There are more than 10.7 million Chinese living overseas today, according to the International Organization for Migration. They have strong ties to their home country and a culture of making remittances to support their families.
Despite the hardships they have faced, Chinese have become an integral part of America’s history. Their presence is also a testament to our country’s openness to people of different cultures.
History
The Chinese community in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere has a long history. It began with waves of immigration from China during the 19th century.
The earliest Chinese immigrants in the United States worked in gold mining and construction of the railroads. They were subjected to racial discrimination and violence by whites. These events contributed to growing anti-Chinese sentiment on the West Coast and in national legislatures.
After the Civil War, Congress passed legislation limiting Chinese immigration. This period was referred to as the “Yellow Peril” era, and it led to widespread anti-Chinese hostility in all sectors of society.
Language
The Chinese language, or Mandarin, is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is part of the Sino-Tibetan language family that includes French, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian.
There are many different dialects of the Chinese language, and it is important to note that they all use the same written system. The most common is simplified Chinese, which uses a roman-like spelling, but there are other forms of writing as well.
A few of the most popular ones include Cantonese, Hakka, Hokchiu, Hokkien, Min, and Wu. Since 1990, there have been a number of immigrants who have settled in the United States who speak one or more of these Chinese dialects.
There are several thousand Chinese in Oregon, and they represent a diverse ethnic, social, and economic group. They range from non-English speakers and limited-speakers to highly educated, culturally assimilated, articulate bilingual speakers. Despite some challenges, the Chinese community in Oregon has been growing rapidly.
Religion
The religion practiced in the Chinese community has varied throughout its history. There are Heaven worship temples, temples of Taoism and Buddhism, Chinese folk religions, and new religious movements such as Chen Tao and Falun Gong.
The most common form of religious belief is based on the notion that there is a supreme God or gods who has a divine and special role in human life, often involving the survival of one’s soul after death. Other forms of religion include agnosticism and atheism, as well as humanism and pantheism.
In China, five major religions are recognized by the government: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholic Christianity and Protestant Christianity. Besides these national religious bodies, there are more than 3,000 religious organizations and believers at the provincial and county levels. These are largely organized under the protection of the Constitution and law.
Culture
The Chinese community is a unique group of people with a rich cultural history. Its influence in the world is extensive and varied, ranging from cuisine to music, arts, and culture.
The values of harmony, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy and wisdom are the main components of Chinese culture. These values are derived from traditional Chinese traditions that have been practiced for centuries.
Another important feature of Chinese culture is guanxi, which refers to the social network or associations that individuals build over time. This helps individuals to build strong and sustainable relationships, even between generations.
Moreover, Chinese people are extremely patriotic and value their country. This is evident in the way they behave.