Sarah Funky's Chinatown, Manhattan Guide

Stepping into Chinatown feels like you've left New York because almost all of its inhabitants are from the Guangdong, Toisan and Fujian provinces in China, as well as Hong Kong. The area is noisy, and littered with vendors and food crates. Street and store signs are all in Mandarin, the official local dialect. You can walk down the street and get lost because you don't understand the language, but this is als owaht makes it an interesting place to visit! 📍 Location Chinatown is located in lower Manhattan. The borders are the Lower East Side on the east and south, Little Italy on the north, and Tribeca on the west. 🚌 How to get there Take the A, C, E, 6, N, W, R, Q, J, or Z to Canal Street or the B or D line to Grand Street Station. 💲 Cost It is one of the least expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan, and you can eat for cheap here! If you want to live here, the average cost for a one-bedroom apartment is #3,375! 👥 Population is 81,000 ⛑ It is safe! 📖 Some History In the 1850's Irish, Germans, and freed slaves resided here. The area was known as the "Five Points" and was the most dangerous place on earth. In the 1870's being faced with discrimination from the West Coast gold mining industry, Chinese immigrants moved to the East Coast in search of a better life. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882-1943) begins due to fear of the Chinese taking jobs, which limits the amount of Chinese that can come to the US and halts the growth of Chinatown. In 1900 unmoored from familiar ties, men relied on tongs (gangs) as substitute families or turned to gambling, prostitutes, and opium. Gaing violence skyrocketed. In 1965 all Chinese immigration restrictions were lifted leading to an increase in the Chinese immigrant population. Today Chinatown is home to hundreds of garment factories, a high grossing jewelry district, and over 200 restaurants that attract thousands of tourists.