Chinatown, Flushing
Encyclopedia
Chinatown, Flushing, or Flushing Chinatown (法拉盛華埠), in the Flushing
area of the borough of Queens
in New York City
, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Chinese
enclaves outside of Asia
, as well as within New York City itself. In Mandarin
, Flushing is known as "Falasheng" (simplified Chinese: 法拉盛; pinyin
: Fǎlāshèng).
and the area to its west, particularly along Roosevelt Avenue, have become the primary nexus of Flushing Chinatown. However, Chinatown continues to expand southeastward along Kissena Boulevard and northward beyond Northern Boulevard. 40.74221°N 73.87863°W
were the first Chinese immigrants to arrive and developed Flushing's Chinatown. It was known as Little Taipei or Little Taiwan. However, over the years many new Chinese immigrants from different regions of China
have arrived, and now the Chinese population is very mixed, with different provincial languages and cultures.
, both legal and illegal in origin, continue to spur the ongoing rise of the ethnic Chinese population in Flushing Chinatown, as in all of New York City's Chinatowns. Given its particularly rapidly growing status, the Flushing Chinatown may surpass in size and population the original New York City Chinatown in the borough of Manhattan
within a few years, and it is debatable whether this has already happened.
Number 7
line has its terminus at Flushing-Main Street; the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, at the heart of Flushing Chinatown, is the third busiest intersection in New York City, behind only Times Square and 34th Street/Herald Square in Manhattan. Numerous other public bus and rail connections also serve Chinatown at the Main Street/Roosevelt Avenue intersection, including Q12, Q13, Q15, Q16, Q17, Q19, Q20A/B, Q25, Q34, Q26, Q27, Q28, Q44, Q48 (to LaGuardia Airport
), Q58, Q65, Q66, Q50, N20, N21, and the Long Island Railroad. Flushing Chinatown is also readily accessible by automobile from several major highways, namely the Grand Central Parkway
(via the Northern Boulevard exit), the Long Island Expressway, the Whitestone Expressway, and the Van Wyck Expressway.
, the lingua franca
of Mainland China; others profess to provide students with intensive training in computer and technological proficiency; while still others entice high school students with rigorous preparatory classes for college entrance examinations in mathematics, science, and English literacy.
-born John Liu
, former New York City Council
member representing District 20, which includes Flushing Chinatown and other northern Queens neighborhoods, was elected to his current position of New York City Comptroller
in November 2009. Concomitantly, Peter Koo
, born in Shanghai
, China
was elected to succeed Liu to assume this council membership seat.
Parade has become a growing annual celebration of Chinese New Year
in Flushing Chinatown. Here in this Flushing Chinatown are home to two large Chinese supermarkets selling different food varieties, which are Hong Kong Supermarket
and New York Supermarket. They also happen to be fast growing Chinese chain supermarkets in America.
from every part of China are ubiquitously accessible in Flushing Chinatown, including Taiwanese
, Shanghainese
, Hunanese
, Szechuan
, Cantonese
, Fujianese, Xinjiang, Zhejiang
, and Korean Chinese cuisine
. Even the relatively obscure Dongbei
style of cuisine indigenous to Northeast China
is now available in Flushing Chinatown, as well as Mongolian cuisine
.
), Fuzhou dialect
, Min Nan
Fujianese
, Wu Chinese, Beijing dialect
, Wenzhounese, Shanghainese
, Cantonese
, Taiwanese, and English are all prevalently spoken in Flushing Chinatown.
is located at the intersection of Kissena Boulevard and Main Street in Chinatown. This library houses an auditorium for public events.
, is a major medical center providing Flushing Chinatown as well as surrounding communities with comprehensive medical care services. Numerous tertiary medical clinics also serve the residents of Chinatown.
, another neighborhood in the borough of Queens, also has a large and growing Chinese community. Previously a small area with Chinese shops on Broadway between 81st Street and Cornish Avenue, this newly evolved second Chinatown in Queens has now expanded to 45th Avenue and Whitney Avenue.
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
area of the borough of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
enclaves outside of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, as well as within New York City itself. In Mandarin
Standard Chinese
Standard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
, Flushing is known as "Falasheng" (simplified Chinese: 法拉盛; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Fǎlāshèng).
Location
Main StreetMain Street, Flushing
Main Street, Flushing is a major street in Queens, New York City. It extends from Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens to Northern Boulevard in Flushing....
and the area to its west, particularly along Roosevelt Avenue, have become the primary nexus of Flushing Chinatown. However, Chinatown continues to expand southeastward along Kissena Boulevard and northward beyond Northern Boulevard. 40.74221°N 73.87863°W
History
In the 1970s, a Chinese community established a foothold in the neighborhood of Flushing, whose demographic constituency had been predominantly non-Hispanic white. The TaiwaneseTaiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
were the first Chinese immigrants to arrive and developed Flushing's Chinatown. It was known as Little Taipei or Little Taiwan. However, over the years many new Chinese immigrants from different regions of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
have arrived, and now the Chinese population is very mixed, with different provincial languages and cultures.
Demographics
A 1986 estimate by the Flushing Chinese Business Association approximated 60,000 Chinese in Flushing alone. By 1990, Asians constituted 41% of the population of the core area of Flushing, with Chinese in turn representing 41% of the Asian population. However, ethnic Chinese are constituting an increasingly dominant proportion of the Asian population as well as of the overall population in Flushing and its Chinatown. Massive and relentless immigration from Mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, both legal and illegal in origin, continue to spur the ongoing rise of the ethnic Chinese population in Flushing Chinatown, as in all of New York City's Chinatowns. Given its particularly rapidly growing status, the Flushing Chinatown may surpass in size and population the original New York City Chinatown in the borough of Manhattan
Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan's Chinatown , home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
within a few years, and it is debatable whether this has already happened.
Transportation
The New York City SubwayNew York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
Number 7
7 (New York City Subway service)
The 7 Flushing Local and 7 Flushing Express are rapid transit services of the New York City Subway, providing local and express services along the full length of the IRT Flushing Line...
line has its terminus at Flushing-Main Street; the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, at the heart of Flushing Chinatown, is the third busiest intersection in New York City, behind only Times Square and 34th Street/Herald Square in Manhattan. Numerous other public bus and rail connections also serve Chinatown at the Main Street/Roosevelt Avenue intersection, including Q12, Q13, Q15, Q16, Q17, Q19, Q20A/B, Q25, Q34, Q26, Q27, Q28, Q44, Q48 (to LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
), Q58, Q65, Q66, Q50, N20, N21, and the Long Island Railroad. Flushing Chinatown is also readily accessible by automobile from several major highways, namely the Grand Central Parkway
Grand Central Parkway
The Grand Central Parkway is a parkway that stretches from the RFK-Triborough Bridge in New York City to Nassau County on Long Island. At the Queens-Nassau border, it becomes the Northern State Parkway, which runs across the northern part of Long Island through Nassau County and into Suffolk...
(via the Northern Boulevard exit), the Long Island Expressway, the Whitestone Expressway, and the Van Wyck Expressway.
Educational centers
In accompaniment with its rapid growth, Flushing Chinatown in particular has witnessed the proliferation of highly competitive businesses touted as educational centers as well as non-profit organizations declaring the intent to educate the community. Some entities offer education in MandarinStandard Chinese
Standard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
, the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
of Mainland China; others profess to provide students with intensive training in computer and technological proficiency; while still others entice high school students with rigorous preparatory classes for college entrance examinations in mathematics, science, and English literacy.
Political clout
The political stature of Flushing Chinatown appears to be increasing significantly. TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
-born John Liu
John Liu
John Chun Liu is a New York City elected official, currently serving as New York City Comptroller. Liu previously served on the New York City Council representing District 20...
, former New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
member representing District 20, which includes Flushing Chinatown and other northern Queens neighborhoods, was elected to his current position of New York City Comptroller
New York City Comptroller
The Office of Comptroller of New York City is the chief fiscal officer and chief auditing officer of the city. The comptroller is elected, citywide, to a four-year term and can hold office for three consecutive terms. The current comptroller is Democrat John Liu, formerly a member of the New York...
in November 2009. Concomitantly, Peter Koo
Peter Koo
Peter Koo is a New York City-based American politician. He is a Republican member of the New York City Council, representing City Council District 20, which includes the Queens neighborhoods of Flushing, Queensboro Hill, Mitchell Gardens, Kissena Park, Harding Heights, Auburndale, and parts of...
, born in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
was elected to succeed Liu to assume this council membership seat.
Center of Chinese culture
Flushing Chinatown now rivals Manhattan's Chinatown as a center of Chinese culture. The Lunar New YearChinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
Parade has become a growing annual celebration of Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
in Flushing Chinatown. Here in this Flushing Chinatown are home to two large Chinese supermarkets selling different food varieties, which are Hong Kong Supermarket
Hong Kong Supermarket
Hong Kong Supermarket is a growing supermarket chain in the Los Angeles region of Southern California. It operates mainly in the newer suburban overseas Chinese communities, particularly in the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City areas....
and New York Supermarket. They also happen to be fast growing Chinese chain supermarkets in America.
Cuisine
The popular styles of Chinese cuisineChinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
from every part of China are ubiquitously accessible in Flushing Chinatown, including Taiwanese
Taiwanese cuisine
Taiwanese cuisine has several variations. In addition to the following representative dishes from the people of Hoklo ethnicity , there are also Aboriginal, Hakka, and local derivatives of Chinese cuisines .Taiwanese cuisine itself is often associated with influences from mid to southern...
, Shanghainese
Shanghai cuisine
Shanghai cuisine , also known as Hu cai is a popular style of Chinese cuisine. The city of Shanghai itself does not have a separate and unique cuisine of its own, but modifies those of the surrounding provinces, is Jiangsu and Zhejiang coastal provinces. What can be called Shanghai cuisine is...
, Hunanese
Hunan cuisine
Hunan cuisine, sometimes called Xiang cuisine , consists of the cuisines of the Xiang River region, Dongting Lake and western Hunan Province, in China. Hunan cuisine consists of three styles:...
, Szechuan
Szechuan cuisine
Szechuan cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, or Szechwan cuisine is a style of Chinese cuisine originating in the Sichuan Province of southwestern China famed for bold flavors, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic and chili peppers, as well as the unique flavour of...
, Cantonese
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
, Fujianese, Xinjiang, Zhejiang
Zhejiang cuisine
Zhejiang cuisine is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China. It is derived from the native cooking styles of the Zhejiang region in China...
, and Korean Chinese cuisine
Korean Chinese cuisine
Korean Chinese cuisine is derived from traditional Chinese cuisine but has been influenced by local ingredients in Korea. Due to geographical proximity, most Korean-Chinese dishes are derived from Northern styles of Chinese cuisine such as Beijing and Shandong cuisine. However, some have regarded...
. Even the relatively obscure Dongbei
Northeastern Chinese cuisine
Northeastern Chinese cuisine is a style of Chinese cuisine in Northeastern China. Many dishes originated from Manchu cuisine. It relies heavily on preserved foods and hearty fare due to the harsh winters and relatively short growing seasons...
style of cuisine indigenous to Northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
is now available in Flushing Chinatown, as well as Mongolian cuisine
Mongolian cuisine
Mongolian cuisine refers to the local culinary traditions of Mongolia and Mongolian styled dishes. The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat, and animal fats. Use of vegetables and spices is limited...
.
Languages
Mandarin Chinese (including Northeastern MandarinNortheastern Mandarin
Northeastern Mandarin is the dialect of Mandarin Chinese spoken in what historically was Manchuria. It is very similar to the Beijing dialect upon which Standard Chinese is based.-Geographical spread:...
), Fuzhou dialect
Fuzhou dialect
Fuzhou dialect , also known as Foochow dialect, Foochow, Foochowese, Fuzhounese, or Fuzhouhua, is considered the standard dialect of Min Dong, which is a branch of Min Chinese mainly spoken in the eastern part of Fujian Province. Native speakers also call it ' , meaning the language spoken in...
, Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
Fujianese
Fujianese
Fujianese refers to someone or something related to or originating in Fujian. This may be:* The Minbe di of Northern Fujian, This is the customary use of the word in English....
, Wu Chinese, Beijing dialect
Beijing dialect
Beijing dialect, or Pekingese , is the dialect of Mandarin spoken in the urban area of Beijing, China. It is the phonological basis of Standard Chinese, which is used by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China , and Singapore....
, Wenzhounese, Shanghainese
Shanghainese
Shanghainese , or the Shanghai language , is a dialect of Wu Chinese spoken in the city of Shanghai and the surrounding region. It is classified as part of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. Shanghainese, like other Wu dialects, is largely not mutually intelligible with other Chinese varieties...
, Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
, Taiwanese, and English are all prevalently spoken in Flushing Chinatown.
Public institutions
The largest of the Flushing branches of the Queens Borough Public LibraryQueens Borough Public Library
The Queens Library, also known as the Queens Borough Public Library, is the public library for the Borough of Queens and one of three library systems serving New York City. It was the No. 1 library system in the United States by circulation, having loaned 21 million items in the 2007 fiscal year.It...
is located at the intersection of Kissena Boulevard and Main Street in Chinatown. This library houses an auditorium for public events.
Medical care
New York Hospital Queens, a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare SystemNewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System
The NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System is a network of independent, cooperating, acute-care and community hospitals, continuum-of-care facilities, home-health agencies, ambulatory sites, and specialty institutes in the New York metropolitan area....
, is a major medical center providing Flushing Chinatown as well as surrounding communities with comprehensive medical care services. Numerous tertiary medical clinics also serve the residents of Chinatown.
Social services
A diverse array of social services geared toward assisting recent as well as established Chinese immigrants is readily available in Flushing Chinatown.Chinatown, Elmhurst (唐人街, 艾姆赫斯特)
ElmhurstElmhurst, Queens
Elmhurst is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue on the north; Corona to the northeast; Junction Boulevard on the east; Rego Park to the southeast; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Middle Village to the south and southwest; and Maspeth...
, another neighborhood in the borough of Queens, also has a large and growing Chinese community. Previously a small area with Chinese shops on Broadway between 81st Street and Cornish Avenue, this newly evolved second Chinatown in Queens has now expanded to 45th Avenue and Whitney Avenue.
See also
- Chinatown, Brooklyn (布鲁克林華埠)Chinatown, BrooklynChinatown, Brooklyn, or Brooklyn Chinatown , in the Sunset Park area of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Chinese enclaves outside of Asia, as well as within New York City itself...
- Chinatown, Manhattan (紐約華埠)Chinatown, ManhattanManhattan's Chinatown , home to one of the highest concentrations of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere, is located in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
- Manhattan's Little Fuzhou (小福州)East Broadway (Manhattan)East Broadway is a two-way east-west street in the Chinatown and Lower East Side neighborhoods of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Broadway begins at Chatham Square and runs eastward under the Manhattan Bridge, continues past Seward Park and the eastern end of Canal Street, and ends...
- ChinatownChinatownA Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
- Chinatowns in Canada and the United States
- List of Chinatowns in the United States