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An Indigo Best Book of 2025
A colourful illustrated history of the buildings in Vancouver’s Chinatown, celebrating the richness, diversity, and vibrancy of the Chinese community.
Buildings are more than just bricks and mortar; they are keepers of secrets and history. With more than seventy vibrant illustrations, writeups on the buildings, interviews with community members, and select archival photographs, Chinatown Vancouver celebrates the invaluable contributions of the Chinese to Canada. The colourful illustrations portray Chinatown during its thriving days as a commercial hub when iconic businesses such as Cathay Importers, Ho Inn Restaurant, Ming Wo Cookware, and Ho Ho Restaurant were pillars in the community.
Early Chinese settlers in Vancouver demonstrated immense resilience and perseverance in creating a self-sustaining safety net to weather racial hostility, discrimination, and segregation from broader Canadian society. The protection of cultural sites like Chinatown helps us understand our connection to place, the past, and the future. In showcasing the unique architecture, Chinatown Vancouverhonours the neighbourhood as an irreplaceable living heritage site and cultural asset for all Canadians.
“A nostalgia-tinged triumph … lovingly illustrated and written with concision and meticulous research.” —Kevin Chong, author of The Double Life of Benson Yu
“Breathtaking.” – Canada’s History Magazine
“A beautiful, accomplished, gorgeous book.” —Jen Sookfong Lee, author of Superfan and The End of East
“Donna Seto has immortalised a neighbourhood from a bygone era” – South China Morning Post
“Donna Seto’s vibrant watercolour paintings will resonate with anyone who grew up near a Chinatown in North America.“ —Teresa Wong, author of All Our Ordinary Stories
“Donna Seto’s delicate, sensitive, and vibrant illustrations capture the fragility of Chinatown today.” —Henry Tsang, author of White Riot: The 1907 Anti-Asian Riots in Vancouver
“An exquisite book … The art is a testament to the unique, sophisticated, and aesthetic beauty the Chinese diasporic community has cultivated in urban spaces.” —Jamie Chai Yun Liew, author of Dandelion
“Nostalgic, informative, and richly detailed.” —Lindsay Wong, author of The Woo-Woo and Tell Me Pleasant Things about Immortality
“This is history that can be tasted, smelled, and embraced.” —Wayne Ng, author of Johnny Delivers