CHAPTER FOUR

RICHMOND

All the way to the West, the end of my trip is the Richmond. Richmond is out of town and it basically has four parts: Lake street, Inner Richmond, Central Richmond and Outer Richmond.

It is so different at looking. “ Is sky wide like that?” Comparing to the other three districts, here is a real open area. The amount of tall buildings can be counted on one’s fingers. Instead of flourishing, the key word is probably the “peaceful and relaxing”.

The western of San Francisco has many Chinese and Korean communities. The atmosphere has its own identity.

Motorcycle || Geary

Chinese advertisement || The Claypot House

A lady buys fruits || Chinese Supermarket

As a Chinese, I went there a lot.

Just for the good Chinese food and the Chinese supermarkets. Not like the famous Chinatown, I think Richmond has a slower pace of life. In my opinion, Chinatown has a kind of fame, which push people to show the better side of the city invisibly. But here, it just how regular people lives.

Five happiness restaurant || Geary

Queue waits to buy Siu Mei || Richmond

“HERE IS OUR NEW HOME, BUT WE WON’T FORGET OUR HOMELAND”

So, like me, going to the Chinese supermarket becomes an entertainment. Everything become familiar. The products, brands, staffs. I think if you live in another country, when you see some products from your homeland, you must be excited.

I will say it is the method that I keep my tradition and remember where I come from. I won’t tell my parents that how I missed them, but tell them I cook a Chinese food tonight. Sometimes, I’m so confused because I don’t know using implicit words is good or bad. I know it depends.

What I’m glad is in San Francisco, those old immigrants protect the tradition and it becomes a unique characteristic of the city.

ONE DAY ON GEARY

DESIGN Yiwen Jin

PHOTOGRAPHY

Yiwen Jin Nanxing Zhao

SUPPORT

Look Gallery Nanxing Zhao Yuqi Qiu Mr. Will K Soko Hardwear