Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chinatown's Early Days
The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act prevented Chinese workers from bringing
theirfamiliestoNewYork,sotheoriginalChinatown,boundedbyPell,Doy-
ers, and Mott streets, was mostly male and dominated by
tongs
. These were
sometimes social clubs and sometimes rival criminal fraternities, giving the
old locale its dangerous reputation.
Pearl River Chinese Products Emporium
ThelargestdepartmentstoreinChinatownhasa
fascinatingpotpourriofgoodsforsale.Thereare
Chinese musical instruments, paper lanterns,
kites, dried herbs, embroidered silk tops,
dresses and pajamas with mandarin collars,
purses, dolls, pillows, and sandalwood and jas-
mine soaps.
• 477 Broadway
Pearl River Chinese Products Em-
porium
Eastern States Buddhist Temple
Step into the incense-scented interior, where offerings of fresh fruit are piled high,
andmorethan100goldBuddhasgleaminthecandlelight.Thetempletakesadvant-
age of Chinatown's tourist traffic by offering $1 fortunes for sale near the front.
• 64B Mott St
• Open 8am-6pm daily
• Free
