The Chinese Community

Across the nation, the Chinese population had grown from a staggering few hundred to booming tens of thousands. During the beginning of Chinese immigration, most Chinese immigrants had remained on the West Coast area, predominantly Oregon and California. The population outside of California, however, remained small until the late 1800’s when the Chinese had ventured into the mind-west, south, and eastern coast. On the other had, the Chinese population will always remain largely in the west coast.

In order to make themselves feel like they are at home, the Chinese created unique communities that bustled with life and activity. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the decreased amount of mining, many Chinese had traveled to live in San Francisco and other major cities which offered job and living opportunities. Known as “Chinatown,” these sections of mostly large cities were seen as “miniature replicas[s] [of] traditional Chinese society,” (Tsai, 34). Although sometimes small and cramped, Chinatown was an ideal place for the Chinese to start their businesses, keep in touch with other Chinese, and partially avoid the racial slurs of the Americans because of the strong and vibrant community that they had built.

Chinatown circa 1900

Chinatown was also a great way for the Chinese to remain close to their traditional Chinese customs. Not only had the Chinese established businesses such as laundry service, restaurants, brothels, and gambling saloons, the Chinese also set up temples and bookstores that carried traditional scriptures and literature. For example, a popular book titled Mirror of Mind contained sections written under the heavy influence of Confucian, a Chinese philosopher who had promoted peace, education, and respect towards others. Confucianism had a great influence among Chinese immigrants. Using lessons of peace, the Chinese were able to form friendly relations with some Americans during the Civil War. In addition to traditional literature, the Chinese had also built temples in order to carry out their religious practices, which most had held dear to them. When the Chinese had first immigrated to America, many Christian missionaries had tried to convert the Chinese to Christianity. However, very few were successful. The “Chinese resisted Christianity because of sojourner mentality, American racism, and community pressure. For a sojourner, his mind, heart, and soul remained in China, and he satisfied his social and psychological needs through clan/family organizations and community activities,” (Tsai, 44). They had continued to practice religions such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Daoism. Buddhism was also a large religious following, which already had most of the same teachings of Taoism and Confucianism.

As a result of the sojourner mentality and the remaining to Chinese beliefs, the Chinese also had openly celebrated traditional festivals in which both the Chinese and the Americans would attend. The most prominent was the annual Chinese New Year festival, which was full of lanterns, laughter, and festivities. In the streets of Chinatown even on normal days, the Chinese wore traditional Chinese clothing and hung banners along store and building fronts.

However, Chinatown also had darker sides. Dark streets and parts of town given to crumbling buildings, gambling locations, and opium smoking were usually full of crime. In addition, housing was also a very important issue since apartments were usually small and cramped. Furthermore, the Chinese had created early forms of unions, called tongs, which were usually separated by family (for example, the Chin Tong, Li Tong, etc.). These tongs had helped the Chinese with everyday life, food, work, housing, and all other components that are necessary for everyday life.

Despite all, Chinatown was, and still continues to be, the pinnacle of Chinese life. It serves as a home and a hope for the Chinese of all generations.

Grant Avenue, San Fransico, 19th Century