ESF: Chinatown Project
Assignment: Tell a story about Chinatown and food. Share it on a public multimedia platform that allows for comments, then tweet the link.
I had never really ventured off of the main road before, but it was a great experience to explore the little side alleys with my classmates. One of the places we went to was the first Chinese temple in the United States, the Tin How Temple. It's a beautiful place of worship on the fourth floor of a building on Waverly Place. The moment you walk into the small incense smoke-filled room, it feels like you're stepping into another world. All of the gorgeous statues and intricate wood-carved furniture were brought in from China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dozens of breathtaking red and gold lanterns hang from the ceiling. A few elderly ladies are in charge of maintaining the temple. One of them was gracious enough to give us some background information. She told us about the history of the temple and how one of the first Chinese immigrants in San Francisco dedicated the temple to the Queen of the Heavens and the Goddess of the Seven Seas in 1852. She also taught us how to pray at the altar and ask for our fortunes. The only disappointing thing was that no one is allowed to take pictures. Considering it is a sacred place of worship though, it is completely understandable.
After visiting the temple, our class had dim sum at New Asia Chinese Restaurant. It was really crowded, but we didn't have to wait too long for our tables. The food was great and some of us even ventured to try eating chicken's feet.
-The polite way to request more hot water for your tea is to lift the lid off the teapot and let it hang loose by the wire or cord that binds it to the pot
-Do not turn over a fish after its top half has been eaten. The act symbolizes a fish boat capsizing.
-In small gatherings, each person is expected to take his turn and refill his fellow diners’ tea cups at least once.
-Always serve others tea before serving yourself.
-Chopsticks are not replaced after each course. When not in use, place them on the tablecloth beside your plate or across a smaller plate that will not be removed.
-Avoid putting too much food on your plate at one time. It may look like you are trying to hoard all the food for yourself.
-Lay your chopsticks across your bowl or plate to signal to the waitperson that you’re done eating.
- When tea-drinkers tap the table with their fingers, they are thanking the person who poured tea for them. The ritual dates back to a Qing Dynasty emperor who traveled his lands incognito. When he went to tea houses, he would pour his companions tea so as not to reveal his superior status. His companions were honored, but could not bow to him without giving away his identity. Instead the emperor told them to tap three fingers on the table. One finger represented their bowed head and the other two represented their prostrate arms. The tradition continues today in Hong Kong and South China as a practical way to show honor and gratitude without having to get up and bow several times during the meal.
Chinatown Trip
When our
Eating San Francisco class went to
Chinatown last Saturday for dim sum, the first thing I learned was how little I really knew about the neighborhood. I'm a Bay Area native, so I consider myself fairly familiar with the Downtown area. Whenever I would visit Chinatown though, I would walk through the main gate and go up Grant a couple of blocks or so to look at a few shops, then I would turn right around and walk back.
I had never really ventured off of the main road before, but it was a great experience to explore the little side alleys with my classmates. One of the places we went to was the first Chinese temple in the United States, the Tin How Temple. It's a beautiful place of worship on the fourth floor of a building on Waverly Place. The moment you walk into the small incense smoke-filled room, it feels like you're stepping into another world. All of the gorgeous statues and intricate wood-carved furniture were brought in from China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dozens of breathtaking red and gold lanterns hang from the ceiling. A few elderly ladies are in charge of maintaining the temple. One of them was gracious enough to give us some background information. She told us about the history of the temple and how one of the first Chinese immigrants in San Francisco dedicated the temple to the Queen of the Heavens and the Goddess of the Seven Seas in 1852. She also taught us how to pray at the altar and ask for our fortunes. The only disappointing thing was that no one is allowed to take pictures. Considering it is a sacred place of worship though, it is completely understandable.
After visiting the temple, our class had dim sum at New Asia Chinese Restaurant. It was really crowded, but we didn't have to wait too long for our tables. The food was great and some of us even ventured to try eating chicken's feet.
Chinatown Project
For my project, I made a video about Chinatown and the history of dim sum. Some of the pictures are ones I took during our field trip. The others I found on Google Images. The song is A City of Sadness by the City of Prague Philharmonic.
Dim Sum Customs and Etiquette
For those of us who are new to dim sum, I thought it would be helpful to include some dim sum
customs and etiquette tips. These are few helpful ones I found online. If you ever have doubts about
what is appropriate, it's best to observe what other people are doing or to ask someone who would know. Cheers!
-Do not turn over a fish after its top half has been eaten. The act symbolizes a fish boat capsizing.
-In small gatherings, each person is expected to take his turn and refill his fellow diners’ tea cups at least once.
-Always serve others tea before serving yourself.
-Chopsticks are not replaced after each course. When not in use, place them on the tablecloth beside your plate or across a smaller plate that will not be removed.
-Avoid putting too much food on your plate at one time. It may look like you are trying to hoard all the food for yourself.
-Lay your chopsticks across your bowl or plate to signal to the waitperson that you’re done eating.
- When tea-drinkers tap the table with their fingers, they are thanking the person who poured tea for them. The ritual dates back to a Qing Dynasty emperor who traveled his lands incognito. When he went to tea houses, he would pour his companions tea so as not to reveal his superior status. His companions were honored, but could not bow to him without giving away his identity. Instead the emperor told them to tap three fingers on the table. One finger represented their bowed head and the other two represented their prostrate arms. The tradition continues today in Hong Kong and South China as a practical way to show honor and gratitude without having to get up and bow several times during the meal.