Chinese Immigrant Entertainment

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Entertainment In Chinatown

Chinese Restaurant
Chinese Restaurant
Smoking Opium in a Joint
Smoking Opium in a Joint

With the lack of Chinese people compared to the many other ethnicity in the city, Chinatown was used as a source of companionship. They would often flock to Mott Street in the evening or on Sunday to socialize, gamble, smoke opium, get mail, hear news of their home village, and other things.[1]


In 1872, Wo Kee’s establishment also played a role as a social club and a center for entertainment. The establishment was used to pick up mail, get tips on work opportunities, while the basement allowed for gambling, lounging, and eating. The upstairs of the establishment was used as sleeping quarters and used for cigar making.[2]



Theater

The Beginning

In June 1889, the traveling Swin Tien Lo Company arrived to New York from San Francisco to perform at the Windsor Theater on the Bowery, making it possible for the New York Chinese theater to begin professionally. A wealthy merchant rented a Doyers Street basement and hired thirty actors, opening the first Cantonese theater for the community in 1893.[3]

The Chinese Opera

Chinese Opera
Chinese Opera

Being a popular part of Chinese culture, the Chinese Opera dates back to the Tang Dynasty with Emperor Xuanzong (712-755). Originally this form of drama and musical theatre was created to perform for the emperors’ personal pleasure and the first known opera troupe in China was “Pear Garden.” Up to today, the people who are part of the Chinese Opera are called “Disciples of Pear Garden.” A form called Zaju or variety play became popular in Chines Opera, which acts based on rhyme schemes and special roles were introduced. The special roles were Dan, Sheng, Hua, and Chou, which are female, male, painted-face, and clown in that order. But as Chinese Opera became more popular, more forms came out of different dynasties and over 350 forms of opera exists today.

Out of all the forms of Chinese Opera, the one that was most popular was the Beijing Opera, where they would play traditional Chinese strings and percussion instruments. This provided a rhythmic fusion with the acting, which made the gestures, footwork, and body movements of the actors more effective. The part that caught the attention of the people most though was the elaborate make-up designs that portrayed which character was acting.

In the opera, one of the main parts is the actual script but the most important part is the performers. The performers must utilize four main skills: song, speech, dance acting, and combat. In dance, they are required to know pure dance, pantomime, and all other types of traditional dances. For combat, they must be able to fight with all manner of weaponry and have acrobatic skills. But in performing, they must be able to use all for skills effortlessly to keep the feel of the performance alive. [4]

Books

Many American born Chinese have made contributions to the world of literature in American culture in recent years. Two notable writers of Chinese background are Maxine Hong Kingston and Jade Snow Wong. [5]


Maxine Hong Kingston & Jade Snow Wong

Maxine Hong Kingston
Maxine Hong Kingston
Jade Snow Wong
Jade Snow Wong

Maxine Hong Kingston (born October 27,1940) has introduced to America the nature of Chinese life in America through her books The Woman Warrior (1976) and China Men (1980). Although these readings are said to be difficult, those who are interested are given insight into the experience of being a Chinese in America.

Jade Snow Wong (1922 - March 16, 2006) has had just as large of an impact as Kingston did in the literary world. Unlike Kingston’s books, her books were more accessible and when read together, it showed how the Chinese Americans have changed over time. To be more precise, her books, Fifth Chinese Daughter (1950) and No Chinese Strange (1975), show the increase in the level of confidence of the Chinese American over an interval of 25 years.



Celebration

Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year

Their are many forms of entertainment that people like to take part in, such as theater, books, movies, etc. But another form of entertainment in Chinese culture that was brought to New York City with them were the many Celebrations (click for more information on Chinese New Year) that take place during the year. The most popular of the celebrations being Chinese New Year and the parade that comes along with it, where the dragons and lion dance while others put on a show with the many colors and motions involved in the event.






References

  1. Burrows, Edwin G., and Mike Wallace. Gotham. A History of New York City to 1898. Oxford UP, 1998. (Page 1129)
  2. Burrows, Edwin G., and Mike Wallace. Gotham. A History of New York City to 1898. Oxford UP, 1998. (Page 1127-1128)
  3. Burrows, Edwin G., and Mike Wallace. Gotham. A History of New York City to 1898. Oxford UP, 1998. (Page 1139-1140)
  4. http://www.nycos.org/opera06/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=28
  5. Daniels, Roger. Coming to America. A history of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life. Harper Perennial, 1990. (Page 355)

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