At Bush and Grant a decorative arch marks the entrance to Chinatown and the intriguing mysteries that lay beyond.
The community has a fascinating history.
It was the port of entry for early Taishanese and Zhongshanese Chinese immigrants from the southern Guangdong province of China from the 1850's to the 1900's.
Many early Chinese immigrants to San Francisco and beyond were processed at Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay; in some instances, Chinese immigrants were detained for months until their papers were granted.
Chinatown was deeded by the City government and private property owners with the specific aim of allowing Chinese immigrants to inherit and inhabit dwellings within that geographical region.
The majority of the Chinese shopkeepers, restaurant owners, and hired workers in Chinatown were predominantly Taishanese and male.
Massive National unemployment in the wake of the financial panic of 1873 caused racial tensions; consequently, full blown riots broke out.
In response to the racial violence, the Consolidated Chinese Benevolent Association (which evolved out of the labor recruiting organizations for different areas of Guangdong) was created as a means of providing the community with a unified voice.
The heads of these companies were the leaders of the Chinese Merchants Association chosen to represent the Chinese community as a "whole" to the city government.
The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882, which was the first immigration restriction law aimed at a single ethnic group.
This law - along with other immigration restriction laws such as the Geary Act - reduced the number of single Chinese males permitted to settle in the city. Exceptions were granted to the families of wealthy merchants, but the law was still effective enough to reduce the population of the neighborhood in the 1920's.
Not unlike much of San Francisco, a period of criminality ensued, including rampant smuggling, gambling and prostitution.
By the early 1880's, the ruling class adopted the term "Tong Wars" to describe periods of unrest in Chinatown. During this time frame, the San Francisco Police Department set up a Chinatown Squad to deal with the specific issues pertaining to the district.
The neighborhood was completely destroyed in the 1906 earthquake that leveled most of the city.
During the city's rebuilding process, city planners with racist leanings joined forces with real-estate developers in a bold-faced effort to move Chinatown to the Hunters Point neighborhood at the southern edge of the city and farther south to Daly City.
However, their dubious efforts did not pan out.
The community managed to rebuild the neighborhood with the help of six powerful Chinese companies and in time realized their dream to provide a friendly tourist attraction with a focus on Chinese culture.
Although new immigrants continued to flow in to Chinatown over the years, there has been a noticeable surge to the outskirts of the downtown core where a select Chinese few have been in search of a more affluent lifestyle.
As a result, parts of the community have become run-down and in disrepair.
Consequently, many of the decrepit housing units are populated by low-income residents and the elderly.
Today, the lively thriving community is somewhat insulated - in motion, but out-of-sync with the outside world - and locked in a sort-of timeless romantic era that invites, captivates, and piques the curiosity of not only tourists but the locals, as well.
Just inside the gate, shopkeepers' wares spill out into the street from the inner confines of the tiny cramped shops and openly tempt passers-by.
At the offset, it's readily apparent there are a number of eye-catching offerings tourists are inclined to splurge on - picturesque postcards of breathtaking city views, toy versions of the novel Cable Car, mugs with San Francisco-based themes etched on 'em, that sort-of-thing.
Step closer - and the trappings of a mysterious world that reaches back centuries - draw you in - and not surprisingly - strike a chord within.
I am particularly drawn to the quaint shops stocked with a wide range of exotic and expensive imported teas exquisitely wrapped in eye-catching royal colors packaged to perfection.
The origins of ceremonial tea-drinking are quite fascinating, too.
Lao Tzu (Chinese philosopher) described tea as "the froth of the liquid jade" and named it an indispensable ingredient to the elixir of life.
In one popular Chinese legend, historians allege that Shennon (Emperor of China and the inventor of agriculture and Chinese medicine) was drinking a bowl of boiling water in the year 2737 BC.
According to the folk lore, the wind unexpectedly blew a few leaves from a nearby tree into his water - at which point - the liquid changed its color.
The inquisitive Monarch took a sip of the brew and was pleasantly surprised to encounter a distinctive pleasing flavor melting against his taste buds.
In turn, the emperor proceeded to test the medicinal properties of various teas on himself and found many proved to be effective as antidotes.
Traditional Chinese tea houses are still very popular and their history goes back to Imperial Times.
In Northern China, they were originally a meeting place for gentlemen of leisure.
Inside the sumptuous confines of the tea house, discerning males savored their favorite teas as they discussed the important news of the day.
In time, tea houses also became favored by businessmen.
On the soothing premises, deals were often discussed and sealed in the neutral relaxed surroundings of a tea house rather than in stale stuffy business offices.
In tea houses in Chinatown in San Francisco today, the curious can slip into a seat at the counter and test a myriad of exciting blends; from a daily brew, to the expensive rarefied ones used for special ceremonial occasions.
One of my favorite stops on a trek through Chinatown is the Eastern Bakery at Grant and Commercial Streets.
Once inside, I usually gobble down a custard tart, the best in town. Then, I snap up a chocolate-covered fortune cookie to determine the auspicious signs ahead.
Although I thought the fortune cookie was an age-honored tradition from the old Chinese mainland, I recently learned that San Francisco and Los Angeles both lay claim to the humble cookie's origins.
Makoto Hagiwara - at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco - is said to have invented the cookie in 1909 to complement the tasty Japanese desserts of the day.
As the myth goes, Hagiwara was fired by a mayor with anti-Japanese sentiments, but later was fortunate to have a second mayor reinstate him.
Grateful to those who had stood by him during his period of financial hardship, Hagiwara created a fortune cookie in 1914, that included a "thank you" note inside which was subsequently passed out thereafter at the Japanese Tea Garden.
In 1915, they were displayed at the Panama-Pacific Exhibition, better known as the San Francisco's World Fair.
But, David Jung (founder of the Hong Kong Noodle Company in Los Angeles) claimed to have been behind the creation of the fortune cookie, too.
According to his account, he created the yummy treat in 1918 for altruistic reasons when he became concerned about poor street-walkers wandering near his shop.
To lift their spirits - Jung passed little treats out on the street for free - replete with a strip of paper inside bearing an inspirational Bible scripture on it.
In view of the ongoing dispute between the two over the issue, San Francisco's mock Court of Historical Review took the case in 1983.
During the proceedings, a fortune cookie was introduced as a key piece of evidence with a message that read,
"S.F. Judge who rules for L.A. Not Very Smart Cookie".
A Federal Judge of the Court of Historical Review thereafter ruled that the cookie originated with Hagiwara.
And, for obvious reasons, the city of Los Angeles condemned the decision.
However, a third origin appeals to me best.
A legend says that in the 13th and 14th century - when the Mongols ruled China - a revolutionary named Chu Yuan Chang planned an uprising.
He used moon cakes to pass along important secrets pertaining to the conflilcts by replacing the yolk in the center of the moon cake with the message written on rice paper.
Since the Mongols did not care for the yolks, the plan managed to succeed without interruption, and the Ming Dynasty prevailed.
Each year, the Moon Festival celebrates the tradition, by passing out similar moon cakes with messages inside.
It is a widely-held belief that immigrant Chinese railroad workers - without the ingredients to make moon cakes one year - baked biscuits instead, which resulted in the creation of the fortune cookies familiar to us today.
Enough about cookies!
If you're a bargain hunter - out for dinner - you may want to saunter down the side streets and back alleys where small establishments offer up genuine Chinese dishes at affordable prices in the $9.00 to $20.00 range.
A few months ago, I was casually strolling through bustling Chinatown when I spied several black SUV's parked haphazardly in the quaint narrow streets.
In addition, - about a half-a-dozen or so well-built men in dark suits with walkie-talkies in their hands - appeared to be standing on guard nearby.
A local whispered in my ear, "Governor Schwarzenegger is at the Empress."
Ah, visitors to Chinatown never know who they will encounter on any given occasion, such is the widespread appeal of this fascinating tourist attraction.
In fact, if you are a traveler with a small fridge in your hotel room, a visit to Chinatown would be a great opportunity to pass on "fast foods" stuffed with vulgar Trans fats and fat-building calories.
In the alternative, just snap up a handful of succulent fruits (rich in minerals, proteins, and nourishing nutrients) at one of the local street markets.
At Stockton and Jackson, for instance, there is a glut of groceries where the discerning shopper can pluck up fresh produce for a few pennies on the dollar - kiwi, melon, tangerines, mango, watermelon, and pomegranates - for example.
But, I must issue a stern warning.
If the smell of fresh fish turns your stomach, take a clothes peg along to pinch your nose or a handkerchief to cover it.
Whew, fresh fish from the sea is strong-smelling stuff!
But, there are other reasons to take a trek through Chinatown.
For those into "gizmos" there are a number of outlets for electronic equipment, cameras, and digital products.
A foot massage palour caught my attention, too.
Massage therapy can be traced back to ancient China where the practice was developed to treat any number of ailments.
In fact, on a diagram provided by "Foot Massage" at 662 Jackson, the owners have mapped out various pressure points on the bottom of the foot that - once massaged skillfully - may result in the relief of troubling health problems - headaches, stomach disorders, arthritis - you name it.
According to Mr. Chen Bi-Hsiung, a qualified therapist should be able to professionally judge the level of strength needed in order to achieve the best results without causing any harm.
Health problems - funnily enough - are often caused by a lack of exercise.
In contrast, Foot reflexology therapy not only stimulates reflex areas, but improves blood circulation, expels toxins that have accumulated in the body, and stimulates the metabolism in order to achieve the effects of good health.
There is an old saying that goes,
"When trees age, their roots age first; when people age, their feet age first."
I am particularly intrigued by the specialty shops - especially those where curious gnarled root-like herbs ($100.00 a pop in some cases) beckon - and likewise - hint at secret ingredients lurking beneath their ominous skins waiting to cure all ills.
In fact, Asians have relied on the medicinal properties of these exotic "weeds" to ensure a life of longevity and good health for centuries.
As I was jotting down notes in the street, a sweet woman stepped out of her shop - at E & M Jewelry - to quiz me on what I was up to.
In seconds, I was inside oohing and aahing over the eye-catching pieces which sparkled with fine gems - diamonds, rubies, and emeralds - for instance.
Indeed, many shops along the main street offer up quality pieces at rock-bottom prices.
If you're into Eastern Art and Artifacts, Chinatown is an excellent place to locate unique authentic pieces not located anywhere else in the city.
At the Canton Bazaar or the Old Shanghai, you'll find unique collectables, for example.
If it's just a snack you're looking for at the end of your exciting day of shopping, stop in to the "Floating Sushi Boat" restaurant on Grant for tasty morsels fit for a King.
Or, saunter over to Jackson Street or Washington, for Dim Sum.
Me, I'm going to buy some chimes and hang 'em outside my window.
I may go fly a colorful kite I purchased, too, the first big wind that blows through.
Knowing San Francisco, that may be tomorrow!
