Beyond Translations

Flushing, New York is renowned worldwide as a cultural “melting pot”. It is known as the largest “Chinatown” in the world, having the largest population of Chinese people outside of China. Flushing, or 法拉盛, is a bustling city, with countless restaurants, stores, and street vendors. 

Flushing differs from many other ethnic enclaves, mainly because of the extreme depth of diversity that is found along its busy streets. In addition to Chinese influences, there are also a great amount of Korean, Japanese, Mongolian, and other Asian cultural influences that make Flushing a truly fascinating destination. Additionally, within the Chinese influences, there is a great deal of diversity, as Flushing is home to a wide range of different Chinese regional cultures, peoples, and cuisines. Flushing is home to Shanghainese, Huanese, Sichuanese, Cantonese, and Taiwanese peoples, and cuisines, just to name a few. Many say that these diverse cultures allow one to experience all of China with just one day in Flushing.

I recently visited Flushing, and was enamoured by the experience. My friends and I began by walking down main street. Every single street sign was covered in Chinese characters, with practically no English in sight. We then headed to a local mall. We went down to the food court and saw locals enjoying handmade noodles, and drinking bubble tea. From there we headed to Tangram, a luxury mall in the heart of downtown Flushing. Here we saw a huge Chinese Dragon hanging from the ceiling, highlighting the immense Chinese cultural influence over the city. I purchased a soda from a market inside of Tangram, and was shocked by how delicious it was, despite having no sugar, and using minimal ingredients. 

After exploring Tangram for a while it was time to head to lunch. Today, we were going to be eating Hot pot, a traditional Chinese cuisine. Hot pot is more than just a delicious meal, it is a cultural experience, as one is exposed to a wide array of traditional Chinese delicacies. My friends and I began with the classic choice of thinly sliced beef. However, after a while we decided to experiment more, ordering fish cakes, Chinese mushrooms, lamb, and sweet potato noodles. The meal was delicious, and a great opportunity to engage in a Chinese culinary experience. After eating, I spoke with the server in mandarin, and learned about his experiences living in both Flushing, and China. 

Ultimately, Flushing is a diverse, and bustling city, where one can transport themselves straight into the heart of China. At some times Flushing may appear to be chaotic, dirty, and too troublesome. However, when one realizes just how unique the city is, you begin to see just how valuable all elements of the Flushing experience are.