Chinese Immigrants 中国移民 Oral History Project London Chinatown

yí mín 移民 (immigrant)

Do you know who is the first one in your family to come to Britain? Do you know where your hometown is? Have you ever been there? Do you know a story of an immigrant family?

Map of China

Song by Leehom Wang Descendants of Dragon lóng de chuán rén 龙 的 传 人

黑眼睛，黑头发，黄 皮肤， hēi yăn jīng hēi tóu fà huáng pí fū yǒng yǒng yuǎn yuǎn shì lóng de chuán ré 永 永 远 远 是龙 的 传 人。

Can you name a few common facial features of Chinese people?

Milestones in Chinese immigration history The first recorded Chinese in Britain was a scholar called Shen Fu Tsong 沈福宗who visited the court of King James II in the 17th century.

1805: A specific Act of Parliament allows a Chinese man known as John Anthony to become the first Chinese man to be naturalized as a British citizen.

1842: Britain defeats China in Opium War (鸦片战争) 1842: Britain defeats China in Opium War (鸦片战争). Under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking (南京条约), Hong Kong becomes a British colony

1855: Wong Fun from Edinburgh receives his MD and becomes the first Chinese student to graduate from a British university. 1877: Kuo Sung-tao 郭嵩焘, the first Chinese Minister to Britain, opens a legation in London.

Settle down in a foreign country The earliest arrivals were often associated with the East India Company and settled in the East End in general and Limehouse in particular by 1880’s.

Largest wave There was large scale immigration from rural new territories due to land reform in 1950s and 1960s.

Since 1950s a steady stream of students, nurses and other professionals have come to Britain from Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

Occupation and business The first immigrants were mostly seamen. After arrival they continued to settle down in port areas such as Limehouse in London and Liverpool. Most of them continued to work as sailors on ships of the East India Company. With more and more people settling down some started doing laundry, and some opened small Chinese canteens and grocery stores. In 1908, the first recorded Chinese restaurant, called ‘The Chinese Restaurant’, was opened in Glasshouse Street, Piccadilly Circus, and one year earlier, a restaurant was opened in Liverpool.

World War Two was a changing point in the Chinese catering sector World War Two was a changing point in the Chinese catering sector. During the post-war period people, especially soldiers, came back from Asian countries such as India, China and Vietnam, resulting in a large demand for oriental food. In the 1960s, with large scale of immigration, the Chinese catering industry prospered. Now, Chinese can be seen in various occupations, from politicians to professors, from fashion designers to scientists. What do you want to be in the future?

CMHA’s London China Town Oral history project website

爸爸 妈妈 父母 (parents) My family 哥哥 弟弟 姐姐 妹妹 兄 弟(brothers) 姐妹 (sisters) bà ba mā ma 爸爸 妈妈 gē ge dì di 哥哥 弟弟 jiĕ jie mèi mei 姐姐 妹妹 fù mǔ 父母 (parents) My family xiōng dì 兄 弟(brothers) jiĕ mèi 姐妹 (sisters)

Family Song jiā zú gē 家 族 歌

yé ye 爷 爷 wàigōng 外 公 nǎinai 奶 奶 wài pó 外 婆 bó bo 伯 伯 jiù jiu 舅 舅  In English 父系 (Paternal) fù xì 母系 (Maternal) mǔ xì   *learn more Grandfather yé ye 爷 爷 zǔ fù 祖 父 wàigōng 外 公 wàizǔfù, lǎoyé 外 祖父, 姥爷 Grandmother nǎinai 奶 奶 zǔ mǔ 祖 母 wài pó 外 婆 wàizǔmǔ, lǎolǎo 外 祖 母, 姥 姥 Uncle bó bo 伯 伯 bó fù 伯 父 jiù jiu 舅 舅 shūshu 叔 叔 shū fù 叔 父 Aunt gū gu 姑 姑 gū mā 姑 妈 ā yí 阿 姨 yí mā 姨 妈

An example family tree in Chinese

An example family tree in English

From the middle to the right Heading: First line from the very left. Normally use 敬爱的，亲爱的before the title/name. You can directly write the name if the letter is for any of your peers younger than you, or for a younger generation. Main body: 1. Greeting 2. State your purpose of writing the letter e.g. ask/talk about the addressee’s things; tell something about yourself, anything you wish for or hope to do, or any requests etc. Note: Leave two blank character spaces before each paragraph. No blank space is needed if changing a line in the same paragraph. Sign & Date: From the middle to the right Best Wishes: Normally in two separate lines. The first line is from the very left, using words such as 此致, 祝, 愿…. Second line: leave two blank character spaces, using words such as: 敬礼, 健康、安好…

London attractions: Food: Activities: 大英博物馆(dà yīng bó wù guǎn)，自然历史博物馆(zì rán lì shĭ bó wù guǎn) ，伦敦塔桥(lún dūn tă qiáo)，蜡像馆(là xiàng guăn)，伦敦动物园(lún dūn dòng wù yuán)…… Food: 炸鱼薯条(zhá yú shǔ tiáo)，点心(diăn xīn)，英式下午茶(yīng shì xià wǔ chá)，意大利面(yì dà lì miàn)…… Activities: 电影(diàn yĭng)，音乐剧(yīn yuè jù) ，交响乐(jiāo xiăng yuè)，芭蕾舞(bā léi wǔ )，魔术表演(mó shù biăo yăn) ……

Writing time: 亲 爱 的 姑 ： 你 好 ！ 想 念 去 年 夏 天 来 英 国 ， 我 们 度 过 了 一 段 快 乐 时 光 起 参 观 大 博 物 馆 到 唐 人 街 吃 点 心 还 看 电 影 。 希 望 明 春 节 可 以 回 北 京 爷 奶 和 全 家 敬 祝 安 侄 女 小 丽 二 零 十 月 八 日

Acknowledgement: Produced as part of the London China Town Oral History Project with materials from CMHA and Ming-Ai (London) Institute. Lesson plan designed by Ming-Ai (London) Institute. Oral History Project London Chinatown

The End Thank You Oral History Project London Chinatown

Picture references: London Chinatown Oral History Project http://www.ceweekly.cn/UploadFiles/2011-12/liuyang/2011121216421211238.jpg http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/media/Episode-1-Chinatownoath.jpg http://www.ccubedmedia.co.uk/talkofhome/static/history/1855.jpg http://images.npg.org.uk/790_500/2/0/mw147820.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVCTCVhPf28/TVSxYB-IAaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/g1nCE99AkeM/s1600/800px-The_Signing_of_the_Treaty_of_Nanking.jpg http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/chinatown-in-limehouse-1927.jpg http://untoldlondon.org.uk/files/seed_chinatown_250x133%20china%201.jpg http://images.chinahighlights.com/city/hong-kong/hong-kong-tourist-map-b.jpg http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/south_east_asia_map.jpg http://www.britishbornchinesedb.org.uk/chinese-immigration.html http://www.chinatouristmaps.com http://www.ccubedmedia.co.uk/talkofhome/history.html Oral History Project London Chinatown