#quartier chinois

[mariographique]

Célébrer le début de l’année lunaire / Celebrate the beginning of the lunar year par Mario Castonguay

Participantes à la parade pour célébrer la nouvelle année lunaire, dans le quartier chinois de Montréal

Participants in the parade to celebrate the lunar new year, in the Chinatown of Montreal

[samspicturesandwords]

Montréal's Chinatown

April 2025

[montrealmagique]

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Chinese Dragon Dance,” un défilé sur les rues Saint-Laurent, Saint-Urbain,  Clark et Sainte-Catherine, 9 juillet 1939. Photos par Conrad Poirier, BAnQ.

1. The best photo of the bunch, mostly because I love pictures of people fiddling with cameras, and it clearly shows the dragon at the heart of the parade, with the parade marshals visible in the left front in their C.N.L. (Chinese National League, the overseas wing of the Kuomintang) shirts. From the newspapers story I could find (but not the story where these photos ran!) the parade was intended to raise funds and support for China’s resistance to Japan. I also love the dresses of the young women on the right hand side. This was apparently taken on Saint-Laurent. BAnQ # P48,S1,P4113. 

2. Children leading the parade; this shot was apparently taken on Saint-Urbain. Their pennants have the Red Cross on them, as some of the funds would go to support humanitarian aid. BAnQ # P48,S1,P4112.

3. It was apparently a bright day - I had to adjust the contrast considerably to make the writing on the banner legible...but of course I can’t read it, which is frustrating. This was apparently on rue Clark. BAnQ # P48,S1,P4111.

4. A group of women in mostly traditional dress and several men (based on their suits, relative age, and place in the parade, I’d guess these are prominent or important individuals) carry a gigantic hand sewn Republic of China / Kuomintang flag. Several Montreal police officers in their own ‘traditional’ uniform of a white pith helmet are visible. This is on Saint-Laurent - the same streetcar visible in the first photo is also visible here. BAnQ # P48,S1,P4110.

6, 7 and 8. Three photos showing the dragon at the centre of the march on Saint-Laurent, with spectators, including a lot of children, watching from behind ropes put up for the occasion. I like that it looks like some folks joined the parade apparently fresh from working - in picture #6 a man is carrying a briefcase. BAnQ # P48,S1,P4105, P48,S1,P4108 and P48,S1,P4091.

[mariographique]

Tradition et construction / Tradition and construction par Mario Castonguay

Détail d'une porte traditionnelle qui indique l'entrée du quartier chinois de Montréal Detail of a traditional door that indicates the entrance to Montreal's Chinatown

[mariographique]

Vedette en ce début d’année lunaire / Star at the beginning of the lunar year par Mario Castonguay

Scène captée dans le quartier chinois de Montréal après la parade célébrant le début de l'année lunaire

Scene captured in Montreal's Chinatown after the parade celebrating the beginning of the lunar year

[samspicturesandwords]

Quartier Chinois, Montréal

April 2025

[samspicturesandwords]

I believe this carving in Montréal's Chinatown depicts characters from Journey to the West.