Self-Guided Walking Tour and Restaurants: Chinatown

Begin at the Chinatown Gateway at N.W. Fourth Avenue and Burnside Street. Allow at least 45 minutes for a leisurely visit.

Chinatown Gateway (N.W. Fourth Avenue & Burnside Street) Chinatown’s Gateway commemorates more than 135 years of Chinese history in Oregon. The stately structure was assembled, jigsaw puzzle-style, by artisans from Taiwan. Seventy-eight dragons and 58 mythical characters adorn the ornate Chinatown Gateway. Chinese characters gracing the gateway’s south side announce “Portland Chinatown,” while those on the north side read, “Four Seas, One Family.” The two lions on either side of the gateway’s entrance are female and male, representing the yin and yang elements, respectively. Yin, on the left side of the gateway, signifies protection of the young. Yang symbolizes protection of the nation. Beneath one of its legs, the gateway conceals a buried time capsule.

The brick building to your right (on Fourth Avenue between Burnside Street and Couch Street) has housed Chinese businesses since 1910. Two associations, the Chin, Woo, and Yuen Family Association and the Gee How Oak Tin Association, occupy the upper floor of this building today. Look up at the protective symbols on the wall above the stairwell. Below, barbecued ducks hang in the window of the >Good Taste Restaurant. Next door, the Tung Sang Newspaper/ Bookstore sells curios and Chinese language greeting cards, videos, and comic books. On the corner is the Lum Yuen Seafood Restaurant with its “moon gate” entry. The moon gate, the Chinese symbol for heaven, is often a feature of Chinese architectural design.

Ornamental flowering cherry trees line Fourth Avenue for more than a block. The trees, street signs and gateway were installed as part of a revitalization plan developed by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the Portland Development Commission. Projects such as these have helped preserve and promote historic Chinatown’s character. Continue walking north along N.W. Fourth Avenue.

Hung Far Low, 112 N.W. Fourth Ave. A large ornamental sign graces the front of Hung Far Low. This restaurant opened in 1929 and is the second oldest dining establishment in Chinatown. The Wong family has owned this business since 1936. From the 1930s to the 1980s the building also housed the Japanese American Citizens’ League (JACL). On the first floor is the Northwest China Council, a resource center for Chinese culture and contemporary affairs, offering art and educational programs. Next to Hung Far Low is a bookstore, the China Wind Company. Past the bookstore is Huang’s Art and Advertising business. Mr. Zhen Han Huang is a master calligrapher who offers his services by appointment.

Great China Seafood Restaurant, 336 N.W. Davis St. Inside its ornately decorated exterior, the Great China Seafood Restaurant features hot pot cooking, where ingredients and a hot pot are brought table side, and diners may prepare their own meals. This building formerly housed Tuck Lung’s restaurant and grocery store.

Red and Gold Street Lamps. As you walk through Portland’s Chinatown, notice the bright presence of red and gold street lamps. Fifty-seven of these twin ornamental street lights were installed in 1984. The lamps are painted red and gold, signifying good luck and prosperity. The banners, which hang from Chinatown’s streetlights, were a gift from Taiwan and feature the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac. They mark both Chinese and Gregorian calendar dates.

House of Louie Restaurant, 331 N.W. Davis St. The House of Louie building was built in 1922, home to a variety of businesses, including restaurants, a billiard hall, barber shop, confectioner, dry goods store, flower shop, and dressmaker. Green tiles and dragon pillars adorn the House of Louie’s exterior. Its elegant interior is distinguished by carved wooden screens and ornately colored ceiling and wall decorations from Taiwan.

Outside the House of Louie, you will see a phone booth with a red pagoda-style roof. Turn east onto Davis Street and walk alongside the House of Louie Restaurant. Representing good luck, a dragon and phoenix frieze (the dragon and phoenix can also symbolize the groom and bride of a wedding party), decorates the exterior wall.

Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, 315 N.W. Davis St. A Chinese-language school has operated continuously in this building since 1908. On Saturdays, you can visit the CCBA building to peruse the museum and library, or observe language classes. The building features Chinese architectural elements, such as a circular moon gate. Return to the corner of N.W. Fourth Avenue and Davis Street.

Across N.W. Fourth Avenue is the >Seven Stars Restaurant. In the building to the right of Seven Stars, an elaborate entry is adorned with Chinese characters on all sides. This is the home of the Suy Sing Association. Since 1910, this space has housed Chinese businesses and residences. Chinese tenants once occupied the upper story of this building. Downstairs, the space has been home to a variety of merchants, including a jeweler, an herbalist, a noodle manufacturer and a fireworks distributor. James Wong and Richard Chan purchased the building in 1944, after laws prohibiting the Chinese from owning property were repealed.

Republic Cafe, 222 N.W. Fourth Ave. Continue north on N.W. Fourth Avenue, towards the Republic Cafe. Since it was built in 1922, this storefront has served various Chinese and Japanese businesses and community organizations. The Republic Cafe opened here in 1930. The restaurant’s rich interior decor features lotus light fixtures and gold-stamped murals. Next door to the Republic Cafe is the >Golden Horse Restaurant.

Fong Chong’s Grocery and Restaurant, 301 N.W. Fourth Ave. Diagonally across N.W. Fourth Avenue from the Golden Horse Restaurant is Fong Chong’s Grocery and Restaurant. Since 1932, this establishment has sold Asian produce, bakery goods and prepared meats, as well as household and holiday goods. The restaurant serves Cantonese cuisine and dim sum. Two associations, Hop Sing Tong and Suey Yin Family Association, are also located in this building. From Fong Chong’s, walk east along Everett Street to the corner of N.W. Third Avenue and Everett.

The Great Era, 239 N.W. Third Ave. The Great Era offers Chinese art, porcelain, antiques, screens, embroidery and other miscellaneous items.

Classical Chinese Garden, on Third Avenue. The Classical Chinese Garden, designed and constructed by architects and artisans from Suzhou, China, will feature elegant pavilions and ponds bordered by walkways, and arched bridges. The 40,000-square-foot walled garden will include a gift shop and tea house. A drawing of the planned garden now stands at the corner of N.W. Third Avenue and Everett Street.

From this corner, look north along N.W. Third Avenue. At the corner of Third Avenue and Flanders Street, you will see the Royal Palm Hotel, built in 1913. The building’s lower floor has housed a succession of businesses, such as Kwong Shew Lung, selling Asian goods (1920-‘32); Wing Wong & Ho Sung (1932-‘38); the Toy Duck Laundry (1938-‘40); and others. Japanese steam baths were in operation in the building’s basement from 1932 to 1944. Today, the upper level of this building provides transitional housing.

Head south on N.W. Third Avenue and walk two blocks to Couch Street. As you walk, you will notice several social organizations on your right: Yat Sing Music Club, Hip Sing Association and New Wah Mei. Turn right onto Couch Street.

World Journal Portland Bookstore, 323 N.W. Couch St. To your right, you will find the World Journal Bookstore, offering Chinese-language books and videos.

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