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The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Oregon over 100 years ago. They came east by sea across the Pacific Ocean to work as gold miners, railroad workers, in fish canneries and other industries that made Oregon what it is today.

Today there are over 10,000 people of Chinese descent in Oregon. These are people whose parents, grandparents or great grandparents were born in China. Like other families, some Chinese American families have been in Oregon for many generations. Others arrived more recently to make a home in Oregon.

An ethnic group is a group of people who come from, or whose ancestors come from, the same country or culture. Oregon's Chinese ethnic group is made up of people who were born in Oregon and other countries around the world.

A little more than half of the Chinese Americans in Portland are relatives of Oregon's original Chinese immigrants. Most of the early Chinese immigrants came from an area called Hoy Yin. Hoy Yin is a district in the Kwangtung province in a part of southeastern China known as Canton.

The second largest group of Chinese Americans in Portland are from Vietnam. They were born in Vietnam but speak Chinese and follow Chinese traditions. This group's ancestors emigrated from China to Vietnam to work. After the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s, they fled to the United States as refugees.

Facts about China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Produced by the Oregon Folk Arts Program at the Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205. For more information, call (503) 306-5290.

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History: Chinese Americans in Oregon
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