Transforming Vancouver's Chinatown 溫哥華唐人街的故事

Walking the streets of Vancouver’s historic Chinatown on a sunny Sunday afternoon, spring tantalizingly around the corner, you see glimpses of the neighbourhood’s vibrant past — and promising future. Along the high street, Pender, there are bustling restaurants in century-old buildings bearing the names of family associations (the Wongs, the Chins) that were central to the lives of early Chinese settlers. Popular bakeries — with lines out the door for a taste of Chinese delicacies — compete for attention with boutique tea shops and curios shops.

Design Dialogue, Community & PeopleFête ChinoiseAugust 3, 2023Chinese Canadian, Museum, History, Vancouver, Chinatown, Chinese ArtistComment

History in Full Circle: The Chinese Canadian Museum 永生號的前世今生

Newly settled into its permanent home, the Chinese Canadian Museum (CCM) opens its doors to the public this July in Vancouver Chinatown, with exceptional new gallery spaces to explore the rich and complex histories and culture of the Chinese Canadian community. The strong ‘sense of place’ of the museum is a story within a story within a story, and one that all urban design and history enthusiasts will love. Located in the historic Wing Sang Building at 51 E Pender Street, the museum venue is a remarkable heritage site that marks many Chinese experiences throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries and played a significant role in the social, economic, and cultural life of residents in Chinatown.

Re-Imagining My Chinatown 滿地可唐人街：同源可同心？

When the movie Turning Red came out on Disney+ a few weeks ago, my family was eager to watch it together. First, for obvious family-movie reasons: (1) Pixar, (2) Pandas, and (3) Canada. But superseding those - there was another, deeper motivation. For the first time that I can remember, a major motion picture featured an Asian lead in a family movie. Representation has been a topic that has garnered a lot of chatter in recent years. Recent films like Crazy Rich Asians and Shang-Chi have done a lot to move the awareness of Asian talent — that has always existed — into the mainstream.