Chinatown: it takes a village

唐人街——同心共建

Chenlin Cai 蔡陈林 & Xingzi Liang 梁杏紫

Current Location: 10th Street Plaza (10th and Vine Sts.), Philadelphia, PA 19107

This mural design unfolds around the theme of “home” as its central narrative. It depicts a family visiting Philadelphia’s Chinatown to take part in Lunar New Year celebrations, Night Markets, and Mid-Autumn Festival. The mother is purchasing flowers to decorate their new home, a New Year's tradition widely practiced in East and Southeast Asia. The Chinese character on her bag means “Home家,” symbolizing that the United States, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia, too, are home to new immigrants.

The father is enjoying signature Chinatown foods such as dumplings, dim sum, and bakeries. The daughter holds a dragon dance toy, one of the most beloved icon of Chinatown celebrations and a symbol of good fortune. The son wears a tiger-head hat, representing wishes for longevity and good health, as well as hopes for the continued prosperity of this great nation.

The mural’s color system is inspired by ancient Dunhuang murals from over 1700 years ago. The surface of the bell is surrounded by five different decorative patterns representing the Five Elements of traditional Chinese philosophy: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. At the bottom is a scrolling floral motif symbolizing “wood.” Above it are flame patterns, followed by cloud-and-thunder motifs derived from Shang Dynasty bronze vessels dating back 3500 years, representing “metal.”

Within the water pattern near the top, a sail ship is hidden—the Mayflower, which carried early settlers/pioneers and symbolizes one of the ways immigrants first arrived in this country. The uppermost motif represents “earth.” In ancient Chinese philosophy, the sky is round, and the earth is square. It is also a Chinese stamp. This year is the Year of the Horse, and the horse depicted here is Quanmaogua, one of the famed Six Steeds of the Zhao Mausoleum, originating from Emperor Taizong’s tomb of the Tang Dynasty over 1500 years ago, now housed in the University of Pennsylvania Museum. This treasured national relic represents a deep cultural connection between China and Philadelphia. Read across the country. The hope for the renewed prosperity of the Chinatown community is a shared aspiration.

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