Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Push and pull factors for Chinese immigrants to canada
Chinese cultural diversity in canada
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Although Chinese communities flourished, many people had the “sojourner mentality” which meant they thought they were going to live in Canada temporarily, and ultimately move back to their birthplace. Patterns of close links to native villages through remittances and recurrent trips back are telling of the sojourner mentality, as is the supplementary expectation of many migrants that would withdraw from work and retire to China. Although there were countless emigrant Chinese who went overseas looking for adventure and entirely expecting to reside everlastingly in their host country, if given decent opportunities and reasonable treatment, all Chinese were certain to be swayed by certain Chinese cultural norms. In China, the sense of native …show more content…
The Chinese thought that they would lose their identity and individualism if they were away from their host country for a long period of time. Nationality was vital for international migration. The notion of belonging to state, having bonds to it by birth, or having strong rights and responsibilities, was very important to the people living in China back then. A powerful way of describing China was by their culture, such as religion, philosophy, arts and language. Culture, nationality and identity were facets that kept China composed, and were motives for why people wanted to return home. Although people were pushed away from China due to trade, limited farmland, and unstable politics, many people were pulled back to China because they wanted to retire in their homeland. Retirement migration involved people from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The magnetisms of retiring in China were that pensions from external areas of China go further in China, there was low-cost private healthcare accessible, and their extended families delivered company and …show more content…
Although Chinese migration to Canada was a positive experience, many people had a “sojourner mentality,” believing that they would eventually return to China. This varied due to the generations that resided in Canada. Orientals immigrated to Canada because of employment, the gold rush and a better sense of politics. Although Chinese people did have a difficult time adjusting to Canadian customs and ideals, the move was overall a positive decision. Communities that the Chinese formed helped them create a sense of family and allowed them to relate to other people in their position. Chinatown, which is located in Toronto, started off poorly, but eventually began to thrive and became a community that they were proud of. This community is still very successful to this day, and is viewed as a tourist attraction. Although this was the case, many overseas Chinese had a “sojourner mentality” which meant they wanted to return home after residing in Canada for quite some time. As the future generations progressed, people decided to stay in Canada because they had a stronger sense of education, and adjusting to new societal norms was not as difficult. Overall, Chinese-Canadians constitute a large group in Canada, and Chinese communities in Canada comprise of one of the largest overseas communities in North
The first Chinese immigrants to arrive in America came in the early 1800s. Chinese sailors visited New York City in the 1830s (“The Chinese Experience”); others came as servants to Europeans (“Chinese Americans”). However, these immigrants were few in number, and usually didn’t even st...
To begin with, immigrants who have settled in a country with new cultures and customs are often scared to lose their cultural values, not only for themselves but also for their family. They tend to hold on their artistic souls and customs when adapting to a new country. Mrs. Engkent hates everything about Canada, she feared losing her Chinese culture if she conformed to the “fan gwei” way (different countries culture). “If you are here long enough, they will turn your head until you don’t know who you are— Chinese” (Engkent, pg.144) Mrs. Engkent did everything in the Chinese way, she
Zong L. & Perry, B. (2011). Chinese immigrants in Canada and social injustice: From overt to
The period of 1914 to 1939, Canada’s immigration policy got very unfair. Changes were made to the Immigration Act in 1914 that allowed the rejection of anyone from any race that was deemed unsuitable for Canada’s requirements. Also, in that same year, the Komagata Maru came to the coast of Vancouver. It was a ship that carried many from Punjab, India. The ship wasn’t allowed to dock and passengers weren’t allowed to disembark off the ship. The ship hadn’t sailed directly to B.C. from India so only 24 passengers were allowed to disembark; most of them were doctors or Canadian citizens already. Another act to keep out unwanted immigrants from Canada was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923. This act came into effect on July 1st, 1923. It banned all Chinese immigrants from entering Canada, except merchants, diplomats and foreign students. Before the Chinese Exclusion Act was put into place, the Chinese had to pay a head tax of $500 just to get into the country. The numbers of Japanese immigrants were also restricted. The Canadian government restricted only 150 Japanese immigrants to come to Canada in a year. In 1925, the government relaxed restrictions on immigrants coming from many countrie...
9. Xinchun, Li. "The People Leaving Their Native Places in the Ming Dynasty: A Perspective from the Ecosystem." COLLECTIONS OF ESSAYS ON CNINESS HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY 3 (1998).
While modern Chinese immigrants come to the United States seeking jobs as did their predecessors, new motivations have drawn families to the country. In the mid-1800s large numbers of Chinese people began to arrive in America. These immigrants were driven from their homeland by the opium wars, British colonization, peasant rebellion, floods, and ...
In “The Jade Peony”, Wayson Choy, theorizes how diaspora views generations, and how it affects cultural differences, and their background. He poses to the reader that being Chinese-Canadian, as a hyphenated aspect, does not mean that an individual is being Chinese. The reader is to question, “What does being Chinese” mean in Canada? How can one be and live Chinese without losing clout and leverage as Canadians? How can one transform the so-called Canadian identity into the image of the many ethnicities that constitute it? We should not pretend we are living in some idealized, “little China” are not in Canada. As we explore the repeating conflicts in the story we begin to understand how difficult it is
Many push factors encouraged Chinese workers to leave China such as a mass of political instability(Introduction to China’s modern History, Homepage). Foreign control was happening at the time as well(YouTube video, foreign control) which caused Chinese peasants to start a rebellion called The Boxer Rebellion. There were many places in China being taken over by Europe England was taking over Hong Kong, The United States of America were taking over Shanghai and many other places were also being taken over as well. The Boxer Rebellion was a rebellion that consisted of Chinese peasants who did not want their land being taken over, eventually the rebellion ended up failing because the foreigners ended up executing anyone who was willing to fight them. Famine and poverty were also factors that persuaded Chinese residents want to leave China during that time. There were also factors that caused Chinese people to come to Canada. The government of Canada was much stronger at that time, which meant there were not going to be as many economic problems therefore the Chinese would not have to worry about their land being taken over therefore making them feel safe. There were a bundle of job opportunities in Canada as well that offered higher wages comparing to the amount of job opportunities in China. These were the main reasons that caused Chinese workers to come to Canada. The Chinese population felt that Canada was a better country to migrate
Often listed on top of the world's best cities to live in, Vancouver is a young, modern and multicultural city located in Canada`s west coast. With its leading-edge way of thinking, Vancouver quickly emerged as the third largest city in Canada. Considered one of the most beautiful and charming cities in Canada, the city is surrounded by sea, forests, rivers and mountains and at the same time has bustling urban areas. Life in Vancouver is full of unforgettable events and spectacular discoveries. Walking through the streets, you can see Indians, Vietnamese, French, Germans, Iranians, Greeks, Argentines and, of course, Brazilians. As the city is open to influences, the visitor or student quickly feels at home. The surrounding nature, temperate climate, and its outdoor activities all contribute for the abundant quality of life found in Vancouver.
In conclusion, Chinese cultures prohibition is seen, by observing the relationship expectations, education, and gender roles and jobs. The Chinese culture needs to be more cultivated as it constricts the newer generation’s capability in Canada. In Wayson Choy’s book The Jade of Peony, he describes the struggles of a immigrated Chinese family, as they try to follow two cultures to adjust in a new country like Canada, but still hang on to the old traditions of China, the kids of the family struggled as they tried to follow these two cultures. We have all been in a similar situation where we have immigrated to a new country to seek a better future where we have a better lifestyle and education, to help our family grow.
This is evident in the persistence of elderly characters, such as Grandmother Poh-Poh, who instigate the old Chinese culture to avoid the younger children from following different traditions. As well, the Chinese Canadians look to the Vancouver heritage community known as Chinatown to maintain their identity using on their historical past, beliefs, and traditions. The novel uniquely “encodes stories about their origins, its inhabitants, and the broader society in which they are set,” (S. Source 1) to teach for future generations. In conclusion, this influential novel discusses the ability for many characters to sustain one sole
She chooses to cite only academic publications, Canadian governmental documents, and local newspaper articles in her long list of sources, none of which provide perspective from the people around which the article is centered; the Chinese. This highlights the key issue within the article; whilst Anderson meticulously examines how Chinatown is simply a construction of white supremacists, she ignores what life was actually like for the area’s inhabitants, and how the notion of ‘Chinatown’ may have become a social reality for those living in it. By failing to include sources written by those who lived in Chinatown during the time or live there now, she misses the notion of Canadian-Chinese agency and its potential willingness to thrive and adapt in an environment she deems simply a hegemonic construction. Barman’s sources are all encompassing from varying perspectives. This may be due to the fact that she wrote the article 20 years after Anderson’s, during a time in which history was beginning to be viewed through a culturally-relativistic lens.
Lihua, Z. (2013). China’s Traditional Cultural Values and National Identity. Carnegie-Tsinghua Center.org. Retrieved 19 November 2017, from http://carnegietsinghua.org/2013/11/21/china-s-traditional-cultural-values-and-national-identity-pub-53613
I grew up in Vancouver, and it's the city that I have the most profound memories of. Vancouver stands out among North American cities that it has the most numbers of high rises per capita. Although far from an internationally developed city, like New York, London, or Boston, that houses headquarters of multinational corporations, Vancouver's cultural landscape reflects what a global city would be like. Diverse, cosmopolitan, sprawling, and multidimensional. With ethnic neighborhoods including groups from all over the world, Vancouver is the place that no matter which culture one belongs to, they can truly find a home. For example, an Indian immigrant would be able to enjoy authentic Indian samosas and purchase materials to make a truly delicious
Chinatown, as many know it, is a gathering of Chinese immigrants in central locations throughout the world and typically features a community of majority Chinese citizens as well as shops and restaurants. While Chinatown seems to be a significant part of American culture, the actual beginning of Chinatown was in 1594 in the Southeastern country of the Philippines, and soon spread to other Asian nations such as Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand (Chang). Chinatown soon spread to countries such as England as trade between Western nations and the Chinese became more evident. In the United States, which seems to have the largest number of Chinatowns within its borde...