Early Chinese Canadian Experiences in British Columbia
Primary Documents
From the Royal BC Museum
Curator of History Tzu-I Chung explores how Chinese immigrants helped shape British Columbia during the gold rushes within the transnational context.
Learning Program Developer Kim Gough writes about mud-silk garments from China.
Curator of Archaeology Grant Keddie uncovers a moment of Chinese Canadian history in the BC Archives and an unexpected find in a Victoria second-hand store.
Dr. Tzu-I Chung finds a link between a collection of artifacts and a local Victoria family, helping to create a better understanding of Victoria’s Chinese Canadian history.
Where to Begin Your Own Research
The BC Archives contains government and private records that are of enduring value to the province of British Columbia. New information is continually being added, including digital copies of records, providing ever-growing access to the archival materials.
Watch these helpful instructional videos on how to search the BC Archives:
How-to: BC Archives Genealogy Search. Learn how to find records on births, deaths, marriages or baptisms in BC.
How-to: BC Archives Collections Search. Learn how to find any documents aside from those used in the genealogy search, including maps, photographs, textual records, moving images or audio recordings.
Outside Links
These links will take you away from the Learning Portal. Come back soon!
Open School BC has created a new teacher and student resource: Bamboo Shoots: Chinese Canadian Legacies in BC. The resource includes an extensive collection of in-class activities using primary source material and research. Lessons focus on important Chinese-Canadian milestones and examine historical wrongs committed against the community through historical thinking concepts.
This interactive map details 77 places around BC that were nominated because they have an important connection with the heritage of BC’s Chinese Canadian community. The places have information about location, description and history, images, heritage values, and links to more information.
Is your community represented in the Chinese Canadian Artifacts Project (CCAP)? Explore this searchable database that holds over 6000 Chinese Canadian artifacts from 16 local and regional museums across British Columbia.
This graphic timeline provides an overview of Chinese Canadian history from 1788 to the present.
This is a collection of digitized holdings from the Chung Collection, from the UBC Library and the City of Vancouver Archives, that sheds light on Chinese experiences in BC between 1850 and 1950.
This interactive site allows you to explore the stories of Chinese Canadians through primary source documents, engaging activities, and teacher/student resources.
This resource provides information about Chinese Canadians in BC. In addition to providing background information on Chinese Canadian history, this genealogy guide provides a list of available records and tips for conducting research into Chinese Canadian family histories.