An interesection of Chinatown in San Francisco.

San Francisco's Chinatown is one of North America's largest Chinatowns arguably the most historic of Chinatowns. For over a century it was itself the largest, only surpassed by Manhattan's Chinatown in the 1980s. The old, history-filled area has been experiencing some decline over the years due to the cropping up of newer Chinatown communities in the Richmond and Sunset districts of San Franscisco, possibly from the revitalization of Oakland's Chinatown - only 10 miles away - in recent decades, and from the development of Asian shopping centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Location and sub-areas

San Francisco's Chinatown is located in the downtown area. Chinatown is roughly bordered by Powell Street and the Nob Hill District on the West. On the east is Kearney Street and The City's Financial District. On the north is North Beach and Green Street and Columbus Street. On the south is Bush Street and the Union Square area.

In recent years, other newer Chinatown areas have been established within the city of San Francisco proper, including the Richmond and Sunset districts. These areas have been settled by Southeast Asians. There are also many suburban Chinese communities in the Bay Area, especially in the Silicon Valley, such as Cupertino, Fremont, and Milpitas. The Taiwanese Americans are dominant.

History

The Street of Gamblers (Ross Alley) Arnold Genthe, 1898. The population is predominantly male because U.S. policies at the time made it difficult for Chinese women to enter the country.

San Francisco's Chinatown was the port of entry for early Taishanese and Zhongshanese Chinese immigrants from the southern Guangdong province of China from the 1850s to the 1900s. The Chinatown in particular was a stronghold for the Taishanese community. The majority of shopkeepers and restaurant owners in San Francisco were predominantly Taishanese.

Many early Chinese immigrants to San Francisco and beyond were processed at Angel Island, now a state park, in the San Francisco Bay. Several monuments and memorials have been erected.

In the summer of 1977, an ongoing rivalry between two Chinese American gangs erupted in violence and bloodshed culminating in a shooting spree at the Golden Dragon Restaurant on Washington Street. 5 persons were killed and 11 were wouned, and the incident has become infamously known as the Golden Dragon Massacre. The restaurant still stands today.

Demographics

In recent years, however, Cantonese-speaking immigrants from Hong Kong and Hakka and Mandarin (Putonghua)-speaking immigrants from Mainland China have gradually replaced the Taishanese dialect.

Miscellaneous

San Francisco's Chinatown is home to the well-known and historic Chinese Six Companies .

A replica of the Goddess of Democracy was built in 1999 by Thomas Marsh. Made of bronze and weighing approximately 600 pounds (272 kg), it stands in Portsmouth Square.

The Chinatown has served as a backdrop for several movies and television shows. It has also been featured in several food television programs dealing with ethnic Chinese cuisine.

External links

• Chinese Cultural Center
• http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/
• America's Chinese communities shifting to Mandarin - A Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper article on the changing dynamic of Chinatown.