Philadelphia Chinatown’s cultural image construction since the 1960s

Philadelphia Chinatown, an immigration hub with diverse cultures, is a vibrant ethnic enclave in Pennsylvania. It has a long history of being secluded due to national sentiments as well as persecution and fighting against urban construction projects. Through the analysis of Philadelphia Chinatown’s social structure and iconic features, this paper analyzes the Chinatown society’s cultural image construction since the 1960s, and further discusses its changing cultural patterns in the American society. It is argued in this paper that: Philadelphia Chinatown, mainly comprised of poor peasants and wealthy merchants in an early stage, is based on commerce; its cultural image was constructed by Orientalism, stemming from both the internal organizations of the community and external society, and took roots on its commercial basis; the Chinese traditions in the Chinatown society are comparatively static, while, on the other hand, the community’s culture is infiltrated by American cultures, making connections with indigenous societies.