Chinatown Selling Asian Culture to Chicago since 1870
Why Chinatown ?
It seems now a days that most major American cities have a Chinatown. Since the mid 19th century, Chinese immigrants have made parts of entire cities their own. Like many other immigrant groups, Chinese immigrants have made their ethnic enclaves as close to home as possible. From the dim sum restaurants to the store windows with exotic looking spices, teas and herbs, Chicago’s Chinatown is a proud display of Chinese heritage and culture. Unlike Little Italy, Ukrainian village, or Greektown, Chinatown has remained Chinese even if the city its self has changed immensely since its beginnings. When comparing Chinatown to other formerly ethnic neighborhoods of Chicago, one must ask, how has Chinatown been able to keep such a strong cultural and ethnic identity? The answer is one word…commoditization. Unlike other ethnic groups, Chicago’s Chinese population has been able to commoditize and ultimately share its culture with the rest of Chicago through the selling of goods and services. In the past few decades Chinatown has opened up to other peoples of Asia and now Thai, Japanese, and Korean goods are now almost as common as teashops and dim sum. By selling Asian culture, Chinatown is able to keep its strong identity because unlike other neighborhoods, it does not need to change whom it caters or what it specializes in. Asian immigrants in the city visit Chinatown to get an edible or material taste of home, and non-Asians go there to experience a new culture. Even though it does not need to change, Chinatown has been experiencing a cultural shift in the last few decades. New immigrants and westerners who now want to experience authentic Asian culture have brought new types of restaurants and shops to the neighborhood. Due to the influence of these newer establishments, Chinatown is now selling Asian culture in the Americanized/Pan-Asian fashion it has been doing since the 1920's and also in a more authentic manner for those who are interested in experiencing authentic Asian culture.
A picture says 1000 words
For my visual sociology class I was given the task of making a profile about a neighborhood in the city via pictures. Instead of using things like interviews to get a sense of the neighborhood, I used what sociologists call photo elicitation to understand the neighborhood. Photo elicitation uses images instead of conversations or conventional interviews to understand a subject (Harper :2012). Through photo elicitation, I was able to get a better understanding of the neighborhood. By looking at the picture I took, I was able to understand how a dichotomy existed in the way that Chinatown sells culture. One way is in an Americanized version that is very prominent in the older parts of the neighborhood. The other caters to Asians and non Asians who want to experience more authentic Asian culture. I was able to learn about this cultural dichotomy because Another element of Chinatown that relates to the practice of visual sociology is what sociologists call Semiotics. Semiotics is the study of meaning in signs and symbols(Harper: 2012). Chinese culture in general has a lot of symbolic imagery and places importance on both images and colors (Harper:2012) .This importance of symbol and color has influenced the way Chinatown looks. I noticed that all across Chinatown, the storefronts had signs from the Chinese Zodiac . In Chinese culture the colors red and yellow are both very important. Red represents good fortune/prosperity and Yellow represents beauty and elegance(Ling 2012). Much of Chinatown square on Archer avenue was covered in these two colors. It was very clear after doing this project that the symbols of the neighborhood are not just for aesthetic purposes, but a very meaningful part of the culture.
History of Chinatown
The roots of Chicago’s Chinatown are tied to the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Following the completion of the project, Chinese immigrants started moving out of the west coast. They did so to escape the racism and violence that were occurring in west coast cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The first recorded Chinese immigrant to Chicago was T.C Moy in 1878 (Ling 2012). Moy was not a particularly special individual (little to none is known about him). Moy found Chicago to be far more tolerable than the west coast and wrote letters to his friends and family advocating them to come to the city. By 1890 567 Chinese were living in the city of Chicago. Like most immigrant groups, the Chinese tried to make their new surroundings seem like home. They did so by opening up restaurants and businesses that catered to the needs of the new waves of Chinese immigrants. These immigrants built the first Chinatown in the in Loop between Van Buren and Clark. This first Chinatown would be short lived after racist landlords raised the rent of both the businesses and apartments of the neighborhoods (Ling 2012). Following this price hike, the Chinese community was displaced. It was not until the 1920's that the current Chinatown began to take shape. In that year the On Leong Businessman association bought land between Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue which has been the location of Chinatown for the last 95 years (). When one goes to the neighborhood they’ll notice how compared to other neighborhoods in Chicago, Chinatown has very little residential space. This is due various city projects such as Extension of Cermak Road for the 1933 World’s Fair and the construction of the Dan Ryan and Stevenson Expressway. During the second half on of the 20th century the neighborhood experienced various waves of immigration such as Chinese fleeing the cultural revolution and Koreans, Japanese, and Thai establishing themselves in the 80's and 90's (Ling 2012). Each group has made their own distinct imprint on Chinatown that can be seen in the contrast between the older shops on Wentworth Ave. and the newer ones in the rest of the neighborhood.
Selling Asian two different Ways
The businesses on Wentworth Avenue were the original ones of the neighborhood. At first these shops strictly catered to the Chinese Immigrants living in the neighborhood, but following WW2, American’s began to become interested in “exotic” Asian cultures. Like the Polynesian Tiki bar craze, Asian and specifically Chinese culture became fascinating to Americans. To meet this new demand for Chinese Culture, businesses in Chinatowns across the country instantly began changing their cuisine to fit American tastes and making the interior of their stores look like an ancient Chinese banquet halls. Another signature of these types of establishments is their pan Chinese identity. Instead of representing specific regions of China via their food or appearance, these shops presented Chinese culture in what now seems like an almost cartoon like fashion. This era still shows in the both the food and look of the businesses on Wentworth Avenue. Most if not all of these establishments have Buddha statues in their windows or near their entrance. They also have signs of the Chinese Zodiac on their menus and walls. I noticed that many of these restaurants have dining areas that are separate from the main dining area. This is because in Chinese culture, eating in private is seen as a sign of wealth and royalty. Its very apparent that the goal of these establishments was and still is to make their diners feel as if they’ve stepped back in time and are eating in an emperors court. It is clear that the restaurants on Wentworth’s goal is to sell a romanticized and nostalgic idea of Chinese cuisine instead of a genuine representation of it.
Aside from the restaurants, the stores in this part of Chinatown also have a Pan Chinese feel to them. I noticed how many of these shops advertise that they sell Chinese Silk, which as a History major. I knew was China’s biggest export when it first opened up to the west. Another thing I noticed was how the stores sold Pan Asian merchandise. In one store’s window I saw a Chinese figure, a Samurai Sword, and other Asian items all in the same display. A hodgepodge of Asian culture is not shocking in this part of the neighborhood since these types of businesses were the originals of Chinatown and were catering to a non Asian clientele who couldn’t tell the difference.
In another section of the neighborhood known as Chinatown square on Archer Avenue, I noticed that the businesses were much different than the ones on Wentworth. Unlike the older businesses of the neighborhood, these stores and restaurants goal is to appeal to Asian clientele as well as non Asian’s who wanted to experience more authentic Asian culture. I could tell this was the case simply by the what the restaurants were advertising. Instead of simply saying “Chinese Cusine”, many of these restaurants had signs or windows mentioning more specific types of cuisine such as Szechuan hot pot. Aside from their food, these restaurants have a more modern and sleek decor and layout as apposed to the ancient Chinese theme of the older dining establishments.
Another thing I noticed about this part of Chinatown was how different the merchandise in its stores were. I instantly noticed how abundant Japanese culture was in the square. Many restaurants had plastic models of food in the window like one would expect in Tokyo. The stores also have all kinds of Japanese Merchandise from Pokemon dolls to Japanese candy and snack food. Aside from Japanese food, the shops in Chinatown square sell merchandise that are obviously geared towards an Asian clientele. I saw many shops selling books and magazines written completely in Chinese as well as a shop specializing in K-Pop merchandise of all kinds. Even the modern Asian standard of beauty is represented in this part of the neighborhood. In various parts of Chinatown square I saw ads with women who had lighter skin and eyes that looked more Caucasian. I talked about with my roommate who is from Thailand and he told me that much unlike in the ,west being pale is seen as a desired feature in Asia and having bigger eyes is also seen as a required feature to be considered “beautiful”. Chinatown squares businesses are ran and owned by either first generation Asian Americans or recent Asian immigrants. This generational gap and different perspective helps explain the drastic contrast between the square and the shops on Wentworth (Kibira :1997). While both the older shops on Wentworth and the newer ones in Chinatown Square sell Asian cultures in a different way, both have made Chinese and Asian culture a tangible cultural object that is very much in high demand.
Change in cultural markets giving Chinatown a new look
In her book cultures and societies in a changing world, Wendy Griswold discusses the cultural industry system. The cultural industry system is the organization involved in producing mass culture products such as books,records, films etc. (Griswold:2014). What the cultural industry system produces is reliant on the tastes of the people receiving its products. She uses a specific example of how Elvis Presley changed the cultural market of country music. After his rise to fame with a style that incorporated blues, soul, and other things to the genre, record companies began to change the types of artists they signed. Instead of focusing on pure country artists, record labels focused on artists who had Elvis’s ability to appeal to other types of audiences. By doing so, record labels changed the artistic distinctiveness of a cultural object (music). A cultural object is a socially meaningful expression that is tangible (Griswold :2014). Much like Elvis, the new businesses in Chinatown changed the cultural market, but unlike Elvis, they brought back cultural distinctiveness back instead of taking it away. The first businesses established (as mentioned in the previous section) catered to western tastes by selling Asian culture in an over exaggerated and inauthentic manner in the hopes it would be more appealing. The new businesses such as the ones in Chinatown square have brought back the cultural distinctiveness of Chinese and Asian culture by selling goods that are from a specific region of China or country in Asia. These businesses would not exist if it wasn’t for change in cultural change. It is clear by the presence of the businesses of Chinatown square that there is a demand to experience authentic Asian culture. Obviously the presence of Asian immigrants has some influence on this, but it is also because non Asian’s taste has changed. Even before I went for my project, I noticed how many non Asian’s made up a good portion of the clientele at the Thai restaurant and other restaurants I frequent in the neighborhood. I know that most people my age and in their 30's-early 40's find the idea of trying real Chinese food as apposed to the Chop Suey we grew up with as kids.
Not Everything is for sale
While Chinatown relies heavily on commerce, there are cultural institutions of the neighborhood that are not for sale. The Chinese American Museum of Chicago is an important and often looked over part of the neighborhood. The museum has exhibits that not only focus on Chinese culture but the history of Chinnatown its self. The Museum is an important because it keeps the cultural memory of the neighborhood alive. Unfortunately, not many visitors to Chinatown are aware of it. Another important part of Chinatown that has nothing to with commerce is the Pui Tak Center. The center provides various programs for new Asian immigrants such as ESL classes and other services to help new them adjust to being in America. These kind of services are often not associated with the Asian community, but the existence of the center shows how Chinatown is a real neighborhood whose population needs the same services most other native and immigrants to Chicago require. The museum and the Pui Tak center erased preconceived notions I had about Chinatown. When formulating my question for this project, I viewed Chinatown as essentially a giant mall instead of an actual neighborhood. Learning about the Pui Tak center helped me grasp that there is a real community that lives in Chinatown who has the same wants, concerns and needs that every other neighborhood of the city has.
Concluding thoughts
After completing this project, my perception of Chinatown has changed dramatically. Before I went there and collected images, I simply viewed the neighborhood as more of a theme park that sold Chinese culture than an actual community. While commerce is important to Chinatown, there is much more than that. Chinatown is a real community that has shaped Chicago’s cultural landscape for almost a century.
Works Cited
Griswold, W. (2013). Cultures and societies in a changing world (4th ed.). Los Angeles, California: Sage.
Harper, D. (2012). Visual Sociology. New York, New York: Routlege.
Nazli Kibria (1997) The construction of Asian American ’Reflections on intermarriage and ethnic identity among second-generation Chinese and Korean Americans, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 20:3, 523–544, DOI:10.1080/01419870.1997.999397
Ling, H. (2012). Chinese Chicago: Race, Transnational migration and community since 1870 (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 1–24). Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
