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Mabel Lui

Chinatowns are often portrayed as gritty underworlds riddled with prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking. Some of this is rooted in truth, but that unfair depiction is largely the result of rampant xenophobia and cultural ignorance, especially in the West.
In a series of articles, the Post explores the historical and social significance of major Chinatowns around the world and the communities that shape them.
Known today as the oldest Chinatown in North America, San Francisco’s Chinatown has a remarkable history that spans over 175 years.
Initially only occupying the area around Portsmouth Square and the nearby Dupont Street (now Grant Avenue) back in the 1850s, the neighbourhood now encompasses 30 square blocks in downtown San Francisco and is one of the largest Chinese enclaves outside Asia.

It all began in 1849, when Chinese emigrants flocked to San Francisco as part of the California gold rush.
At the time, gold had recently been discovered by American carpenter James W. Marshall in Coloma, California. Dissatisfied with the economic and political uncertainty in China following the First Opium War (1839-42), a wave of Chinese men – eventually known as the “Gold Mountain Sojourners” – decided to travel to the Golden State, often through Hong Kong, in hopes of finding fortune there. Most of them were from China’s Guangdong province.
Upon their arrival in San Francisco, many chose to strategically settle near the centre of the city, Portsmouth Square. In that area, the Chinese immigrants, most of whom worked as miners and labourers, created their own community, eventually opening shops, restaurants, pharmacies and laundries.
The settlement was initially known as “Little Canton”, but was named “Chinatown” by the press in 1853.
During those early days, the Chinese immigrants were mostly accepted by Californians – in 1850, for example, San Francisco’s first mayor, John White Geary, invited the “China boys” to be part of a funeral procession for president Zachary Taylor.

But in subsequent years, anti-Asian sentiment grew as the economy weakened and the immigrant population became bigger, in part due to another wave of immigrants arriving to work on the transcontinental railroad.
The Chinese population in California became subject to racial discrimination and repressive restrictions on where they could live and work, which prompted them to increasingly congregate in San Francisco’s Chinatown, even if they originally settled elsewhere in the city or elsewhere in California. By 1880, there were 7,500 laundries in the neighbourhood, up from 2,000 laundries in 1870.
Aside from its abundance of businesses, Chinatown also became known as a cultural hub, where immigrants could celebrate Chinese festivals, speak their native dialects and even watch Cantonese opera.
That said, the community was certainly not clean-cut – gambling halls and opium dens thrived in Chinatown, as did prostitution. In particular, the 1850s and ’60s saw the rise of “tongs” – organisations that were initially established to help new immigrants but eventually became embroiled in all sorts of criminal activity.
For example, many tongs, driven by the fact that the Chinese population in San Francisco was overwhelmingly male, ran sex trafficking rings with girls from China. The girls – who were either kidnapped, sold by their families or lured to the US with the promise of work – were then sold as prostitutes or wives.

The tongs’ nefarious activities continued even after the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited the immigration of Chinese labourers into the US for 10 years.
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA), also known as the Chinese Six Companies, attempted to stop the tongs’ various activities, as did other individuals, but it was only after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and its subsequent fire that the tongs’ illegal endeavours were somewhat quelled.
Most of Chinatown was completely levelled by the earthquake and ensuing fires, but the tragedy actually allowed for an influx of Chinese immigrants. Because the fires also destroyed San Francisco’s City Hall – and with it most of the city’s birth and immigration records – many Chinese immigrants were able to gain citizenship by claiming that they were born in the US, and were then able to bring over their immediate relatives from China.
The loss of City Hall records also led to the growth of an emerging phenomenon: that of the “paper son” system. The process involved a Chinese immigrant paying someone who had American citizenship, who in exchange would fraudulently claim that the immigrant was an immediate family member – thus providing a pathway for the immigrant to enter and live in the US.

In 1910, officials set up an immigration station on Angel Island, in San Francisco Bay, where over 30 years an estimated 250,000 Chinese immigrants were processed and questioned before they were either given or denied permission to enter.
The Chinese Exclusion Act was eventually repealed by the Magnuson Act in 1943, and Angel Island is now a state park.
In the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake, city officials also pushed for Chinatown to be relocated, but community representatives fought to stay and sought to rebuild the neighbourhood. In particular, businessman Look Tin Eli was able to secure loans to rebuild Chinatown, albeit in a more “oriental” style as a marketing strategy to draw tourists.
The new Chinatown made way for updated facilities and buildings. By the end of the 1920s, the neighbourhood had a hospital, a public library and a playground, as well as a number of civic organisations, including the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA and the YWCA.

But some issues still lingered, such as racial discrimination, housing shortages and poverty; the opium dens and street gangs also remained.
All this contributed to a period of decline for Chinatown, until it was reinvigorated in the 1960s by a new wave of Chinese immigrants – at the time, immigration laws had just been loosened, leading many emigrants from Hong Kong to move to San Francisco and settle in its Chinatown.
Today, many immigrants have moved out of the neighbourhood, but it remains a bustling hub filled with restaurants, shops and other businesses.
Grant Avenue is lined with red lanterns, while Waverly Place is known for its colourful balconies. Over on Stockton Street, fresh produce, seafood and meat abound.

Notable locations in the neighbourhood include the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, a popular tourist destination that opened in 1962, as well as the Tin How Temple, the oldest surviving Taoist temple in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, the jade-tiled Dragon Gate, located at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Bush Street, is an iconic landmark that marks the main southern entrance of Chinatown.


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The turbulent history of San Francisco’s Chinatown, oldest in North America

Large crowds fill Grant Avenue in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the US state of California for the annual Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

The Dragon Gate at the intersection of Bush Street and Grant Avenue marks the main southern entrance to San Francisco’s Chinatown. Photo: Getty Images

A Chinese butcher and grocery store in San Francisco’s Chinatown circa 1885. Photo: Getty Images

A Chinese apothecary in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the mid-1880s. Photo: Getty Images

Much of San Francisco was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and ensuing fires. Photo: Getty Images

Chinese lanterns line a street in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Photo: Getty Images

Pedestrians walk along a crowded Stockton Street in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Photo: Getty Images

How Seoul and Incheon’s Chinatowns tell stories of Chinese immigration to Korea

The main entrance gate to Incheon Chinatown, South Korea’s oldest Chinese enclave. Photo: AP

The Chinatown in Seoul’s Daerim neighbourhood is full of shops selling goods from China that are difficult to find elsewhere in South Korea. Photo: Erika Na

The Jjajangmyeon Museum in Incheon Chinatown documents the invention and evolution of jjajangmyeon, a Korean-Chinese cold noodle dish. Photo: Park Chan-kyong

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Wardour Street, Chinatown, London. The area, which dates back to the 1970s, has evolved over time to become the multicultural enclave it is now. Photo: Getty Images

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David Tang Hon-sing (left), former vice-chairman of the London Chinatown Chinese Association, with a friend on Lisle Street in 1980. Photo: David Tang

A street in Limehouse, East London circa 1930. In the first half of the 20th century, Limehouse was home to London’s largest Chinese community. Photo: Getty Images

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People gather to watch the Year of the Snake celebrations in Chinatown, London, on February 1, 2025. Photo: Getty Images

A Lunar New Year parade in London. Photo: Allan Hong

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Lifestyle

Chinatowns around the world

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Street food vendors serve customers in Bangkok’s Chinatown. Photo: Shutterstock

Yaowarat Road in Bangkok’s Chinatown in 2017. Photo: Shutterstock

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Baan Trok Tua Ngork is a space in Bangkok’s Chinatown created by Sun’s family that restores and revitalises their family’s shophouse, as well as several other neighbouring shophouses. Photo: Baan Trok Tua Ngork

The interior of Baan Trok Tua Ngork. Photo: Baan Trok Tua Ngork

History of the world’s oldest Chinatown, Binondo in Manila, now a foodie paradise

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The Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch. Photo: Shutterstock

The El Hogar Filipino Building. Photo: Instagram/mrdaleasuncion

Pei Pa Koa Latte with Ube Cheese Ensaymada at Apologue Coffee & Pastry in Manila. Photo: Instagram/apologueph

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Of New York’s many Chinatowns, 3 stand out. How immigration shaped them over the decades

The Chinatown in Lower Manhattan is New York’s oldest, shaped by immigrants from Hong Kong, and from Guangdong and Fujian provinces in mainland China. Photo: Getty Images

Pell Street in Lower Manhattan Chinatown in 1979. Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

A street in Lower Manhattan Chinatown in the early 20th century. The Chinatown is said to date back to the 1850s. Photo: Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, on Doyers Street, is one of Lower Manhattan Chinatown’s historic restaurants. Photo: Shutterstock

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How Toronto’s Chinatown is fighting back against development that threatens its existence

People attend a Toronto Chinatown Land Trust mahjong fundraising event at the Wong Association of Ontario. Photo: Maylynn Quan

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Men in Toronto’s original Chinatown read a newspaper in a window in 1945. Photo: City of Toronto Archives

Victory celebrations to mark the end of World War II take place in Toronto’s original Chinatown on August 26, 1945. Photo: City of Toronto Archives

Toronto’s Chinatown in the late 1970s. Photo: City of Toronto Archives

Shoppers and vendors in Toronto’s Chinatown in 1988. Photo: City of Toronto Archives

Toronto’s Chinatown at Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue in 2008. Photo: City of Toronto Archives

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People queue outside a supermarket on Dundas Street West in Toronto Chinatown in 1988. Photo: City of Toronto Archives

What to see and eat in Melbourne’s Chinatown, cultural hub that grew from gold rush roots

A dragon dance troupe perform in Chinatown in Melbourne, Australia during Lunar New Year festivities in 2024. The Chinatown is one of the world’s oldest. Photo: Getty Images

Chinatown in Melbourne, Australia. One of the oldest in the world, it was founded by Chinese prospectors who stayed on after the 1850s gold rush and opened businesses. Photo: Shutterstock 

People in Chinatown, Melbourne, celebrate the 2025 Chinese Lunar New Year. Photo: Instagram/chinatownmelbourne

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A traditional gate marks an entrance to Mexicali’s Chinatown, known as La Chinesca, in the city in Mexico’s Baja California state.

Lanterns line the street outside restaurants in La Chinesca. Photo: Instagram/sl_mr05

A view of La Chinesca in 2023. Photo: AFP

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Buildings display Chinese-style architecture on a street in La Chinesca. Photo: Shutterstock

Lunar New Year celebrations take place in La Chinesca. Photo: Instagram/nic.maynardp

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The gateway to Chinatown, in Sydney. Chinatown is a reflection of the struggles of the Asian community in Australia since the early 1800s. Photo: Shutterstock

Sydney’s Chinatown is in Haymarket in the southern part of the city’s central business district. Photo: Shutterstock

Paddy’s Markets in Haymarket, Sydney dates back to the 1850s. Photo: Chinatown

Marigold had two locations. The original restaurant (pictured) on Sussex St, Sydney, opened in 1982 and was a popular location for events and weddings. Photo: Lena Lai

George Street in the historic Rocks district of Sydney, Australia. This was the site of Sydney’s earliest Chinatown. Photo: Shutterstock

How Singapore Chinatown went from slum to diverse tourist hub that puts heritage first

People take photos in front of a giant golden rooster lantern in Singapore’s Chinatown in preparation for the upcoming Lunar New Year on January 4, 2017. In recent decades the area has become a tourist hub where boutiques stand beside old tea houses and Buddhist temples Photo: Xinhua

In October 2023, the Tai Thong Cake Shop, a family-owned bakery in Singapore’s Chinatown, closed its doors after 73 years in business. Photo: Koh Kim Tat Dean

Singapore Chinatown’s Food Street in January 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic forced its closure. Photo: Shutterstock

A woman offers a joss stick at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, one of Singapore Chinatown’s most notable places of worship. Photo: AFP

Singapore Chinatown is awash with murals by local artist Yip Yew Chong. Photo: Tamara Hinson

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Chefs and volunteers at Light Up Chinatown, an outdoor event held in the neighbourhood and organised by the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation. Photo: Light Up Chinatown

Chefs and volunteers attend Light Up Chinatown, a free two-day festival that celebrates the living heritage and diverse history of Vancouver’s Chinatown, organised by the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation. Photo: Light Up Chinatown

The cover of Chinatown Vancouver: An Illustrated History. Photo: Donna Seto/House of Anansi Press

Donna Seto is an author and self-taught artist. Photo: Donna Seto

Andy Yan is an associate professor at Simon Fraser University. Photo: Andy Yan

Chinatown in Vancouver in 1975. Photo: Getty Images

A painting from Chinatown Vancouver: An Illustrated History. Photo: Donna Seto/House of Anansi Press

Carol Lee is the chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation. Photo: Carol Lee

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Tracy To and Ross Lam of Forum Home Appliances. Photo: Forum Home Appliances

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Yokohama Chinatown’s transformation from its migrant enclave roots to today’s tourist attraction is one steeped in history and culture. Photo: Getty Images

Children view lanterns in Yokohama Chinatown in 2024. Photo: Xinhua

A lion dance is performed outside a restaurant in Yokohama Chinatown in 2020. Photo: Getty Images

Crowds of people fill Yokohama Chinatown in 2023. Photo: Xinhua

Chen Kentaro is the third-generation chef of Shisen Hanten. Photo: Shinsen Hanten

Pedestrians walk through Yokohama Chinatown in 2020. Photo: AFP

How Boston’s Chinatown overcame constant threats to win its place in history

A paifang gate marks an entrance to Boston Chinatown. Although at one time or another, Chinatowns existed in other cities in the United States’ New England region, today, Boston’s is the only one remaining. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

Roast meats hang in the window of a restaurant in Boston Chinatown. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

Empire Garden is a long-standing Chinese restaurant located in a historic building in Boston Chinatown. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

A street vendor sells Asian produce in Boston Chinatown. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

The Auntie Kay and Uncle Frank Chin Park in Boston’s Chinatown is named after the volunteers who for years served as the park’s unofficial custodians. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

Established in 1960, China Pearl is Boston Chinatown’s oldest restaurant. It serves dim sum the old-school way – from trolleys. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

The face of Michelle Wu, Boston’s first Asian-American mayor, can be seen all over Boston Chinatown. Photo: Hei-kiu Au

From the Chinese Exclusion Act and 1906 earthquake to sex-trafficking rings and ‘paper son’ system, this Chinatown’s story is a bumpy one


From the Chinese Exclusion Act and 1906 earthquake to sex-trafficking rings and ‘paper son’ system, this Chinatown’s story is a bumpy one.


Asian diaspora

Chinese overseas

History

United States

The turbulent history of San Francisco’s Chinatown, oldest in North America

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From the Chinese Exclusion Act and 1906 earthquake to sex-trafficking rings and ‘paper son’ system, this Chinatown’s story is a bumpy one

From the Chinese Exclusion Act and 1906 earthquake to sex-trafficking rings and ‘paper son’ system, this Chinatown’s story is a bumpy one