How Chinatown celebrates culture and Chinese New Year
Staff Writer
A month after the world rang in the new year, near the start of February, another grand celebration with energetic lion dances, loud and bright firecrackers, and sweet and savory dim-sum took over San Francisco’s Chinatown. Being the first Chinatown in the US, this Chinatown has experienced many changes to its rich culture for over 170 years, from murals of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee to the numerous buildings representing history through their ancient Chinese traditional roofs. Chinatown’s current appearance and exterior shape and build a community using arts and celebrations.
Chinatown was not originally built to celebrate Chinese culture, but to protect the community in San Francisco during the 1840s. As the US experienced the Yellow Peril, many viewed Chinese and Asian people as a threat to the West. After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and its intense fire, the community began construction on reinstating and redeveloping the architecture that we see today, from the curved roofs and balconies to the grand gate that invites millions to Chinatown every year. Matthew Luoh (12), a student who went to Chinatown recently, said, “The architecture in Chinatown is very interesting, I like the Asian style buildings and the cozy streets and storefronts. The coloring and style of all the buildings fuse East Asian style architecture with the feeling of a modern city by combining roofs and decor of East Asia with the high rises and multi-story buildings of a city.”
The various wall murals around Chinatown also reflect the city’s history, showcasing the history of popular celebrities and myths from Chinese films, books, and shows. Recently, two new murals have appeared in Chinatown celebrating the Year of the Snake. One of the murals, commissioned by the NBA and Chase Center to promote the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, featured an illustration of a snake and colors of the Golden State Warriors to celebrate the “Year of the All-Star.” Another mural, commissioned by Nike, featured Kobe Bryant surrounded by young Asian athletes to advertise Nike’s campaign “Year of the Mamba,” hoping to inspire young athletes to become the best version of themselves. Notably, Chinatown displays various murals that celebrate the life of Bruce Lee, a martial artist and actor from Hong Kong. Born in Chinatown, his legacy is artistically displayed with colorful portraits, illustrations of animals and symbols, and inspiring quotes that display his strength and power.
Chinatown lights up the brightest during its annual Chinese New Year celebration. Thousands celebrate by attending lion dance festivals, visiting the hundreds of unique stores in Chinatown, setting off firecrackers, and watching the annual Chinese New Year Parade held in Union Square. However, the experience of celebrating Chinese New Year at home compared to Chinatown is significant. Justin Wang (10) shared how he celebrates at home. He said, “I think the most prominent way that we celebrate is when my mom cooks an extravagant dinner featuring many foods such as fish, meat, and vegetables. These foods maintain our tradition and are a big part of the way we celebrate our culture on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Something else that comes to mind is receiving red envelopes from family members and friends.”
Chinatown continues to thrive, each year more fabulous than the last. Chinatown seems to grow larger by the year, with new murals and art installations placed around the area, displaying the stories, history, and important legacy it carries. Chinatown will forever bring amazement through its showcasing Asian culture. “I think the culture of Chinatown and the people make it the place it is today. The people make it feel welcoming and reminiscent of a city in Taiwan or Hong Kong,” Luoh said.
Growing since the early 1850s, Chinatown has grown a collection of remarkable sites, murals, restaurants, and events spread across the area, built and progressed even further by a giant community. “Stepping into Chinatown makes you feel a lot more festive since everyone else is celebrating Chinese New Year, it’s like one big party,” said Luoh (Art Credit: Kingston Lo (12)).
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