Chinese dish consisting of meats (often chicken beef shrimp or pork cooked quickly with vegetables such as American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by certain Chinese Restaurants in the United States. An opium den was an establishment where Opium was sold and smoked In early years of Chinatowns, the opium dens were patronized as a relaxation and to escape the harsh and brutal realities of a non-Chinese society, although in North American Chinatowns they were also frequented by non-Chinese. Additionally, due to the inability on the part of Chinese immigrant men to bring a wife and lack of available local Chinese women for men to marry, brothels became common in some Chinatowns in the 19th century. For the 2008 film of this name see The Brothel. For the television series of this name see Cathouse The Series. Chinese laundries, which required very little capital and English ability, were fairly prosperous. These businesses no longer exist in many Chinatowns and have been replaced by Chinese grocery stores, Chinese restaurants that serve more authentic Chinese cuisine, and other establishments. While opium dens no longer exist, illegal basement gambling parlors are still places of recreation in many Chinatowns, where men gather to play mahjong and other games. Mahjong (also called mah-jongg by the American association Traditional Chinese 麻將 Pinyin: májiàng is a Game for four players that originated in These shady gambling venues are featured, when portraying Chinatown, in the media such as an episode of The X-Files and the comedy film High School High. The X-Files is a Peabody, Golden Globe and Emmy Award -winning American Science fiction television series created by Chris Carter High School High is a 1996 Comedy film about an Inner city High school in the Los Angeles California area starring

Restaurants

Cooks at a New York Chinatown restaurant on a break
Cooks at a New York Chinatown restaurant on a break

Most Chinatowns are centered on food and hence Chinatowns worldwide are usually popular destinations for various ethnic Chinese and increasingly, other Asian cuisines such as Vietnamese, Thai, and Malaysian. ||-||-||-||}The Chinatown neighborhood of Manhattan &mdash (紐約華埠 a borough of New York City &mdash is an Ethnic enclave with a large For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Some Chinatowns such as Singapore have their localized style of Chinese cuisine. Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Restaurants serve many Chinatowns both as a major economic component and social gathering places. In the Chinatowns in the western countries, restaurant work may be the only type of employment available for poorer immigrants, especially those who cannot converse fluently in the language of the adopted country. Most Chinatowns generally have a range of authentic and touristy restaurants.

San Francisco's Chinatown retains many historic restaurants, including those established from the 1910s to the 1950s, although some that lasted for generations have shut in recent years and others have modernized their menus. Many Chinatown eateries from that era specialized in American Chinese cuisine (or, depending on where they were located, Canadian Chinese cuisine, Chinese Cuban cuisine, etc. American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by certain Chinese Restaurants in the United States. Canadian Chinese cuisine or Can/Chinese is a popular style of cooking exclusive to take-out and dine-in eateries found across Canada. ), especially chop suey and chow mein. Chop suey ( Chinese 'mixed pieces' is an American-Chinese dish consisting of meats (often chicken beef shrimp or pork cooked quickly with vegetables such as Chow mein (also known as chao mian in Chinese-speaking communities is a generic Chinese term for a dish of stir-fried Noodles of which there They often used gaudy neon lighting to attract non-Chinese customers, large red doors, Chinese paper lanterns, and zodiac placemats. The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle Each year of the 12 year cycle is named after one of the original 12 animals A placemat is a protective table pad usually made of Paper, Plastic or cloth for Restaurants and Households Asian-style placemats Often these restaurants had English-language signs written in a typeface intended to appear stereotypically "Chinese" by being composed of strokes similar to those in hanzi writing. A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese (

Generally, restaurants serving authentic Chinese food primarily to immigrant customers have never conformed to these Chinatown stereotypes. Because of ethnic Chinese immigration and the expanded palate of many contemporary cultures, the remaining American Chinese and Canadian Chinese cuisine restaurants are seen as anachronisms but remain popular and profitable. American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by certain Chinese Restaurants in the United States. Canadian Chinese cuisine or Can/Chinese is a popular style of cooking exclusive to take-out and dine-in eateries found across Canada. In many Chinatowns, there are now many large, authentic Cantonese seafood restaurants, restaurants specializing in other varieties of Chinese cuisine such as Hakka cuisine, Szechuan cuisine, Shanghai cuisine, etc. Hakka cuisine is the cooking style of the Hakka people who are primarily found in southeastern China ( Guangdong and Fujian) but also may be found in Szechuan cuisine, Szechwan cuisine, or Sichuan cuisine ( is a style of Chinese cuisine originating in Sichuan Province of southwestern Shanghai cuisine (上海菜 also known as Hu cai (滬菜 Pinyin: hù cài is a popular style of Chinese cuisine. , and small restaurants with delis.

Chop suey and chow mein eateries

Lit by neon signage, restaurants offering chop suey or chow mein mainly for the benefit for non-Chinese customers were fairly frequent in Chinatowns of old. Chop suey ( Chinese 'mixed pieces' is an American-Chinese dish consisting of meats (often chicken beef shrimp or pork cooked quickly with vegetables such as Chow mein (also known as chao mian in Chinese-speaking communities is a generic Chinese term for a dish of stir-fried Noodles of which there These dishes are offered in standard barbecue restaurants and takeouts (take-away restaurants).

Cantonese seafood restaurants

Cantonese seafood restaurants (海鮮酒家, pronounced in Cantonese as hoy seen jau ga) typically use a large dining room layout, have ornate designs, and specialize in seafood such as expensive Chinese-style lobsters, crabs, prawns, clams, and oysters, all kept live in tanks until preparation. Philadelphia's Chinatown is an average predominantly Asian neighborhood located within the Center City district Cantonese ( Yue) cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in Southern China, or specifically from Guangzhou (Canton Clawed lobsters compose a family ( Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine Crustaceans Lobsters are economically important as Crabs are decapod Crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (βραχύ / brachy Prawns are Crustaceans belonging to the sub-order Dendrobranchiata   Clam is a word which can be used for all some or only a few Species of Bivalve Mollusks the word is a Common name which has The common name oyster is used for a number of different groups of Bivalve Mollusks most of which live in marine habitats or Brackish water. They also offer the delicacy of shark fin soup. Shark fin soup (or shark's fin soup) is a Chinese cuisine Delicacy since Ming Dynasty, commonly served as part of a Chinese feast, Some seafood restaurants may also offer dim sum in the morning through the early afternoon hours as Chinese-speaking female waiters announce the names of dishes whilst pushing steamy carts (Britisher: trolleys) of food and other pastries across the restaurant. Dim sum is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. Despite the popularity of dim sum brunch among ethnic Chinese and often crowded and very chatty atmosphere of the dining rooms, they are generally considered loss leaders. A loss leader or leader (also called a key value item in the United Kingdom is a product sold at a low price (at cost or below cost to stimulate other profitable These restaurants are also used for weddings, banquets, and other special events.

These types of restaurants flourished and became in vogue in Hong Kong during the 1960s and subsequently began opening in various Chinatowns overseas. Owing to their higher menu prices and greater amount of investment capital required to open and manage one (due to higher levels of staffing needed), they tend to be more common in Chinatowns and satellite communities in developed countries and in fairly affluent Chinese immigrant communities, notably in Australia, Canada, and the United States, where they have received significant population of Hong Kong Chinese émigrés. Poorer immigrants usually cannot start these kinds of restaurants, although they too are employed in them. There are generally fewer of them in the older Chinatowns; for example, they are practically non-existent in Vancouver's Chinatown, but more are found in its suburbs such as Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal Richmond (ˈrɪtʃmənd}} is an incorporated city on the Pacific coast of the Canadian province of British Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Competition between these restaurants is often fierce; hence owners of seafood restaurants hire and even "steal" well-rounded chefs, many of whom are from Hong Kong. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders

BBQ delicatessens/restaurants

A display of Cantonese roast duck for sale in a delicatessen in  Chinatown, Los Angeles
A display of Cantonese roast duck for sale in a delicatessen in Chinatown, Los Angeles

Also, Chinese barbecue deli restaurants , called siu laap (燒臘) and sometimes called a "noodle house" (麵家, mein ga) in Cantonese, are generally low-key and serve less expensive fare such as wonton noodles (or wonton mein), chow fun (炒粉, stir-fry rice noodles), yang chow fried rice (揚州炒飯), and rice porridge or congee, known as juk in Cantonese Chinese. Chinatown in Los Angeles, California ( is a Chinatown in Downtown Los Angeles that was founded in the late 1800s Shahe fen or he fen is a type of wide Chinese noodle made from Rice. They also tend to have displays of whole pre-cooked roasted ducks and suckling pigs hanging on their windows, a common feature in most Chinatowns worldwide and in which Chinatowns are widely known for. These delis also serve barbecue pork (叉燒, cha siu), chicken feet and other Chinese-style items less welcome to the typical Western palate. Char siu (also spelled chashao, cha siu and char siew) otherwise known as barbecued pork in China or Chinese barbecued/roast pork Food is usually intended for takeaway (American: take-out). Some of these Chinatown restaurants sometimes have the reputation of being "greasy spoons" and reputation for poor service. Nonetheless, with their low prices, they are still patronized by both Chinese and any other customers on a budget.

To adapt to local tastes, the best Chinese Mexican-style Cantonese cuisine is said to be found in Mexicali's Chinatown (or La Chinesca in its local Spanish) or the Chinese Peruvian cuisine in the Barrio Chino of Lima.

Vietnamese immigrants, both ethnic Chinese and non-Chinese, have opened restaurants in many Chinatowns, serving Vietnamese pho beef noodle soups and Franco-Vietnamese sandwiches. Phở (fɤ̂ in Vietnamese; in English written pho and typically) is a traditional Vietnamese Beef noodle soup is a Chinese Noodle soup dish composed of stewed Beef, beef Broth, Vegetables and Chinese noodles It exists Some immigrants have also started restaurants serving Teochew Chinese cuisine. Some Chinatowns old and new may also contain several pan-Asian restaurants offering a variety of Asian noodles under one roof.

Chifas

A special feature of Chinatown in Lima, Peru (Barrio Chino de Lima) is the chifa, a Peruvian-Chinese type of restaurant which mixes Cantonese Chinese cuisine with local Peruvian flavors. Chifa is the Peruvian Spanish deriative of the Cantonese phrase jee fon (饎飯), which renders as "cook rice" or as "cook meal'". This type of restaurant is popular with native Peruvians.

Street vendors

Besides restaurants, the Chinatowns of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Singapore are noted for their street vendors selling local-style Chinese food from carts and stalls. They are also known as hawker stands and many have developed into hawker centers.

Shops

Most Chinatown businesses are engaged in the import-export and wholesale businesses; hence a large number of trading companies are found in Chinatowns.

Ginseng, herbs and animal parts

Small ginseng and herb shops are common in most Chinatowns, selling products used in traditional Chinese medicine. Ginseng refers to species within Panax, a genus of 11 species of slow-growing Perennial plants with fleshy roots in the family Araliaceae. Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. The Canadian government has stepped up policing of Chinese traditional medicinal stores and on a few occasions several Chinese stores in Vancouver and Toronto have been raided for products taken from the harvesting of rare and endangered species, such as tiger bone, bear paw and bear gall bladder. Chinatown in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is the Western Hemisphere's second largest Chinatown in area (after San Francisco and Toronto 's Chinatown (多倫多華埠 is an Ethnic enclave in Downtown Toronto with a high concentration of ethnic Chinese residents and businesses extending This has been alleged by some Chinese to be racial persecution, despite environmental and moral concerns. Other products sold in this trade include sea cucumbers, sea horses, lizards, deer musk glands, , shark fins, swallows' nests, antlers, bear bile pills, crocodile bile pills, deer musk pills, rhino skin pills, and pangolin pills, as well as a wide range of mushrooms, herbs, bark, seaweed, roots and more.

Markets

Stone lions at the gate to the Victoria, BC Chinatown
Stone lions at the gate to the Victoria, BC Chinatown

As with the restaurant trade, grocery stores and seafood markets serve a key function in Chinatown economies, and these stores sell Chinese ingredients to such restaurants. Victoria (vɪkˈtɔɹiə is the capital city of British Columbia. Such markets are wholesalers. Wholesaling is the sale of Goods or Merchandise to Retailers to industrial commercial institutional or other professional Business users Chinatown grocers and markets are often characterized by sidewalk vegetable and fruit stalls – a quintessential image of Chinatowns – and also sell a variety of grocery items imported from East Asia (chiefly Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea) and Southeast Asia (principally Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia). Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. For example, most Chinatown markets stock items such as sacks of Thai jasmine rice, Chinese chrysanthemum and oolong teas, bottles of oyster sauce, rice vermicelli, Hong Kong soybean beverages, Malaysian snack items, Taiwanese rice crackers, and Japanese seaweed and Chinese specialties such as black duck eggs (often used in rice porridge), bok choy and water chestnuts. Jasmine rice ( ข้าวหอมมะลิ; kao hom mali) sometimes known as Thai fragrant rice, is a long-grain variety of Rice that has Chrysanthemums, often called 'mums' are a genus ( Chrysanthemum) of about 30 species of perennial Flowering plants in the family Asteraceae Oolong ( → wūlóng) is a traditional Chinese Tea somewhere between green and black in oxidation Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market Oyster sauce is a Viscous dark brown Sauce commonly Vermicelli (ˌvɜrmɪˈtʃɛli in English, Arabic: شعريه from Italian /veɾmiˈtʃɛlːi/ lit Alternative spellings sembee sembei senbee Disambiguation Senbei (Dr Seaweed is a loose colloquial term encompassing macroscopic Multicellular, benthic marine Algae. An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals consisting of an Ovum surrounded by layers of Membranes and an outer casing which acts to nourish Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa subspecies see below) also known as snow cabbage is a Chinese Leaf vegetable commonly used in These markets may also sell fish (especially tilapia) and other seafood items, which are kept alive in aquariums, for Chinese and other Asian cuisine dishes. Tilapia (təˌlɑpiə is the common name for nearly a hundred Species of Cichlid Fishes from the Tilapiine cichlid tribe Until recently, these items generally could not be found outside of the Chinatown enclaves, although since the 1970s Asian supermarkets have proliferated in the suburbs of North America and Australia, competing strongly with the old Chinatown markets. An Asian supermarket, sometimes called an " Oriental Supermarket ", is a grocery store in non- Asian countries that stock items imported

Religious and funerary supplies

In keeping with Buddhist and Taoist funeral traditions, Chinese specialty shops also sell incense and funeral items which provide material comfort in the afterlife of the deceased. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Shops sell specially-crafted replicas of small paper houses, paper radios, paper televisions, paper telephones, paper jewelry, and other material items. They also sell "hell money" currency notes. Hell bank notes are a special and more modern form of Joss paper, an Afterlife monetary paper offering used in traditional These items are intended to be burned in a furnace.

These businesses also sell red, wooden Buddhist altars and small statues for worship. An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place A statue is a Sculpture in the round representing a person or persons an animal or an event normally full-length as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size Per Chinese custom, an offering of oranges are usually placed in front of the statue in the altar. Some altars are stacked atop each other. These altars may be found in many Chinatown businesses.

Video CD stores

Chinatowns may contain small businesses that sell imported VCDs and DVDs of Chinese-language films and karaoke. International trade is exchange of Capital, Goods, and Services across International borders or Territories. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is (kɑːrɑːˌoʊkɛ in Japanese karaoke) is a form of Entertainment in which Amateur Singers sing along with recorded Music (and/or a The VCDs are mainly titles of Hong Kong and PRC films, while there are also VCDs of Japanese anime and occasionally pornography. (anime in Japanese, Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of Sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer Often, imported bootleg DVDs and VCDs are sold owing to lax enforcement of copyright laws. A counterfeit is an imitation that is made usually with the intent to deceptively represent its content or origins Copyright is a legal concept enacted by Governments, giving the creator of an original work of authorship Exclusive rights to control its distribution usually for

Street merchants

Street merchants selling low-priced vegetables, fruits, clothes, newspapers, and knickknacks are common in most Chinatowns. Most of the peddlers tend to be elderly (Cantonese: lo wah cue).

Benevolent and business associations

Benevolent associations have been associated with the Kuomintang. The flag of the Republic of China is still flown by most benevolent associations in San Francisco Chinatown, including these on Waverly Street.
Benevolent associations have been associated with the Kuomintang. The flag of the Republic of China is still flown by most benevolent associations in San Francisco Chinatown, including these on Waverly Street. The National Flag of the Republic of China ( is a well-known symbol of the Republic of China (ROC

A major component of many Chinatowns is the family benevolent association, which provides some degree of aid to immigrants. These associations generally provide social support, religious services, death benefits (members' names in Chinese are generally enshrined on tablets and posted on walls), meals, and recreational activities for ethnic Chinese, especially for older Chinese migrants. Membership in these associations can be based on members sharing a common Chinese surname or belonging to a common clan, spoken Chinese dialect, specific village, region or country of origin, and so on. Chinese family name is one of the hundreds or thousands of Family names that have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic Spoken Chinese ( comprises many regional variants the largest of which are Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, and Min. Many have their own facilities.

Some examples include San Francisco's prominent Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (中華總會館), aka Chinese Six Companies, and Los Angeles' Southern California Teochew Association. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association is among the largest umbrella groups of benevolent associations in the North America, which branches in several Chinatowns. Politically, the CCBA has traditionally been aligned with the Kuomintang and the Republic of China. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES

The London Chinatown Chinese Association is active in Chinatown, London. Paris has an institution in the Association des Résidents en France d'origine indochinoise and it servicing overseas Chinese immigrants in Paris who were born in the former French Indochina. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city First French interventions See also France-Vietnam relations France-Vietnam relations started as early as the 17th century with the mission of the Jesuit

Traditionally, Chinatown-based associations have also been aligned on ethnic Chinese business interests, such as restaurant, grocery, and laundry (antiquated) associations in Chinatowns in North America. In Chicago's Chinatown, the On Leong Merchants Association was active.

Annual events in Chinatown

Most Chinatowns present Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year) festivities with dragon and lion dances accompanied by the rhythm of clashing of cymbals, clanging on a gong, clapping of hardwood clappers, by pounding of drums, and by loud Chinese firecrackers, set off especially in front of ethnic Chinese storefronts, where the "lion" character attempts to reach for a lettuce or catch an orange. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. The Chinese Dragon or Oriental dragon is a mythical creature in East Asian culture with a Chinese origin Lion dance ( is a form of traditional Dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume Cymbals are a modern percussion instrument Cymbals consist of thin normally round plates of various Cymbal alloys; see Cymbal making for a discussion of their This article is about the Internet Protocol Television channel The drum is a member of the percussion group technically classified as a Membranophone. A firecracker (also known as a cracker, noise maker, banger or bunger) is a small Explosive device primarily designed to produce Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa) is a Temperate annual or Biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. An orange —specifically the sweet orange —is the Citrus fruit Citrus sinensis ( syn The lion typically contains two performers and performances may involves several stunts. In return, storekeepers usually donate some money to the performers, some of whom belong to local martial arts affiliations. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat.

In addition, some streets of Chinatowns are closed off for parades, Chinese acrobatics and martial arts demonstrations, street festivals, and carnival rides—this is dependent on the promoters or organizers of the events. A parade (also called march or marchpast) is a procession of people usually organized along a street often in Costume, and often accompanied by Fire Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking is one of the Performing arts, and is also practiced as a Sport. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. A festival is an event usually and ordinarily staged by a local community which centers on some unique aspect of that community Other festivals may also be held in a parking lot/car park, local park, or school grounds within Chinatown. Parking lot (called a car park in Australia and the UK) is a cleared area that is more or less level and is intended for Parking vehicles Parking lot (called a car park in Australia and the UK) is a cleared area that is more or less level and is intended for Parking vehicles A park is a protected area of Land and Water, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped state and set aside for some purpose often to do with human A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils"

Some Chinatowns hold an annual "Miss Chinatown" beauty pageant, such as "Miss Chinatown San Francisco," "Miss Chinatown Hawaii," "Miss Chinatown Houston" or "Miss Chinatown Atlanta. A beauty contest or beauty pageant is a competition based mainly though not always entirely on the physical beauty of its contestants and often incorporating Personality "

Dragon and lion dances

Like Chinese worldwide, the people in Calgary, Alberta's Chinatown perform dragon dances for good luck.
Like Chinese worldwide, the people in Calgary, Alberta's Chinatown perform dragon dances for good luck. Calgary (ˈkælgəriː is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 Dragon dance ( is a form of traditional Dance and performance in Chinese culture.

Dragon and lion dances are performed in Chinatown every Chinese New Year, particularly to scare off evil spirits and bring good fortune to the community. Dragon dance ( is a form of traditional Dance and performance in Chinese culture. Lion dance ( is a form of traditional Dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume They are also performed to celebrate a grand opening of a new Chinatown business, such as a restaurant or bank.

Ironically, many lion and dragon dances are considered more preserved in true form in Chinatowns than in China itself. This discrepancy is attributed to the fact that traditional Chinese customs, including lion and dragon dances, were unable to flourish during the political and social instabilities of Imperial China under rule of the Qing Dynasty and were almost eliminated completely under the communist order of the People's Republic of China under Chairman Mao Zedong. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led However, due to the migration of Chinese all over the world (particularly Southeast Asia), the dances were continually practiced by overseas Chinese and performed in Chinatowns.

Ceremonial wreaths and leafy green plants with red-coloured ribbons strewn across are also usually placed in front of new Chinatown businesses by well-wishers (particularly family members, wholesalers, community organizations, and so on), to assure future success. A wreath is a ring made of Flowers leaves and sometimes Fruits that can be used as an ornament hanging on a wall or door or resting

Developments of newer Chinese retail from 1970s to present day

The Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park, California has been described as a “suburban Chinatown”.
The Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park, California has been described as a “suburban Chinatown”. Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County California, United States.

Newer arrivals of Chinese immigrants—from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia—generally ignored the older Chinatowns that were established by the earlier immigrants. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Political instabilities and upheavals in East Asia during the 1970s and 1980s, caused an influx of new immigration. Additionally, investors and developers were taking advantage of major real estate opportunities. For example, developers have built up strip malls. Satellite Chinese communities outside old Chinatowns are especially common in Pacific Rim anglosphere countries of Australia, Canada, and United States. The word Anglosphere describes a concept of a group of Anglophone ( English -speaking nations which share historical political and cultural characteristics rooted

Later waves of immigrants from Hong Kong and Taiwan have arrived with comparative affluence and may have no need for the benevolent associations described above. These communities contain restaurants and stores but in sprawled out fashion (some in suburban form), rather than in cramped conditions. They are not called "Chinatowns" per se, but serve as quasi-Chinatowns. In place of the term "Chinatown", some of these business districts have earned nicknames which correspond to the cities of the immigrants' origins, such as "Little Taipei" (Monterey Park, California, United States), "Little Shanghai" (Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia), and "Little Hong Kong" (Richmond, British Columbia, Canada). Little Taipei (小台北 is the informal name given to the city of Monterey Park California since from the late 1970s as it once had its large immigrant population from Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County California, United States. Ashfield is a Suburb in the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. For the harbour serving the Scottish city of Aberdeen see Transport in Aberdeen. Richmond (ˈrɪtʃmənd}} is an incorporated city on the Pacific coast of the Canadian province of British

Liverpool Road in Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia.
Liverpool Road in Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is a local government district in western Nottinghamshire, England. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

These new forms of Chinese retail are typically to be located in the cities of Australia, Canada, and the United States and serve as newer centers of Chinese activity. As a result, some cities that received significant amounts of recent Chinese—namely San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, and Sydney—have one main Chinatown (often of historic value) and an alternative center of retail and cultural activities in outlying communities.

The article Chinatown patterns in North America describes these developments. This article discusses Chinatown patterns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the United States Effects on the old Chinatowns are mentioned in Social problems in Chinatown. Like many other communities the older Chinatowns have their share of social problems.

Factors influencing developments of newer quasi-Chinatowns

Country Reason
People's Republic of China ("Mainlander") Market reforms in Communist China allowing for migration, growing social stratification forcing poor to seek to their fortunes elsewhere (some as illegal immigrants), and elites such as relatives of leaders like Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin settling in the West in order to obtain Western nationalities before returning to the mainland. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Mainlanders (also called Inlanders) are people who live in a region considered a "mainland" Hu Jintao ( born 21 December 1942 is currently the Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China, holding the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of
Taiwan ("Taiwanese") Pro-Kuomintang Chinese perceive they did not belong in the island of Taiwan as the Taiwanese localization movement gathered full steam after Chiang Ching-kuo's death, but could not expect return to the still-Communist mainland China either, so went to the West. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Taiwanese people ( may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed Cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or the lands and territories which have Chiang Ching-kuo ( POJ: ChiúⁿKeng-kok ( April 27 1, 1910 – January 13, 1988) Kuomintang (KMT Politician
Hong Kong ("Hongkonger") Fear by businessmen and opponents of Chinese Communists of implications of 1997 handover of Hong Kong from Britain to Communist China
Vietnam (Hoa) Persecution of Vietnamese-born ethnic Chinese by the Communist Vietnamese government; left Vietnam as impoverished boat people

Examples of new Chinatowns

The Chinatown Mall in Brisbane, Australia
The Chinatown Mall in Brisbane, Australia

The articles Chinatowns in North America and Chinatowns in Australasia provide more detail while the List of Chinatowns has general locations. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Hongkongers usually refers to residents of Hong Kong, and not Ethnicity or Nationality, i The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, often referred to as the Handover Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Hoa refers to a minority in Vietnam consisting of persons considered Boat people is a term that usually refers to Illegal immigrants or Asylum seekers who emigrate en masse in boats that are sometimes old and crudely made rendering Brisbane Chinatown is a mall located in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland This article surveys individual Chinatowns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the This article discusses Chinatowns in Oceania. Australia Given its proximity to the Asian continent Australia has had and continues to witness a This is a list of Chinatowns (urban regions containing a large population of Chinese people within a non-Chinese society in select countries

Flushing, Queens, New York (New York City)

In the 1970s and 1980s, Flushing was settled by an influx of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan—who have largely avoided Chinatown, Manhattan for the most part. Flushing, founded in 1645 is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, ten miles (16 km east of Manhattan The Chinese business district is located on Roosevelt Avenue. Today, the community is not exclusively Taiwanese/Chinese but also contains an adjacent Korean area.

Cabramatta, New South Wales, Australia (Sydney)

A new Chinese retail district was formed by ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam in the heavily working-class Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, but it also services the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian communities in general. Cabramatta is a Suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. This community contains a Chinese paifang that was built in 1989.

Richmond, British Columbia, Canada (Vancouver)

Hong Kong Chinese immigrants settled in the Vancouver area in the 1980s and 1990s. The shopping malls are located upon No. 3 Road (in an area called the Golden Village) in the fairly affluent suburb of Richmond, which have replaced the cultural influence of the poorer Chinatown in downtown Vancouver. Golden Village is a commercial district of Richmond British Columbia, Canada best known for its high concentration of Asian themed shopping malls

Markham, Ontario, Canada (Greater Toronto Area)

Many Chinese strip plazas are foundalong Highway 7 and Steeles (particularly around Steeles and Kennedy). The construction of Pacific Mall (North America's biggest Chinese-theme mall) in 1997 has attracted visitors from Toronto and abroad.

Cyrildene, South Africa (in Johannesburg) As an example of a growing satellite Chinatown outside the Pacific rim, immigrants from Fujian, China have set up shops in the newer Chinese enclave in Cyrildene (Derrick Ave), an eastern suburb of Johannesburg. Johannesburg ( Pronounced /jō-hān'ĭs-bûrg'/ is the largest city in South Africa. It compares favouraby to the much faded Cantonese Chinatown in the CBD.

Names for Chinatowns

In Chinese, Chinatown is usually called, in Mandarin, Tángrénjiē (唐人街 Tong yan gai in Cantonese, Hong ngin gai in Toisan, and Tong ngin gai in Hakka), literally meaning "Tang people's street(s)". Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan The Tang Dynasty was a zenith of the Chinese civilization, after which some Chinese--especially in the South--call themselves. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Alternative meaning In Geology, North China (continent and South China (continent were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern Some Chinatowns are indeed just one single street, such as the relatively short Fisgard Street in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada or the sprawling 4-mile (6. Chinatown is a neighbourhood in Victoria British Columbia. It was the first Chinatown in Canada and second in the Americas (after San Victoria (vɪkˈtɔɹiə is the capital city of British Columbia. 4-km) new Chinatown in Houston, Texas. Houston, Texas, United States has two Chinatowns Old Chinatown is located in Downtown Houston near the George R However, most Chinatown are in fact multiple intersecting streets.

Chinatown entry arch in Newcastle, UK
Chinatown entry arch in Newcastle, UK

A more modern Chinese name is Huábù (華埠 Chinese City), used in the semi-official Chinese translations of some cities' documents and signs. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located , pronounced sometimes as , usually means seaport; but in this sense, it means city or town. Likewise, Tong yan fau (唐人埠 "Tang people's town") is also used in Cantonese nowadays. The literal word-for-word translation of Chinatown--Zhōngguó Chéng (中國城)--is rarely used in Chinese.

In Francophone regions (such as France and Quebec), Chinatown is often referred to as le quartier chinois (the Chinese Quarter; plural: les quartiers chinois) and the Spanish-language term is usually el barrio chino (the Chinese neighborhood; plural: los barrios chinos), used in Spain and Latin America. The adjective francophone (alternately Francophone) means French -speaking typically as primary language whether referring to individuals groups or places This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. (However, barrio chino or its Catalan cognate barri xines do not always refer to a Chinese neighborhood: these are also common terms for a disreputable district with drugs and prostitution, and often no connection to the Chinese. Catalan ˈkætəˌlæn ( català kətəˈla or) is a Romance language, the national and official language of Andorra, and a co-official ). The Vietnamese term for Chinatown is Khu người Hoa, due to the prevalence of the Vietnamese language in Chinatowns of Paris, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Montréal as ethic Chinese from Vietnam have set up shop in them. Other countries also have idiosyncratic names for Chinatown in local languages and in Chinese; however, some local terms may not necessarily translate as Chinatown. For example, Singapore's tourist-centric Chinatown is called in local Singaporean Mandarin Niúchēshǔi (牛车水), which literally means "Ox-cart water" from the Malay 'Kreta Ayer' in reference to the water carts that used to ply the area. Singaporean Mandarin (Simplified Chinese 新加坡华语 is the Dialect of Mandarin Chinese spoken in Singapore Some languages have adopted the English-language term, such as Dutch, German, and Bahasa Malaysia. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the In Malaysia, the term Chinatown is named under administrative reason. Instead, the name Chee Chong Kai (茨厂街)is preferred and agreed upon by the locals. Chee in Hakka means tapioca, chong means factory and kai means street. This is originated from a factory that was set up by Yap Ah Loy, a rich Kapitan (a Chinese immigrant that has administrative and political power under the British rule) that made tapioca. Kapitan refers to an assortment of different political and military positions held historically in several different areas Chee Chong Kai is also called jalan Petaling or "Petaling Street".

Several alternate English names for Chinatown include China Town (generally used in British and Australian English), The Chinese District, Chinese Quarter and China Alley (an antiquated term used primarily in several rural towns in the western United States for a Chinese community; some of these are now historical sites). British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Australian English ( AuE, AusE, en-AU) is the form of the English language used in Australia. Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost In the case of Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada, China Alley was a parallel commercial street adjacent to the town's Main Street, enjoying a view over the river valley adjacent and also over the main residential part of Chinatown, which was largely of adobe construction. All traces of Chinatown and China Alley there have disappeared, despite a once large and prosperous community.

Chinatowns worldwide

Chinatown
Chinatowns in Africa
Chinatowns in Asia
Chinatowns in Europe
Chinatowns in Latin America
Chinatowns in the Middle East
Chinatowns in North America
Chinatown patterns in North America
Chinatowns in Oceania
See also: List of Chinatowns

Chinatowns are most common in North America, Asia, Australia and Europe, but are common across the world. This article discusses Chinatowns in Africa. There are least three major Chinatowns in Africa. Chinatowns in Asia are widespread with a large concentration of Overseas Chinese in East Asia and Southeast Asia and ethnic Chinese whose This article discusses Chinatowns in Europe. Several urban Chinatowns exist in major European capital cities Chinatowns in Latin America ( Spanish: barrios chinos, singular barrio chino) developed with the rise of Chinese immigration in the 19th century Israel The area near the Central Bus Station in South Tel Aviv has become a vital and densely populated Chinatown in recent years populated mostly by single male immigrants This article surveys individual Chinatowns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the This article discusses Chinatown patterns in North America. For the purposes of this article North America is defined as Canada and the United States This article discusses Chinatowns in Oceania. Australia Given its proximity to the Asian continent Australia has had and continues to witness a This is a list of Chinatowns (urban regions containing a large population of Chinese people within a non-Chinese society in select countries For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

United Kingdom

Main articles: Chinatown, London, Chinatown, Manchester, Chinatown, Liverpool and Chinatown, Birmingham

Chinatowns in the UK are not heavily residential, the Chinese in the UK are relatively dispersed, and do not form ethnic enclaves as in many other countries, although the highest number are to be found in large cities and in the South-East. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. Manchester 's Chinatown is the second largest Chinatown in the United Kingdom and the fourth largest in Europe The Chinatown in Liverpool in Merseyside, is at Nelson Street and the Duke Street area and is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. The Chinese Quarter is an area with a predominantly Chinese influence as a result of a concentration of Chinese owned businesses organisations and social clubs The United Kingdom has several Chinatowns, including the largest one in central London, located in the Soho area, established in the 1950s and 1960s. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. Other UK Chinatowns are found in the English cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, the Scottish cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Welsh capital Cardiff and a growing population of Chinese immigrants are present in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of

England
London

London's Chinatown is mainly commercial with many Chinese restaurants and businesses. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. A new Chinese gate over Wardour Street marking the entrance to Leicester Square is planned as well. Wardour Street in a street located in London 's Soho, running one-way south to north from Leicester Square, passing through Chinatown, across London's Chinatown is undergoing the politics of gentrification, with a £50 million planned regeneration.

There are plans to revive London's original Chinese district in Limehouse as part of the wider regeneration of East London. Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff East London is the name commonly given to the north eastern part of London, England on the north side of the River Thames. This area was bombed out, as with much of London, during the Blitz in the Second World War causing a relocation of the few ethnic Chinese who had lived there to other areas.

Other major Chinese-run businesses can be found in other parts of London, e. g. in suburban Croydon. Croydon is a large town and major commercial centre in South London, and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. At present, they consist mainly of a shopping centre with a major Chinese British supermarket chain as the anchor. One such centre in Croydon is called China Town Mall and has been built complete with Chinese-style architecture and gateway. Oriental City in Colindale, boasts a well stocked supermarket, a large food court of E/SE Asian cuisines, several other restaurants, a games arcade, herbal shops, masseurs, and a cultural performance space. Queensway, though a cosmopolitan blend of many cultures, also has a sizable Chinese presence and a substantial cluster of Chinese restaurants and other businesses.

Chinatown, Manchester, England
Chinatown, Manchester, England
Manchester

Manchester's Chinatown on Faulkner Street is the second largest in Britain after London's Soho Chinatown. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Chinese British population, many of whom are immigrants from former British-ruled Hong Kong, has especially settled in the Greater Manchester area. Greater Manchester is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2 However, Hong Kong immigration to the United Kingdom has leveled off over the years and there has been a rise in Mainland Chinese immigration to the country.

Birmingham

The Chinese Quarter is an area of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The Chinese Quarter is an area with a predominantly Chinese influence as a result of a concentration of Chinese owned businesses organisations and social clubs

First emerging as an informal cluster of Chinese community organizations, social clubs, and businesses in the 1960s centred around Hurst Street, as a result of post-World War II migration from Hong Kong, the Chinese Quarter was officially recognized in the 1980s. Hurst Street is a street located in the Chinese Quarter of Birmingham, England. It is well-known for its Chinese restaurants, such as the China Court Restaurant; for the parade which is held there each year to celebrate the Chinese New Year; for the Birmingham Hippodrome; and for being the location of the headquarters of Wing Yip. Wing Yip ( Traditional Chinese: 榮業行 Simplified Chinese: 荣业行 Pinyin: Róngyè Háng is a Chinese supermarket chain in the

To the rear of the area is the Irish Quarter which is located directly next to a large supermarket selling typical Chinese produce. The Irish Quarter is an area which covers much of Digbeth and Deritend south of Birmingham city centre England.

Newcastle

The Chinatown in Newcastle was primarily based on Stowell Street, but has expanded in recent years with many Chinese businesses in the surrounding area. The Chinatown encorporates the area from Stowell Street to Westgate Road. According to the BBC, Newcastle's Chinatown is also undergoing regeneration. A gateway costing £160,000 (€240,000) has recently been constructed by Mainland Chinese engineers as part of the plans.

Liverpool
Gateway to the Chinatown,Liverpool, England
Gateway to the Chinatown,Liverpool, England

The Chinatown in Liverpool in the Merseyside area is on Duke Street and is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The arch located at the gateway is also the largest of its kind outside of China. It has been under regeneration.

Sheffield

Sheffield has no official Chinatown although London Road, Highfield is the centre of the Sheffield Chinese community. London Road is a Shopping street in Sheffield, England. It leads south from the city centre near Moorfoot, parallel to Bramall Lane Central ward &mdashwhich includes the districts of Broomhall, Highfield, Sharrow, and the city centre&mdashis one of the 28 electoral wards There are many Chinese restaurants, supermarkets and community stores and home of the Sheffield Chinese Community Centre. The Sheffield Chinese community is pressing for the street to be formally labelled Sheffield's Chinatown.

Northern Ireland

Belfast

Belfast in Northern Ireland has a large Chinese immigrant population. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Although there is no formal Chinatown, the area on the street of Donegall Pass and Dublin Road exhibits the properties of many Chinatowns.

Scotland

Glasgow contains a Chinatown. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom

In 2003, the city council of Aberdeen approved plans for a new Chinatown in the northern part of the city. Aberdeen ( pronounced; Aiberdeen Obar Dheathain is Scotland 's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council

Artificial Chinatowns

The latest trend of Chinatowns has been to build-up artificial Chinatowns, constructed as Chinese-themed shopping malls in lieu of actual traditional communities. Examples are in Las Vegas (United States—see Chinatown, Las Vegas), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Glasgow (United Kingdom), Incheon (South Korea), Dobroieşti (Romania), St. Petersburg (Russia) and Darwin (Australia) and in some Canadian cities, most notably the Golden Village in Richmond, British Columbia. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally The Chinatown of Las Vegas, Nevada ( Chinese: 拉斯維加斯中國城 ( Pinyin: Lāsīwéijiāsī Zhōngguóchéng is a series of large Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Incheon is a metropolitan city and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul. Dobroieşti is a commune in the east of Ilfov County, Romania, right off the limits of Bucharest 's Sector 2. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Golden Village is a commercial district of Richmond British Columbia, Canada best known for its high concentration of Asian themed shopping malls Richmond (ˈrɪtʃmənd}} is an incorporated city on the Pacific coast of the Canadian province of British

There is one such mall going up in 2006 in Manila in the Philippines, in which the project is called "Neo Chinatown" and is to be developed in conjunction with Filipino Chinese and Mainland Chinese businessmen. The City of Manila [2]

Chinatown in film, television, and the arts

Film

Television

Other

See also

References

  1. ^ Kuo Wei Tchen, John (1984). An Asian supermarket, sometimes called an " Oriental Supermarket ", is a grocery store in non- Asian countries that stock items imported This article refers to intercity bus travel For Chinese-owned public transit within a single city see Dollar Van. For historical Japanese communities in early modern Southeast and East Asia see Nihonmachi. Koreatown ( Korean: 코리아타운 is a term to describe the Korean ethnic enclave within a City or Metropolitan area. This article deals exclusively with the Vietnamese communities within the United States of America; for other communities outside Vietnam refer to the Overseas Vietnamese Thai Town is a neighborhood of Los Angeles centered along Hollywood Boulevard between Normandie Avenue and Western Avenue in Hollywood Cities with large Chinese American populations with a critical mass of at least 1% of the total urban population and at least 10% of the total suburban population This is a list of Cities with large Chinese Canadian populations based on 2001 Census This is a list of ethnic enclaves in North American cities. An ethnic enclave in this context denotes an area primarily populated by a population with similar ethnic or racial Sunset Park is a Neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. John J (Jack Manion, (1877&ndashMarch 1959 San Francisco Police Sergeant was assigned by Chief Dan O'Brien in 1921 to head up the notorious 16 member Chinatown This is a list of Chinatowns (urban regions containing a large population of Chinese people within a non-Chinese society in select countries Europe Street ( is an ethnic enclave in China where European culture is on display Genthe's Photographs of San Francisco's Old Chinatown. ISBN 0-486-24592-6.  
  2. ^ Chinatown Vancouver Online

Further reading

External links

Australian Chinatowns

African Chinatowns

Asian Chinatowns

Latin American Chinatowns

Middle East Chinatowns

North American Chinatowns

European Chinatowns

Adobe Flash (previously called Shockwave Flash and Macromedia Flash) is a set of Multimedia software created by Macromedia and currently Van Wesenbekestraat is the Street in Antwerp ( Belgium) where the little Chinatown of the city is settled

Dictionary

Chinatown

-proper noun

  1. A district of a city or town (in a country other than China) in which there is a large concentration of Chinese residents and businesses.
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