Chinatown: lanterns & dragons 

Researched by: Meir Farkas and Rachel Sharon

These lanterns hang above many streets in Chinatown, a well-known one being Mott Street. Many of these lanterns on this street, and others, were hung by the Light Up Chinatown Project, which was founded in 2020. During the Covid pandemic, there were lots of stigmas and hate towards Chinatown and its people, and many of its small, locally owned businesses were losing customers. Patrick Mock had the idea to invite customers back to Chinatown and show that they were open for business by installing light fixtures and traditional lanterns in the neighborhood. This project lit up Chinatown in dark times and encouraged people to return to the area. 

While walking through Chinatown, we also saw a lot of dragon iconography on the decor, as seen in the picture above. In Chinese culture, there are twelve zodiac signs, the dragon being one of them. Unlike the West, where the dragon has an evil and dangerous connotation, the Chinese dragon symbolizes strength, spirit, excellence, determination, and divinity. The dragon is a respected creature that is seen as intelligent, determined, and powerful. It is believed that the dragon showers good luck and prosperity, and because of this, it is often used as iconography on lanterns, seen in celebrations, temples, and other aspects of Chinese culture.

Overall, walking through Chinatown was a very enlightening experience and it allowed us to experience and explore diverse history and culture in the Chinese community.