COLORFUL CHINA TOWN

COLORFUL CHINA TOWN

We went to the Immigration  Center at Incheon and afterwards, we had a quick tour of the famous China Town.

 The arch to welcome all its visitors.

Incheon's Chinatown area (the only one in Korea) began with the opening of the Chinese Consulate in 1884, after the opening of Jemulpo. During the 1940's, Chinatown enjoyed its largest share of the Incheon economy by trading Chinese silk, oriental medicine herbs, and chinaware. It reached a population of more than 10,000 inhabitants and was crowded with hundreds of Chinese restaurants. The Korean War and regulations against Chinese in the 1960s shrank the area from its previous glory, and the area is now just a small town.

Very near Incheon subway station, visitors can find the distinctive gate marking the entrance to Chinatown. 

The gate is actually part of the Chinese restaurant, 'Jakeumsong.' Left of Taewon Oriental Medicine stands the Incheon Chinese Church, founded in 1917. Houses stand roof to roof along the street from. They combine styles of both Chinese and Korean architecture, reflecting how long the Chinese in Korea have been part of Korea. The older houses up the hill near Daechang Chinese restaurant are closer to the pure Chinese style.

The original Chinese seem to have endured all Chinese characteristics from the beginning. Behind the exotic houses stand the Chinese Association Office and Chinese School. The Chinese School was built in 1901 on the original site of the first Chinese Consulate. Many of the shops and restaurants in the area are decorated with Chinese folk paintings and display cases with all kinds of items from China: liquor bottles, incense, dishes, and utensils used for religious service. 

The restaurant area was the home of jajang-myeon, Koreans' favorite 'Chinese' food. After the port opened, many Chinese congregated to this area. Many Chinese restaurants sprang up to cater to them and they invented a cheap and simple dish for the harbor labor: jajang-myeon (noodles with fried soybean paste). Ever year the area holds a Jajang-myeon festival.

Never the less Chinatown is still a great place to spend some time checking out. Grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants before heading up to Jayu Park. The food is one of the few authentic Chinese experiences you can have in Chinatown. For 20,000 won I stuffed myself with a huge meal that included sweet and sour pork, fish, clams, oysters, etc. Even with its quirks Chinatown should be part of any travel itinerary for those spending time in Incheon.

Directions: Subway line 1, Incheon Station, towards Incheon (1 minute walking)