San Francisco, New York City—some of the world’s most famous Chinese cities reside in the United States. But with an estimated 50 million ethnic Chinese currently living outside of China, these tiny enclaves are not just an American phenomenon; they are scattered in every major metropolitan area around the world, each with its own unique traditions and history that are inextricably intertwined with local culture.
During the mid-1800s, a time when thousands of Chinese men emigrated from the country and many Chinese cities were established around the world, China was experiencing intense political and social turmoil. of Qing Dynasty (a Manchu-led dynasty that ruled from 1644 to 1911, the last imperial dynasty that China would have) was struggling with several internal rebellions within its borders while recovering from The Opium Wars with Britain. This era was marred by government corruption, periods of famine, and economic turmoil.
The vast majority of people who emigrated from China during this time were young. According to tradition and custom, the first-born son of a family would inherit the lion’s share of his parents’ estates, leaving little for his later siblings. Many headed to strange new lands to try their luck panning for gold near San Francisco or Melbourne or working in European colonies around the globe to make a life for themselves and send money home. for their families. These men brought their history, culture and, of course, food to their new homes and established Chinatowns around the world.
From the Land Down Under to South America, there’s a red lighted street to get lost in every city.
Lima is home to one of the oldest Chinese cities in South America.
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Lima, Peru
Although this neighborhood currently spans only two blocks in Jirón Ucayali in downtown Lima, it is considered one of the oldest Chinatowns in Latin America. after slavery was abolished in Peru in 1854, more than 100,000 Chinese bonded laborers were brought to meet the needs of the sugar and cotton industries in the years 1849-1874. More than half would face premature deaths from exhaustion, abuse or suicide.
After their labor contracts ended, many Chinese men (Chinese women made up less than 1 percent of the local population by 1860) immigrated to the Peruvian capital of Lima to settle, marry local women, and to open. chifas—a Peruvian word derived from the Chinese phrase “chī fàn” or “to eat”. Chifa refers to both Chinese restaurants and perhaps the most delicious fusion of culinary traditions ever: Peruvian and Chinese food. Dishes featured include salty groin (fried beef), rice circle (Chinese-style fried rice), and desired soup (ordinary soup).
Sadly, Lima’s Barrio Chino was severely damaged in the late 19th century The Pacific War by invading Chilean forces, it fell into obscurity and would not see a full revival until the late 1990s. Today, Barrio Chino is paved with more than 30,000 red bricks and offers guests an opportunity to enjoy authentic delicacies chifa, as well as traditional Chinese foods.
The Chinese towns of Paris blend perfectly with their French surroundings.
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Paris, France
There is not just one, but three Quartiers Chinois in Paris. The original, and the smallest of the three, is located in the 3rd arrondissement around Rue au Maire. More popular are the other two areas, one of them in the 20th arrondissement and home to a predominantly Chinese population. The other, and most popular, is in the 13th arrondissement and is occupied primarily by people of Chinese and Vietnamese descent who fled Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries during the Vietnam War and in the years since. followed.
Unlike other Chinatowns with their elaborate gates, imperial-style ornamentation and gabled roofs, Paris Chinatowns are quite tame in terms of an architectural cool factor. Instead of building their own buildings and community from scratch, the Chinese communities of Paris used the European-style structures that were already available to them. However, what the neighborhoods lack in terms of visible buildings, they make up for in Buddhist temples, supermarkets, and delicious pho, stir-fry, and noodle options.
Yokohama, Japan, is home to the country’s largest Chinese city.
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Yokohama, Japan
In addition to being Japan’s second largest city – with a growing population of nearly 3.8 million – Yokohama is also home to China’s largest city in the country. After the practice of jacket (a political isolationist policy that included an almost total ban on international trade) ended in Japan in 1859, Yokohama became the first Japanese port to open its doors to foreign traders; Enterprising merchants from Hong Kong and Shanghai soon began building houses and opening shops in the city.
Today, four elaborately decorated paifang (gates) mark the entrance to Yokohama’s Chinatown. The neighborhood is constantly filled with visitors shopping the area’s 250 storefronts, where things like bargain trinkets, qipao dresses, and earthy herbal remedies as well chūka, otherwise known as Japanese Chinese food, can be purchased. Some popular chūka dishes include gyoza, Manju (steamed buns filled with meat), and chashu (grilled pork with honey). Don’t miss the 160-year-old Kanteibyo Templededicated to Guan Yu, the Chinese god of war, and is considered the spiritual center of the neighborhood.
Founded during the gold rush, Melbourne is home to the oldest, continuously inhabited Chinese city in the Western world.
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Melbourne, Australia
During the mid-1800s, many Chinese men fled their homeland in the wake of famine and civil war in hopes of cashing in on the Gold Rush in California—and in Melbourne, Australia, another big city obsessed with the stuff shiny. Officially established in 1854, when the first Chinese-owned houses were completed on Little Bourke Street, Chinatown in Melbourne is considered to be not only the oldest Chinese enclave in Australia but also the oldest continuously inhabited Chinatown in the Western worldafter San Francisco was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake.
However, there were some setbacks in the history of Melbourne’s Chinatown, including the White Australia Policy of 1901, which effectively banned people of non-European descent from immigrating to Australia. But after the law was repealed in 1966, the neighborhood made a strong comeback. Today, Melbourne’s Chinatown is a thriving downtown area and a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. It is also home to popular restaurants such as Mom Shandong noodle house and Modern Chinese RuYi, which serves re-imagined Chinese cuisine in a minimalist setting. And if you want to resume your story, consider stopping by Museum of Australian Chinese Historywhich aims to preserve the heritage of Australia’s Chinese community.
Johannesburg boasts the largest ethnic Chinese population on the African continent.
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Johannesburg, South Africa
South Africa is the home of the largest Chinese population on the African continent, so it only follows that Johannesburg, the country’s sprawling metropolis, would be home to two Chinese cities. The original, located on and around Commissioner Street in the city’s business district, is relatively new as far as Chinatowns go – but that fact simply reflects Johannesburg’s era. The first Chinese immigrants arrived in the late 1880s, following the discovery of gold around the Witwatersrand escarpment in 1886. Then, in the 1970s and 1980s, a large population of Taiwanese immigrants, encouraged by a friendly relationship between the two countries (at the time ) and generous government incentives for Taiwanese immigrant investors, also moved into the neighborhood around Commissioner Street.
China’s second city is located on the outskirts of Cyrildene and is only five miles from the city centre. Known as the New Chinatown, the neighborhood was formed during the social unrest of the 1990s and is home to a thriving Chinese community with storefronts including fishmongers, masseuses and supermarkets. Restaurant options abound, including delicious hotpot food, where dishes are cooked and served in clay pots, and Shun De, a local dim sum favorite. Here, diners can enjoy COMEegg tarts and other classic Chinese offerings.
