Chinese
Immigrants
中国移民
London Chinatown
Oral History Project
yí mín
移民 (immigrant)
Do you know who is the
first one in your family to
come to Britain?
Do you know where your
hometown is? Have you
ever been there?
Do you know a story of an
immigrant family?
Map of China
lóng de chuán rén
hēi yăn jīng
hēi tóu fà
huáng pí fū
黑眼睛，黑头发，
yǒng yǒng yuǎn yuǎn shì lóng de chuán ré
永 永 远 远 是龙 的 传 人。
Can you name a few common
facial features of Chinese people?
Milestones in Chinese immigration history
The first recorded Chinese in Britain was
a scholar called Shen Fu Tsong 沈福宗
who visited the court of King James II
in the 17th century.
1805: A specific Act of Parliament
allows a Chinese man known as
John Anthony to become the
first Chinese man to be
naturalized as a British citizen.
1842: Britain defeats China in Opium War (鸦片战争).
Under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking (南京条约), Hong
Kong becomes a British colony
1855: Wong Fun from
Edinburgh receives his MD
and becomes the first
Chinese student to graduate
from a British university.
1877: Kuo Sung-tao 郭嵩焘,
the first Chinese Minister to
Britain, opens a legation in
London.
Settle down in a foreign country
The earliest arrivals were
often associated with the
East India Company and
settled in the East End in
general and Limehouse in
particular by 1880’s.
Largest wave
There was large
scale immigration
from rural new
territories due to
land reform in
1950s and 1960s.
Since 1950s a
steady stream
of students,
nurses and
other
professionals
have come to
Britain from
Malaysia,
Singapore
and Taiwan.
Occupation and business
The first immigrants were mostly seamen. After arrival they continued to
settle down in port areas such as Limehouse in London and Liverpool.
Most of them continued to work as sailors on ships of the East India
Company.
With more and more people settling down some started doing laundry,
and some opened small Chinese canteens and grocery stores. In 1908,
the first recorded Chinese restaurant, called ‘The Chinese Restaurant’,
was opened in Glasshouse Street, Piccadilly Circus, and one year earlier,
a restaurant was opened in Liverpool.
World War Two was a changing point in the Chinese catering sector. During
the post-war period people, especially soldiers, came back from Asian
countries such as India, China and Vietnam, resulting in a large demand for
oriental food. In the 1960s, with large scale of immigration, the Chinese
catering industry prospered.
Now, Chinese can be seen in various occupations, from politicians to
professors, from fashion designers to scientists.
What do you want to be in the future?
CMHA’s London China Town
Oral history project website
bà ba
mā ma
fù mǔ
爸爸
妈妈
父母 (parents)
gē ge
dì di
xiōng dì
哥哥
弟弟
兄 弟(brothers)
jiĕ jie
mèi mei
jiĕ mèi
姐姐
妹妹
姐妹 (sisters)
In English
父系 (Paternal) fù xì
母系 (Maternal) mǔ xì
*learn more
Grandfather
Grandmother
Uncle
Aunt
yé ye
爷爷
nǎinai
奶奶
bó bo
伯伯
shūshu
叔 叔
gū gu
姑姑
zǔ fù
祖父
zǔ mǔ
祖母
bó fù
伯父
shū fù
叔 父
gū mā
姑妈
*learn more
wàigōng wàizǔfù, lǎoyé
外 祖父, 姥爷
外 公
wàizǔmǔ, lǎolǎo
wài pó
外 祖 母, 姥 姥
外 婆
jiù jiu
舅舅
ā yí
阿姨
yí mā
姨妈
An example family tree in Chinese
An example family tree in English
Heading:
First line from the very left. Normally use 敬爱的，亲爱的before
the title/name. You can directly write the name if the letter is for
any of your peers younger than you, or for a younger generation.
Main body:
1. Greeting
2. State your purpose of writing the letter
e.g. ask/talk about the addressee’s things;
tell something about yourself, anything
you wish for or hope to do, or any
requests etc.
Note: Leave two blank character spaces before
each paragraph. No blank space is needed if
changing a line in the same paragraph.
Best Wishes: Normally in two separate lines.
The first line is from the very left, using words
such as 此致, 祝, 愿….
Second line: leave two blank character spaces,
using words such as: 敬礼, 健康、安好…
Sign & Date:
From the middle to the right
London attractions:
大英博物馆(dà yīng bó wù guǎn)，自然历史博物馆(zì rán lì shĭ
bó wù guǎn) ，伦敦塔桥(lún dūn tă qiáo)，蜡像馆(là xiàng guăn)，
伦敦动物园(lún dūn dòng wù yuán)……
Food:
炸鱼薯条(zhá yú shǔ tiáo)，点心(diăn xīn)，英式下午茶(yīng shì
xià wǔ chá)，意大利面(yì dà lì miàn)……
Activities:
电影(diàn yĭng)，音乐剧(yīn yuè jù) ，交响乐(jiāo xiăng yuè)，
芭蕾舞(bā léi wǔ )，魔术表演(mó shù biăo yăn) ……
Writing time:
亲 爱 的 姑 姑 ：
你 好 ！ 好 想 念 你 ！
去 年 夏 天 你 来 英 国 ， 我 们 度 过 了 一 段 快 乐 的 时 光 ！ 我 们 一 起 参 观
了 大 英 博 物 馆 ， 到 唐 人 街 吃 了 点 心 ， 还 看 了 电 影 。
希 望 明 年 春 节 我 可 以 回 北 京 看 望 爷 爷 奶 奶 和 你 们 全 家 。
敬 祝
安 好 ！
侄 女 ： 小 丽
二 零 一 二 年 十 月 八 日
Acknowledgement:
Produced as part of the London China Town Oral History Project with materials
from CMHA and Ming-Ai (London) Institute. Lesson plan designed by Ming-Ai
(London) Institute.
London Chinatown
Oral History Project
The End
Thank You
London Chinatown
Oral History Project
Picture references:
http://www.ceweekly.cn/UploadFiles/2011-12/liuyang/2011121216421211238.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/media/Episode-1-Chinatownoath.jpg
http://www.ccubedmedia.co.uk/talkofhome/static/history/1855.jpg
http://images.npg.org.uk/790_500/2/0/mw147820.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVCTCVhPf28/TVSxYB-IAaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/g1nCE99AkeM/s1600/800pxThe_Signing_of_the_Treaty_of_Nanking.jpg
http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/chinatown-in-limehouse-1927.jpg
http://untoldlondon.org.uk/files/seed_chinatown_250x133%20china%201.jpg
http://images.chinahighlights.com/city/hong-kong/hong-kong-tourist-map-b.jpg
http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/south_east_asia_map.jpg
http://www.britishbornchinesedb.org.uk/chinese-immigration.html
http://www.chinatouristmaps.com
http://www.ccubedmedia.co.uk/talkofhome/history.html
London Chinatown
Oral History Project