图片来源：nbcnews.com
Photo credits to nbcnews.com
太阳舞狮团在唐人街牌楼下的演出
Members of the Philadelphia Suns perform the Lion Dance under the Chinatown Friendship Gate
This is the second in a series of “Community Voices” articles developed by New Mainstream Press in partnership with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, with support from the Independence Public Media Foundation. The “Community Voices” project aims to increase the visibility of the Asian American communities in Philadelphia. The series, sourced from grassroots networks and community leaders, will further highlight the Community’s strengths, challenges, and histories through a yearlong feature series of journalistic work about post-COVID reopening.
When you catch sight of an ancient-style Chinese archway, you know you are in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Through the arch, past a myriad of shops proudly displaying neon Chinese characters, a trendy little ice cream shop comes into view. Behold Surreal Creamery.陈学海，正在专心地为顾客制作一个花式冰激凌。今年22岁的他，是德雷赛尔大学的在校学生。这家甜品店里勤工俭学的他，每天下班后都会穿越半个费城，从唐人街回到位于东北费的家。
Wayne Chen is a 22 year-old Drexel University student who makes the daily commute from Northeast Philly to work at Chinatown’s Surreal Creamery.
Although Wayne ‘s family doesn’t live in Chinatown, he is no stranger to it. His parents immigrated from Fuzhou, China, to the United States many years ago and ran a restaurant in Chinatown. Two months after Chen Xuehai was born, his parents moved out of Chinatown in their search for better living conditions and a safer environment.. His father now works as a chef in a restaurant in Northeast Philly and his mother manages a doughnut shop.虽然尚在襁褓之中的陈雪海对唐人街的初印象是一片空白，但是在之后的22年，他的生活和唐人街紧密相连。在采访中，陈学海说，“虽然我没有住在唐人街，但是经常去唐人街玩，也会和父母一起到唐人街拜访一些朋友”。
Despite having moved out of Chinatown as an infant, Wayne’s life remained closely intertwined with that of the Chinatown community. “Although I don’t live in Chinatown, I often visit and occasionally go there with my parents to visit some friends.”在中学时代，陈学海还参加了费城亚裔联合会组织的“年轻领导人”的活动，比如给一些小朋友当老师，这让他在学生时代受益匪浅，同时对费城唐人街有更多了解。谈到唐人街的变化，陈学海说：“我觉得费城唐人街发生了很大变化。现在更加多样化。现在，唐人街有各种各样的店铺，增加了很多更时尚的店铺，前些年，感觉街上华人很多，现在各种肤色的人都有，游客也很多。”
In high school participated in the “Young Leaders” programs spearheaded by the “Asian American United” organization, Tutoring young children through the program greatly benefited him, giving him further insight into Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Regarding changes in Chinatown, Wayne says, “I think there have been significant changes in Philly’s Chinatown. It has become more diverse. Now, you can find various types of shops, including many trendy ones. In the past, it felt like there were mostly Chinese people on the streets, but now you see people of all ethnicities and many tourists as well.”陈学海勤工俭学所在的这家冰淇凌店就是一家很多年轻人喜欢的“网红店”。虽然有很多华人想和他讲中文，但是也有很多说英文的客人光顾。陈学海明显地感觉到，在工作中越来越多地使用英文和顾客交流。
The ice cream shop where Wayne works is a “hotspot” loved by many young people. While some customers speak to him in Chinese, he also increasingly communicates with English-speaking customers.
Apart from work, Wayne also spends time in Chinatown with his friends. “Recently, I’ve been enjoying eating at ‘Cily Chicken Rice’ in Chinatown with my friends, and we also come here to sing karaoke.” Wayne also described a personal Chinatown favorite,”It’s called ‘Ming River Sidewalk Cafe,’ a small place selling Fujian breakfast and snacks. I also like Western food, but I still maintain my ‘Chinese stomach.’ Maybe it’s because I frequently ate at this little eatery when I was very young, so every time I go there, I feel very comfortable, like coming home.”
高宇恒、高瑾萱：
更好的治安，更多的绿地，唐人街的未来就是我们的未来
Stanley and Miranda Gao:
Better public safety, more green spaces, Chinatown’s future is our future.
Stanley Gao and Miranda Gao are siblings living with their parents and grandparents in Chinatown. Their parents came to Philadelphia about 20 years ago, their father previously working in restaurants and now being employed as a construction worker while their mother takes care of them at home. Their residence is on the quieter side of Chinatown, near Vine Street.哥哥高宇恒是费城中央高中的学生。妹妹高瑾萱在离唐人街几个街区的McCall学校读初三。在唐人街生活多年，兄妹两人对费城市中心这块小天地如数家珍。“我觉得费城唐人街最让人着迷的是各种各样的美食，”哥哥高宇恒说，他认为虽然唐人街面积不大，但是它的价值被远远低估了。
Elder brother Stanley Gao is a student at Central High in Philadelphia. Miranda attends school a few blocks away at McCall Elementary and Middle School. Having lived in Chinatown for many years, the siblings hold a deep affection for this small corner of the city. “I think what fascinates me most about Philadelphia’s Chinatown is the variety of cuisines,” said Stanley. He believes that even though Chinatown is small, its value is underestimated.
For Miranda, regardless of where she wants to go, Chinatown will always be her starting point. “I find Chinatown very convenient; from here, I can easily reach all the places I want to go, such as restaurants, shops, green spaces, bus stops, museums, and schools, not to mention the amazing food here.”说到这几年让唐人街的变化，妹妹觉得和以前相比，感觉有更多的人来唐人街，但是也有隐忧，好像越来越多的商店关门，很多人搬走了。“我们班上华人学生不少，但是只有4，5个学生住在唐人街”。而哥哥则几乎更加犀利，他最明显的感觉是警察局搬走之后，唐人街变得不安全。高宇恒说，“我还听我妈妈说，他们要在唐人街警察局的原址上建一个青少年管教中心。说实话我很震惊， 感觉对唐人街不太好。”
Speaking about the changes in Chinatown over the past few years, Miranda feels that “compared to before, it seems like more people are coming to Chinatown. But there are concerns, too, because it seems like more stores are closing, and many people have moved away. Many Chinese students are in our class, but only 4 or 5 live in Chinatown.” Stanley observed that Chinatown became less safe after the police station moved away. He said, “I also heard from my mom that they plan to build a juvenile detention center on the former site of the Chinatown police station. Honestly, I’m shocked and feel it’s not good for Chinatown.”
Like many of the students living in Chinatown, Stanley commutes to school using the Septa subway. He still vividly remembers the incident in the fall of 2021 when a Chinese female student was assaulted on the Septa. He had just started high school. “Later on, I became a contact between various communities and school districts to ensure that the Philadelphia School District is well-informed about all students’ safety, including Asian students,” said Stanley.哥哥高宇恒认为在亚裔群体越来越多站出来勇敢发声的今天，唐人街会给华人带来一种身份认同感，他说，“我是太阳舞狮队的成员，参加过灯节的拍卖，还在唐人街中秋晚会当志愿者。各种活动我都会积极参加。因为这些都有助于我们了解自己的文化。”
Regarding the increasing number of Asians who share their stories today, Stanley believes that Chinatown will bring a greater sense of identity to Chinese people. He said, “I am a member of the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team. I have participated in the Lantern Festival auction and volunteered at the Mid-Autumn Festival event in Chinatown. I actively participate in various activities because they help us understand our culture.”
As for the topic of identity, Miranda believes that “a sense of identity is an inner feeling that can come from many sources, such as our family and parents. Although I live in Chinatown, I don’t deliberately set something to feel the presence of Chinese culture; it naturally gives me a sense of identity.”在面对 “如果有机会向费城市长提问，你们问他什么？”这个问题的时候，哥哥高宇恒没有丝毫犹豫地回答：“我想问问他，有什么理由来证明76人队的新球馆，还有青少年管教中心是对唐人街好的东西？政府的人一直说这些对唐人街好，但是我没有看到数据，也没有看到具体的理由。你怎么证明它们是好的？”
When asked what they would like to ask the Mayor of Philadelphia if given the opportunity, Stanley had no hesitation in answering, “I want to ask him to prove the new stadium for the 76ers and the juvenile detention center are good for Chinatown. Government officials always claim these projects are good for Chinatown, but I haven’t seen any data or specific reasons. How do you prove they are good?”妹妹高瑾萱的态度更加坚决，“我们需要更好的治安，更多的绿地。唐人街的华人商业很稳固，有很多很传统的中国店铺，如果有空间的话增加一些别的店铺也可以。但是我们不需要76人队这样的项目，青少年管教中心也还是算了吧。”
Miranda’s attitude is even more resolute, “We need better public safety and more green spaces. The Chinese businesses in Chinatown are stable, and we want more traditional Chinese restaurants. Adding other stores is also okay if there is space for them, but we don’t need projects like the 76ers’ stadium, and let’s forget about the juvenile detention center too.”
Nina Zimmerman is a 20 year-old white college student at Tufts University. Having been born in Hong Kong and then having lived in Beijing for fourteen years, Nina is a fluent Mandarin speaker.
Six years ago, Nina bid farewell to China and moved with her family from Beijing to Philadelphia. For this reason, Philadelphia’s Chinatown evokes fond memories of her time in Beijing. She says, “The vegetables and fruits sold on the roadside and the people walking on the sidewalks always remind me of China. It’s very similar.”That being said, the compactness of Chinatown prevents Nina from fully feeling like she’s back in Beijing. “Chinatown might create a stronger connection to China if it could span more streets as opposed to being something reminiscent of an isolated island in the center of Philadelphia ”
Given the fact that Nina currently attends college in Boston, she hasn’t had many opportunities to visit Chinatown. That being said, whenever she has the time , she heads straight over to enjoy the various food options. Her favorite restaurants include Mango Mango Dessert and Nom Wah, and she especially enjoys “Happy Lamb” hotpot, saying, “It’s so yummy!”当云轩听说76人队新球馆计划的时候，她一脸震惊的表情。“太可怕了！每一个费城人都是平等的公民，任何把他们从自己生活的地方赶走都是不能被接受的行为。”在云轩看来，费城追求“兄弟之爱”，想要发展体育产业，发展经济，这些都没有问题。但是这些目标都不能影响到费城的历史文化街区，这才是关键。
When Nina heard about the plans for the new stadium for the 76ers, her face expressed shock. “It’s terrifying! Every citizen in Philadelphia should be treated equally, and any action that drives them away from their homes is unacceptable.” According to Nina, while Philadelphia may pursue brotherly love and the development of sports and the economy, none of these goals should infringe upon the historic and cultural districts of the city.“我觉得唐人街不仅不能被侵占，还需要更好地保护起来，比如把她设立为历史文化保护街区，把和唐人街不同步的东西都清理出去，让她变得更纯粹。”
“I think Chinatown not only should not be encroached upon but also needs better protection, such as being designated as a historical and cultural preservation district, and anything that doesn’t align with Chinatown’s essence should be removed to make it purer.”在我们完成采访之后，云轩已经启程前往中国台湾，她将在那里游学，度过暑假。可以确信的是，在她回到费城的时候，唐人街还在。希望她每一次回来，唐人街都会在那里静静地等她。
Following our interview, Nina left for Taiwan where she will study and spend her summer vacation. She anticipates trips to Chinatown upon her return to Philadelphia; hopefully, Chinatown will still be quietly waiting for her everytime she returns.
Olivia Mack is a teacher at Folk Arts Cultural – Treasures Charter School and she primarily works with students struggling with their studies as a result classes being moved online post-pandemic. . Her job is to help students who are struggling with their studies. Due to the pandemic, many classes have shifted online, and the effectiveness of online learning is not as good as in-person classes, resulting in some children falling behind.今年是麦永青在民艺特许学校工作的第三年。学校里大部分学生是华裔，他们住在唐人街或者唐人街周边，说普通话，广东话，福建话，这让麦永青在工作中游刃有余。因为她懂一些普通话和广东话，所以她在教学中，会帮助说英语的老师做一些翻译。“当孩子们他们看到华人老师用他们听得懂的语言为他们讲课，他们会更容易接受。”谈着自己工作的时候，麦永青一脸的自豪。
This year marks Olivia’s third year working at the Folk Arts Cultural – Treasures Charter School. Most of the students there are of Chinese descent living in or around Chinatown and they converse in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fujianese, allowing Olivia to navigate her work. Her fluency in both Mandarin and Cantonese is especially handy as she is able to translate for her English-speaking colleagues. She believes that when students work with Chinese teachers using language they understand, it helps them better connect with the learning process. Olivia takes pride in her work and speaks fondly of her experiences.
Like many young people, Olivia’s parents moved away from Chinatown during her childhood. However, she still has profound memories of. Her parents are both of Chinese descent，her father being born in Vietnam and her mother being born in Laos. They immigrated to the United States when they were very young. Olivia’s early years were spent living with her parents in a fish shop they owned in Chinatown. She recalls the busy atmosphere of the shop, both people and delivery trucks coming and going.“那个时候的唐人街很热闹，有很多节庆活动，春节和中秋都有。大家还会在唐人街的教堂那边烧烤。现在也有，就是没有那么多了。”遗憾的是，一场大火把她父母的鱼店烧毁，那之后，她和父母搬到了南费城。现在，她的父亲做一些建筑方面的工作，她的妈妈在一家银行上班。
“Chinatown was vibrant back then, with many festive events like Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. People used to have barbecues near the church in Chinatown. Some of these activities still happen, but not as frequently.” Unfortunately, a fire broke out in her parents’ fish shop, leading them to move to South Philadelphia. Her father currently works in construction and her mother works at a bank.不过唐人街带给麦永青的那份归属感，却在春节庆祝活动中的舞狮表演中得到了延续。麦永青回忆道，她的叔叔在高中的时候就参加了费城唐人街的太阳舞狮队。他毕业之后继续参加一些社区活动，比如在少儿舞狮队中当老师。“我记得在我们打完篮球之后，会有20分钟的时间，大家一起学习舞狮的技巧，比如怎样想像狮子一样走路，做动作。如果有人想更深入的学习，大家就在每周日，戴着狮头，穿上行头儿，跟着音乐练习。”
However, Olivia’s sense of belonging to Chinatown found continuity through Chinese New Year lion dance performances. Her uncle was a member of the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team in Chinatown when he was in high school. After graduating, he continued to be involved in community activities, including coaching a junior lion dance team. “I remember that after playing basketball, we would spend 20 minutes together learning lion dance techniques, such as walking and performing like a lion. If someone wanted to learn more, we practiced on Sundays, wearing lion heads and costumes, following the music.”
“I was pulled into learning lion dance by my uncle. When I got there, I found many of my friends, including teammates I played basketball with at school, were also part of the Sun Lion Dance Team. We all lived in or near Chinatown and knew each other, so we became friends.”
Even before joining the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team, Olivia had some exposure to Lion Dance. Her grandmother bought DVDs of lion dance performances and showed them to Olivia and her brother. Those videos featured more professional performances, with lions leaping and doing acrobatics on poles. Witnessing live Lion Dance performances awakened a deep sense of cultural identity within Olivia’s heart.
During the Chinese New Year, the Philadelphia Suns Lion Dance Team in Chinatown would be very busy, performing almost every weekend from February to April. “I usually don’t do the lion head in the performance because it’s more challenging. I prefer to handle the lion tail.” During the interview, Olivia recalled a time when she exerted all her strength to swing the lion’s tail. “I enjoy performing Lion Dance because so many people are watching, and they love it. I didn’t realize how joyful it is to share my culture with others.” Lion Dance connects Olivia to both Chinatown and e rich traditional Chinese culture, she celebrates its significance.虽然不住在唐人街，但是麦永青同样关心着费城唐人街的未来。“我觉得不管我是不是住在这里，唐人街都是我的家。我对一切都很熟悉，可以随时找到朋友，一起逛街聊天。我感觉唐人街的人都特别好，大都互相关心。”
Although she doesn’t live in Chinatown, Olivia still cares deeply about its future. “Regardless of whether I live here or not, Chinatown is my home. I am familiar with everything here, and I can always find friends to hang out and chat with. People in Chinatown are so nice and caring.”和不少年轻人一样，麦永青对唐人街的未来有些担忧，她担心有更多的店铺关门，更多的人离开。对于76人队的新球馆计划，她同样表示了担忧。“我个人认为这不是一个好主意，之前，也有一些‘挤压’唐人街的计划，像一些赌场，高速路，我觉得这些会为唐人街带来更多人流和车流，让唐人街变得越来越小。这些对于唐人街的原住民来说非常的不公平。这些不是唐人街需要的东西。
Like many young people, Olivia worries about Chinatown’s future. She fears that more shops will close and more people will leave. She also expresses concern about the plans for the new stadium for the Philadelphia 76ers. “I personally don’t think it’s a good idea. There have been previous plans that squeezed Chinatown, such as casinos and highways. I feel that these things bring more traffic and make Chinatown smaller. It’s not what Chinatown needs, and it’s not fair to the longtime residents of Chinatown.”
As the sun sets in the west, the Philadelphia Chinatown is bathed in a golden glow. Stanley Gao and Miranda Gao are diligently completing their family homework. Wayne Chen is sitting at Ming River sidewalk cafe,having just been served a bowl of wonton soup. Olivia Mack is watching the last few students in her class being picked up by their parents.巧合的是，麦永青所工作的民艺特许学校和保护唐人街的运动有了密不可分的联系。这所获得美国“蓝丝带”奖的特许学校就是在唐人街民众齐心合力“一举歼灭”了棒球场及赌场进驻唐人街的计划之后，建立和发展起来的。她和唐人街的一砖一瓦，一草一木，一人一狗，都记录着费城唐人街经历过的风雨，更承载着唐人街的沉甸甸的未来……
Coincidentally Folk Arts Cultural – Treasures Charter Schoolwhere Olivia works, is an example of the growing movement to protect Chinatown. This charter school, which has received the prestigious “Blue Ribbon” award, was developed as the direct result of the successful efforts of the unified Chinatown community’s ability to prevent infrastructural plans of building a baseball field and casino from going into effect.
The Folk Arts Cultural – Treasures Charter School ‘s presence is intertwined with everything in Chinatown, bearing witness to the trials and tribulations the neighborhood has experienced and carrying the weight of its future…
