Chinese have long been an important component of the United States. They have been entrepreneurs and builders of the American dream, as well as workers and citizens.
New York City has six Chinatowns, as well as thriving communities in Whitestone and Elmhurst, Queens; Jersey City, New Jersey; Parsippany-Troy Hills; and West Windsor, New Jersey.
Origins
Chinese have long migrated abroad, beginning with Zheng He’s envoys who explored the South Seas and Indian Ocean. After the Opium Wars (1839–1842) China was economically weakened, and there was a large population of people seeking to better their lives.
In the early 1880s in Olympia, many Chinese were cooks or house servants for white families, or operated commercial hand laundries. They also cultivated vegetable gardens to supply the local market. Unlike their Indian counterparts, who were more assimilated, the Chinese maintained some cultural values and traditions.
They were active in business associations (the ON LEONG TONG and Hip Sing Associations) which served as secret societies, providing mutual aid and self-discipline, financial and investment opportunities, and dispute resolution. They supported the revolution against Qing rule in China and were proud of their Chinese heritage. They were also active in defending their community from racism. Until the end of the exclusion era in 1943, Chinese were classified as aliens ineligible to vote.
Migration
As the largest migrant group in the world, Chinese have established a presence in countries all around the globe. Their migration has a profound impact on the global economy. It is not uncommon for wealthy individuals to leave China for various reasons, such as business investments, personal relationships and a desire for education (Liu-Farrer, 2009).
The demographics of the Chinese diaspora are continuously changing with new emigration waves from different regions of China. This influx of new migrants has diversified the perception of the Chinese in destination societies.
In the past, a typical student from the Mainland who moved abroad pursued a degree in physical science or engineering. However, more and more students with majors in social sciences or humanities have been making their way to destinations like the United States. These students have a strong understanding of the local culture and the ability to bridge the gap between Chinese and their host communities. As a result, their contributions to the local economies have been growing.
Community Organizations
The Chinese community is served by numerous organizations. These include neighborhood associations, cultural centers and social service agencies. These organizations address a variety of community needs, including language instruction, health and safety, and social and economic development. They also work to educate young people and promote Chinese culture and heritage.
In addition to these venerable institutions, new organizations have emerged in recent years that seek to serve Chinatown residents. They are working to preserve and improve Chinatown’s present conditions, while planning for its future.
These organizations include the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn (UCA) which focuses on revitalizing Chinatown in the Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights and Sheepshead Bay neighborhoods of Brooklyn. UCA works to mobilize Chinese community resources and foster civic mindedness among the residents by organizing voter registration drives and bilingual citizenship classes. It also advocates for the needs of immigrant families by promoting coalition politics at the local level. It liaises with city departments and provides social services to low-income residents.
Family Life
In China family and home are the most important aspects of life. It is common for families to live with grandparents and a strong emphasis is placed on filial piety and loyalty. Family members are expected to prioritize their family’s interests over that of others and it is considered rude for children not to visit their parents regularly.
While the wholesale assault on Confucianism in the twentieth century has transformed marriage and family, many traditional values remain. The skewed gender balance in the youth population attests to the importance of family in Chinese culture, and the continued practice of female infanticide in rural areas highlights the importance of family for those who live in poverty.
China is a patrilineal society and men’s relationships with their fathers are more important than those with their mothers. Even after marriage, women retain their own family name and are in a life-long subordinate position to their husbands and fathers.