Introduction
Since time memorial, individuals have always associated the Chinese nationals with respect of cultural values. This is because; it is not unique to find common features of the Chinese people in most areas even before meeting a real Chinese citizen in such areas. This is a concept that is evident with the widespread China towns globally whereby, in almost all continents or nations, evidences of the Chinese heritage are common. Physical manifestations of the Chinese heritage are in form of Chinese cultural centers, schools, and above all cultural towns.
In addition to associating such Chinese towns with cultural preservation centers, it is important to note that, currently majority of such towns are booming commerce and tourism locations hence, their continual development in whichever country or state they exist. Examples of cities with china towns in the United States include New York, California, San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. Of all these and other cities within the U.S., New York City has one of the largest town of these kind hence, making researchers to consider it as, one of the biggest Chinese heritage center outside the Republic of China (Waxma, 2009, p.1).
China Town- New York
As compared to other towns with the Chinese heritage, this town has the largest number of Chinese inhabitants; approximately one hundred and fifty thousand. In terms of location, the town is well placed on the eastern side of Manhattan, where it borders towns such as Lafayette and Grand.
The town has existed since mid 19th century, although previously it was underdeveloped; something that has undergone transformation with its current state, as one of the busiest commercial and tourist center in the U.S. Although majority of individuals associate it with the Chinese nationals, the city has other citizens of other nationalities for example, Germans, Irish, Italians, and the European Jews.
Majority of these ethnic groups have existed in the town from mid-1800’s; times, when the slave trade business was booming, as a result of colonization. With settlement of slaves from these ethnicities in these area, the town started to sprout out hence, the currently known New York Chinatown. The need to develop the town further led to the settling of more immigrants groups in this area whereby, by early 1900’s the town had expanded with more Chinese and Jews moving in (China town: New York City, (n.d.) p.1).
Although the town kept growing in a steady rate as more Chinese and other immigrants moved in, the effecting of the Chinese Exclusion Act between the years 1882-1943, acted as a great impediment towards its development. Although the exclusion act slowed down its development, its growth resumed in 1968, when the federal government abolished the immigration quota hence, allowing more Chinese natives to develop the town.
Currently, the town is one of the well developed industrial towns, with more than two hundred restaurants, twenty seven banks. Such developments have made this town to be one of the main contributors to the federal government revenues, because currently, the town contributes more than two hundred million dollars to the federal government’s revenue earnings (Waxman, 2010, p.1)
The town has a variety of Chinese foods for example, Cantonese and Schezan, grouped in terms sizes for example the Din Sum; the least quantity of food. Other varieties of foods in the town include a variety of baked foods and beverages; available in any many almost all shopping malls hotels. Apart from these varieties of foodstuffs served in different proportions.
The town is also well known of its variety of shopping malls whereby, majority of individuals call it a shopping paradise not only because there exists a variety of goods, but also because majority of available goods are reasonably priced. Such goods include jewelry, electronic gadgets, souvenirs, and many home products (Sham & Ostrow, 2008, p.43-53).
In addition, these to the variety of foodstuff, gifts, and other goods, the town is a primary tourist attraction center with numerous landmarks, which include the Chatham square, Columbus Park, Israel Cemetery, Fujianese Broadway, Pell Street, and a town museum with a variety of many ethnic groups artifacts.
In addition to the tourist attraction centers, the town is a cultural centre with many cultural festivals, which include the New Year, Ghost, Chung Yang, Mid Autumn, and the Lantern ceremonies. On the other hand, the town has a well developed infrastructural system, with well developed roads and train systems, which connect it to other towns for example, Brooklyn and New Jersey.
Conclusion
In conclusion, considering the nature of developments this town and its significance as far as tourism is concerned in the U.S., this town, is one best Chinatowns existing in the globally. This is because; in addition to its many features, the town has many other cultural heritages of other societies occupying it.
Reference List
China town: New York City. (n.d.). Chinatown: fact sheet. Web.
Sham, M., & Ostrow, D. (2008). Manhattan’s Chinatown. Portsmouth: Arcadia Publishing. Web.
Waxma, S. (2009). The history of New York’s Chinatown. The New York Chinatown. Web.