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"My life, my Chinatown and our lives, our Chinatown ..."

Eyes to Image

- A Photo Essay -

Pauline Liang
San Francisco, California

Pauline Liang. Photo by Anna Lin.Today I am the story recorder, who captures each and every detail as it appears and brings it forth to you, my viewers. This is a recorded search of my life, my Chinatown and our lives, our Chinatown; but never theirs.

Before you join me and my journey into our Chinatown and our lives I would like you to take a good look at me first. Yes, a young Chinese girl behind the camera of each one of the photographs. If you do not know me, and you have not touched my heart and felt how it is like to be me, then please, please do not pre judge me or Chinatown.

I may be described as young, Asian, and a girl, but I know that I try my best at all times to learn, gain and to give back; just as Chinatown itself, it may be small, old and dirty, but it still stands proudly as our ancestors had built it, and provides back to its people. Now it is up to us, the people of today to come together to make the change for better by going into the roots of the problem and return the shine to the youth of today and our Chinatown. Now, open your eyes to the images of my photos and journey with me through each piece of Chinatown and its fertilized soil.
Day in and day out, he sits there waiting for the people to pass by to come in and take a look at the fish that he is selling. The price tag ranges from a dollar to about six dollars per pound. This is the place to get the freshest and cheapest fish.

 Day in and day out, he sits there waiting for the people to pass by to come in and take a look at the fish that he is selling. The price tag ranges from a dollar to about six dollars per pound. This is the place to get the freshest and cheapest fish.
Every day you often see older Chinese men playing Chinese Checkers at Portsmouth Square in San Francisco. passing the time away.
Every day you often see older Chinese men playing Chinese Checkers at Portsmouth Square in San Francisco. passing the time away
Chinatown is the only place in San Francisco. where you can see some buildings that have a uniquely Chinese style architecture.

 Chinatown is the only place in San Francisco. where you can see some buildings that have a uniquely Chinese style architecture.
People are getting onto the buses on Stockton Street. They waited for twenty minutes for a bus to come. Here comes two buses fighting through the traffic of Chinatown. People of all ages have crowed around the doors trying to get on.

 People are getting onto the buses on Stockton Street. They waited for twenty minutes for a bus to come. Here comes two buses fighting through the traffic of Chinatown. People of all ages have crowded around the doors trying to get on.


"There were a lot of old buildings and they're hidden in the alleys. I know that back then, there was a lot of gambling."


Pauline Liang is a member of the Youth Photo Workshop where she learned how to take, develop, and evaluate pictures. She has lived in the heart of San Francisco Chinatown for many years. Currently, she is a freshman at the University of California at Davis.

Published in In Motion Magazine October 18, 1998

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