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Conclusion So what can be said about Portland’s Chinatown as a whole? Chinatown is designed as an ambassador of Chinese culture. Religious objects and symbols are part of this. Thus, it is not, in general,14 genuine or authentic. Chinatown is not in and of itself part of Chinese culture. Instead, it is a representation of Chinese culture. Within their context, the symbols and objects of Chinatown, both religious and non-religious, convey few if any of their historic, culturally Chinese meanings. They are symbols of a diverse and rich tradition, but are not a living part of that tradition. This is much like the religious references in the Classical Garden. Laughing Buddha is also an excellent example of this phenomenon. He is an imitation of a religious object, but not an actually one. Other reasons why Chinatown is not authentic have already been mentioned, but I wanted to highlight one in particular. Chinatown is not its own discreet neighborhood. Instead, it is part of the Old Town neighborhood. There is little aside from signs on lightposts and a gate that make Chinatown what it is instead of being the “Chinese” section of skid row. This, however, is rapidly changing. With the efforts of neighborhood residents, organizations like the PDC, and a few more signs, Chinatown might soon become a bit more autonomous. |