Disaster draws long-absent global attention to Sichuan
In the San Gabriel Valley, a cadre of Chinese immigrants lament the tragic circumstances that brought their homeland -- and its rich history, culture and cuisine -- to center stage.
The fiery dishes spiked with Sichuan peppercorns began arriving on the table, but Tang Xiulan and her friends remained transfixed on a television screen above the restaurant's front door showing images of rescue efforts in their home province.
The past week has provided the most they had seen or heard of Sichuan since they immigrated to the United States -- some a decade ago or more.
Unlike Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, the cities of Sichuan are largely unheralded overseas. Landlocked by mountains and far from global trading centers, many Sichuanese lacked the means to immigrate to America in earlier times.
But Monday's earthquake has thrust a community used to being overlooked and misunderstood to the forefront of Southern California's bustling Chinese American community. For the Sichuanese who gathered for lunch at Chung King restaurant in San Gabriel on Thursday, it was a bittersweet experience.
"We feel extreme sadness," said Tang, a nanny. "The only way Sichuan is being mentioned now is through this tragedy."
It's been a nightmarish week for the lunch group, many of whom met after overhearing one another speak Sichuanese at a supermarket.
The Chinese community in the United States was founded mostly by Southern immigrants from China's coastal regions. That's why the Cantonese and Taishanese dominated Chinatowns for decades. That changed with the influx of immigrants from Taiwan, then Beijing and Shanghai.
Though there are no statistics available, observers say Sichuanese immigrants began arriving steadily in the San Gabriel Valley in the 1990s. Many took the route of earlier immigrants by seeking jobs in restaurants or the import-export business. The number of Sichuanese living in Southern California is unclear because they lack the family associations and student groups that are ubiquitous with immigrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other parts of mainland China.
Sichuan has a rich culture and is home to the Giant Panda. It's partly isolated in South Central China because of its mountainous topography. As such, a distinct dialect and renowned cuisine prospered.
"I liken it to Louisiana," said Yong Chen, a professor of history at UC Irvine. "They're like the Cajuns because they have their own language and very popular spicy food."
Of course, immigrants are quick to point out that the "Sichuan cuisine" served in many American restaurants is a bland, watered-down interpretation of the authentic version -- often served by Cantonese. Sichuan's hot and humid climate is conducive to sweat-inducing spicy food.
