Ta chen decries Distortions/Stereotypes of Chinatown and Chinese Culture
One hundred years ago today …Ta Chen, a Chinese-born social scientist living in New York City, wrote a letter to the Tribune decrying the distorted view of Chinese culture within US society. His main concern was that relations between American and Chinese people would suffer as a result of such misrepresentations: “These false and exaggerated exhibits of Chinese life tend to estrange the good feelings of the Americans and the Chinese.”
New York Tribune, 27 March 1921, p. 18. Library of Congress.
In the letter, which the Tribune published on March 27, Chen describes hearing a lecturer (presumably white) talk about NYC's Chinatown.
The Chinese immigrants in this country came from Canton and its vicinity, with a population not much larger than that of Boston. Their traditions and folkways are therefore not! those of the entire Chinese nation. Chinatown no more represents China than the Bowery typifies New York City. The American will unavoidably get a wrong impression of the Chinese if his inferences are chiefly drawn from what he sees or reads about Chinatown.
Ta Chen mentions his visit the famous Joss House (prayer center) of 20 Mott Street (now long gone) which happened to be photographed a few days later by the Daily News.
Daily News, 30 March 1921, p. 20. Newspapers.com
The News caption: “The Joss House on Mott Street, one of the big attractions of "slumming" parties, ever seeking new thrills”.
Indeed, voyeuristic New Yorkers could take commercial tours of Chinatown:
Brooklyn Citizen, 28 March 1921, p. 15. Newspapers.com.
As for Ta Chen, he was a researcher affiliated with Columbia university; he is described as “sometime fellow of Columbia University” on the cover of his 1921 book, Japanese Immigration to China, published by Chinese Patriotic Committee of new York City.
– Jonathan Goldman, March 23, 2021
TAGS: Chinatown, Asian American History, Chinese American culture, bigotry, racism, AAPI