The history of Chinese Americans in St. Louis began in 1857, with the arrival of 24-year-old Alla Lee in St. Louis, Missouri; it continues through the present day.

History A native of Ningbo, China, Alla Lee socialized with the Irish American community and married an Irish woman. He sold coffee and tea in a shop on North Tenth Street.Ling, Huping, Chinese St. Louis, p. 1 (Archive).

Around 1867, several hundred Chinese moved from New York and San Francisco to find work in factories and mines in and around St. Louis. The community they settled, Hop Alley, became St. Louis' Chinatown.

In the late 19th century and the early 20th century, the ethnic Chinese population was less than 0.1% of the city's population—but they provided 60% of the city's laundry services. At the turn of the century, there were 300 Chinese in St. Louis.Ling, Huping. "Growing Up in "Hop Alley": Chinese American Youth in St. Louis During the Early Twentieth Century," p. 65.

The size of the population had not much changed by 1960, when 102 Chinese lived in the city's suburbs, making up 30% of the Greater St. Louis Chinese. The move to the Missouri suburbs was accelerated in 1966, when Chinatown was demolished to make room for a parking lot for Busch Stadium.Ling, Huping, Chinese St. Louis, p. 1-2 (Archive). By 1970, 461 lived in the suburbs, making up 80% of the area population.

In 1980 the number increased to 3,873, making up 78% of the area population. In 1990, the number increased to 3,873, making up 83% of the area total.

The 2000 U.S. census said that there were 9,120 people of Chinese descent in Greater St. Louis.

In 2004, unofficial estimates ranged from 15,000 to 20,000, according to Huping Ling, author of Chinese St. Louis: From Enclave to Cultural Community. Ling, Huping, Chinese St. Louis, p. 2 (Archive). She said that 1% of the population of suburban St. Louis was ethnic Chinese and that the "great majority" of the ethnic Chinese in the area lived in the suburbs, particularly those west and south of St. Louis.

Institutions Chinese Americans founded Chinese-language schools and Chinese churches and community organizations.Ling, Huping, "Cultural Community: A New Model for Asian American Community," p. 146. As of 2004, there were more than 40 Chinese community organizations in the area. Organization of Chinese Americans has an area chapter, OCA St. Louis, founded in 1973."About Us" (Archive). OCA St. Louis. Retrieved on May 21, 2014. Other organizations include the St. Louis Overseas Chinese Educational Activity Center, also called the Chinese Cultural Center , the St. Louis Taiwanese Association, the Chinese Liberty Assembly, and the St. Louis Chinese Jaycees.

Cuisine The destruction of Hop Alley closed many restaurants, some of which reopened elsewhere in the area.

As of 2004, the St. Louis area had more than 300 Chinese restaurants.

As of 2012, the city retained a number of chop suey restaurants, largely in low-income neighborhoods and African-American communities in the northern part of the city. 22 used the words "chop suey" in their names. Such restaurants had been popular in many parts of the country from the early 20th century, but had declined in the West Coast and the East Coast with new Chinese immigration and with more diverse types of food available. But the cuisine retained prominence in the American Midwest, where there was less Chinese immigration.

Education

As of 2016, there were four Chinese-language schools in the St. Louis area: St. Louis Modern Chinese School in Richmond Heights"Contact Us" (Archive). St. Louis Modern Chinese School. Retrieved on May 21, 2014. "St. Louis Modern Chinese School 6710 Clayton Road Richmond Heights MO 63117" was established in 1997 by the Mainland China-origin community with 40 students. By 2007, there were several hundred students.Ling, Huping Chinese in St. Louis: 1857-2007, p. 101. St. Louis Chinese Language School ( holds its classes at the St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf school in Chesterfield."Home" (Archive). St. Louis Chinese Language School. Retrieved on May 21, 2014. "2007-2013 School Location: St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf school (SJID) located at 1809 Clarkson Road (Click here for Map!)" St. Louis Chinese Academy holds its classes at the St. Louis Community College at Meramec Campus in Kirkwood."Contact Us" (Archive). St. Louis Chinese Academy. Retrieved on May 21, 2014. "Location (地點): Social Science Building St. Louis Community College at Meramec Campus 11333 Big Bend Blvd. St. Louis, MO63122 " St. Louis Language Immersion School operates a Chinese School at 3740 Marine Avenue in the city of St. Louis. Education at the school is free for area students. As well, St. Louis University High School has Chinese-language programs and is home to a Confucius classroom that is part of Webster University's Confucius Institute.

Media As of 2004, there were two weekly Chinese language newspapers: St. Louis Chinese American News , headquartered in Overland,"Home" (Archive). St. Louis Chinese American News. Retrieved on May 20, 2014. "1766 Burns Ave, Suite 201, St. Louis, MO 63132, (0.6 mile west of Page & 170)""2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Overland city, MO" (Archive). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 21, 2014. St. Louis Chinese Journal , headquartered in University City."Contact Us" (Archive). St. Louis Chinese Journal. Retrieved on May 20, 2014. "Address 8517 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132""Wards" (Archive). City of University City. Retrieved on May 20, 2014.

Religion As of 2004, there were around 12 Chinese religious institutions.

Christian churches include the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church of Greater St. Louis (TPCSTL, in Ballwin,"聯絡我們 Contact ." Taiwanese Presbyterian Church of Greater St. Louis. Retrieved on June 23, 2014. "542 Ries Rd Ballwin, MO 63021" the St. Louis Chinese Christian Church (SLCCC; in Chesterfield,"Home ." St. Louis Chinese Christian Church. Retrieved on June 23, 2014. "832 N. Woods Mill Rd. Chesterfield, MO 63017" the St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church in Manchester,"Home ." St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church. Retrieved on June 23, 2014. "St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church, 515 Meramec Station Road, Manchester, MO 63021" the Light of Christ Lutheran Chinese Mission in Olivette,"Zoning District Map " (Archive). City of Olivette. Retrieved on June 23, 2014."About Us" (Archive). The St. Louis Chinese Baptist Church (STLCBC; in St. Peters,"Home ." The St. Louis Chinese Baptist Church. Retrieved on June 23, 2014. "908 Jungermann Rd, St Peters, MO 63376" the Lutheran Asian Ministry in St. Louis, and the St. Louis Tabernacle of Joy.

The other religious institutions are the St. Louis Amitabha Buddhist Learning Center, the St. Louis Tzu-Chi Foundation,"Midwest Region Chicago Chapter ." Tzu Chi. Retrieved on June 24, 2014. "St. Louis Office 8515 Olive Blvd., Saint Louis, MO 63132" the St. Louis International Buddhist Association, the Mid-America Buddhist Association (MABA) in Augusta,"Contact Us ." Mid-America Buddhist Association. Retrieved on June 23, 2014. "Mid-America Buddhist Association 299 Heger Lane Augusta, MO 63332-1445 U.S.A." and the St. Louis Falun Dafa. The Fo Guang Shan St. Louis Buddhist Center (FGS) is in Bridgeton."About FGS ." Fo Guang Shan St. Louis Buddhist Center. Retrieved on June 23, 2014. "3109 Smiley Road Bridgeton, MO 63044"

Recreation The Chinese Culture Days are annually held at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. The Chinese community organizations sponsor this event, cultural gatherings, and other Chinese-American events.

Notable residents Steven Chu, physicist Huping Ling, professor at Truman State University Qiu Xiaolong, novelistSkwiot, Rick. "China’s Punitive Past Colors Writer & Work ." Washington University in St. Louis. February 2013. Retrieved on April 18, 2017.Lim, Louisa. "Shanghai Detective Fiction Reflects a Changing China ." National Public Radio. September 29, 2006. Retrieved on April 18, 2017. "Thriller writer Qiu Xiaolong in Shanghai,[...]He now lives in St. Louis,[...]"

Notes

References Ling, Huping. Chinese St. Louis: From Enclave to Cultural Community. Temple University Press. 2004. , 9781439905814. Ling, Huping. Chinese in St. Louis: 1857-2007. Arcadia Publishing, June 20, 2007. , 9781439618967. Ling, Huping. "Cultural Community: A New Model for Asian American Community" (Chapter 6). In: Ling, Huping. Asian America: Forming New Communities, Expanding Boundaries. Rutgers University Press, April 29, 2009. , 9780813548678. Ling, Huping. "Growing Up in "Hop Alley": Chinese American Youth in St. Louis During the Early Twentieth Century" (Chapter 3). In: Tong, Benson. Asian American Children: A Historical Handbook and Guide (Children and Youth: History and Culture Series, ISSN 1546-6752). Greenwood Publishing Group, January 1, 2004. Start p. 65. , 9780313330421.

Reference notes

Further reading Ling, Huping. "Reconceptualizing Chinese American Community in St. Louis: from Chinatown to Cultural Community." Journal of American Ethnic History. University of Illinois Press. Vol. 24, No. 2 (Winter, 2005), pp. 65–101 Cheng, Hong. "Chinese St. Louis: From Enclave to Cultural Community" (review). Journal of Chinese Overseas. Volume 2, Number 2, November 2006. p. 320-323 | 10.1353/jco.2006.0014 Au, Tai Yeow. "Chinatown : place and memory : a case study of St. Louis' Chinatown" (Thesis) Washington University, 1991.

External links St. Louis Chinese Association (S: 圣路易中国人协会, T: 聖路易中國人協會, P: Shènglùyì Zhōngguórén Xiéhuì) Saint Louis Chinese Culture Center St. Louis Language Immersion School OCA St. Louis St. Louis Chinese Language School St. Louis Chinese Academy St. Louis Chinese American News St. Louis Chinese Journal Chinese-American History in St. Louis - Washington University Libraries "Chinese St. Louis." (Archive) Temple University Press. Bebermeyer, Carrie. "SLU Med Students Care for Chinese Community in St. Louis" (Archive). Saint Louis University. May 13, 2013.