This artwork by Natalie Mark 麥月明 is inspired by the Dynasty Building’s public garden in Winnipeg’s Chinatown, a place where people from all walks of life meet. The eight banners are a visual “garden” to share people’s experiences that history has forgotten or ignored, and to honour community teachings.

The Chinatown Neighbourhood Banners will be installed for at least two years as a collaborative initiative of the Winnipeg Arts Council and the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ. Artists were asked to consider the evolving culture and characteristics of Chinatown to create thought-provoking artwork that draws people in and encourages exploration around the neighbourhood and interaction with its communities.

Thank you to Dr. Tina Chen, Kwok Ngan, Pauline Leung, Dr. Jiuyong Xie, Yikun Wang, Szu Shen and Sarah Michaelson for sharing your wisdom with us.

由麦月明创作，这项唐人街挂幅作品的灵感来自天朝大厦的公共花园，一个来自各行各业的人们能够相遇、相识、相聚的地方。这八面挂幅形成了一种视觉上的「花园」，藉此来分享被主流历史所遗忘或忽略的经历与故事，并去实践世代传承的社群教诲。

作为温尼伯艺术委员会和温尼伯市区商业促进会的合作计画，这些挂幅将被陈列于公共空间至少两年，以供民众欣赏、参观。这项合作计画邀请艺术家去思考唐人街不断演变的文化和特色，并创作发人深省的艺术作品，希望能藉此吸引社会大众来认识、探索这个社区，促进跨文化的互动与交流。

在此感谢Tina Chen博士、Kwok Ngan、Pauline Leung、Jiuyong Xie博士、Yikun Wang、沈思和Sarah Michaelson对这个合作计画的贡献及协助。

Artist Statement & Individual Banner Descriptions:

艺术家自述＆挂幅作品描述

“Chinatown is more than what you can find in historical documents. This project responds to what information is stored — and what is not — in the official archives. The archives contain land development and building records, choices often driven by thoughts of money and not of the people already living in the area. The archives hold interviews with high-profile people of historic Chinatown — mostly church-sponsored or merchant class figures, people with power. These interviews are full of harmful language about ‘converting’ locals to Christianity or blatant denial of oppression and struggle. The archives are missing experiences of regular citizens, especially of Chinese women and working-class people like my family.

Both of my parents were exploited labourers in food, service, and garment work in Chinatown. Both are still in the labour struggle, like so many other Winnipeggers. Despite the painful parts, I have fond memories of grocery shopping after Cantonese school at Daniel Mac, going to events at the Chinese Cultural Centre, buying traditional soups and creams for eczema at Chinese medicine shops, and visiting elders. Chinatown was a very normal part of my life, but I know many people hold awful stereotypes about Chinatown and Downtown in general. To this day, many houseless neighbours face unfair hatred, anxiety, and racism. We need to see everyone as complex people deserving respect and compassion.

Seven of the eight Buddhist Treasures — Conch Shell, Victory Banner, Parasol, Lotus Flower, Treasure Vase, Pair of Fish, and Endless Knot — share lessons of compassion. This is similar to the Seven Teachings of Honesty, Humility, Courage, Truth, Wisdom, Respect, and Love. These Teachings act as guiding principles in how we can live alongside one another. These days, many Winnipeg schools share the Seven Teachings to inspire the next generation toward reconciliation and compassion, much like the Buddhist Treasures teach compassion, wisdom, and protection. The eighth banner in this set does not display the Wheel of Dharma, which is a purely religious symbol. Instead, the banner offers the idea of creating community and relationships with food. It is important to note that this artwork and related research are only an introduction to these traditional teachings and there is much to learn beyond these banners.

I hope that visitors, residents, and workers alike enjoy the new banners. The goal is to celebrate the whole Chinatown community to create a complete picture of the neighbourhood. You are invited to explore the area, to smile at your neighbours, and to see Chinatown with new eyes.

「唐人街这个社区不仅仅是历史文献所呈现的那些样貌。这项创作回应了一个核心问题：官方的文史档案中保存了哪些资料，而又忽略、遗忘了哪些资料？我们能在档案中看到土地开发和建筑记录等文件，保留这些档案的决策通常是出于经济上的考量，而非考虑到居住在这个社区的人们。档案中还有跟唐人街知名人士的访谈，其中大部分是接受教会贊助或是经商阶级的人物，换句话说，被保存下来的是那些有权势的人们的故事。这些访谈中充斥着如何让当地居民『皈依』基督教或公然否认压迫和抗争的有害语言。这些文史档案欠缺了关于普通百姓的生活经历，特别是关于华裔妇女以及劳动阶级的经历。

我的父母都曾在唐人街从事食品业、服务业及纺织业等劳动工作。像许多温尼伯人一样，我的双亲仍身处于跟劳动剥削的抗争中。虽然有着这些痛苦的经历，这个社区仍带给我许多美好回忆：粤语学校放学后到杂货店买东西、去中华文化中心参加活动、到中药店购买传统汤料和治疗湿疹的药膏，以及拜访邻里长辈等等。唐人街是我生活中理所当然的一部分，但我知道很多人对唐人街和市区有着诸多负面的刻板印象。直到今天，许多无家可归的邻里仍被迫面对不公平的仇视、焦虑及种族歧视。我们需要将每个人视为完整而複杂的个体，都值得同等的尊重及同理心。

这些挂幅上所描绘的佛教珍宝──海螺、胜利幢、宝伞、莲花、宝瓶、双鱼和无尽结──代表了关于仁爱的教义，而这些教义可以对应至原住民社群传颂的七项教诲：诚实、谦逊、勇气、真理、智慧、尊重和爱。这七项教诲是教导我们如何与彼此共存共荣的重要原则。今日，温尼伯的许多学校都实践与分享这七项教诲，希望能够增进下一代彼此间的和解、同理心及联繫，就如同佛教珍宝传达给我们关于仁爱、智慧和保护心的教诲。这次我选择不去描绘法轮──第八项佛教珍宝，因为它是一个纯粹的宗教符号。相反地，我透过第八面挂幅去展现了以饮食分享来创建社群关係的想法。在此我也要特别说明，这件艺术作品和其相关研究只粗略地介绍了这些传统教诲的广大意涵，除了这些挂幅，还有许多关于这些教诲的文章探讨、思想论述可供我们学习。

我希望来到此地的访客以及在当地工作、生活的人们都能享受、欣赏这些挂幅。也希望这项作品能够展示唐人街这个社区所涵盖的各种样貌，藉以创造一幅完整呈现社区特色的视觉飨宴。在此邀请您来拜访、探索这个社区，也别忘了对社区的邻里微笑致意，并学习以崭新的眼光来探看唐人街。

The Banners

挂幅作品

Conch Shell – Honesty

海螺──诚实

The conch shell wakes us up from the deep sleep of not knowing. It encourages us to find health, happiness, and fortune for ourselves and for others. In the seven teachings, honesty is represented by Sabe (Sasquatch), who knows and accepts who they are. Honesty comes from within and asks us to be true to ourselves.

This banner illustrates textile labour in Chinatown, which has historically exploited Asian women who don’t speak English well. My mom worked at one of these places in the ’90s. According to reports about a company I won’t name, Asian immigrant women are still very mistreated in these settings, despite the companies moving out of Chinatown. The conch is reminding you that these forgotten workers have existed for years, and still exist, and deserve more rights and equitable treatment. These workers are honest, while those that exploit workers are not honest about the reality and well-being of their primary source of production.

海螺将我们从无知的沉睡中唤醒。它鼓励我们为自己和他人寻找健康、幸福和财富。在原住民社群的七项教诲中，诚实的象徵为萨贝（大脚野人），他们深刻的理解并接受自身的存在。诚实必须发自内心，并要求我们忠于自己。

这面挂幅呈现了唐人街的纺织劳动。在历史上，这种劳动一直剥削了不太会说英语的亚裔妇女，我的母亲在九十年代就曾经在纺织厂工作。据一家不愿透露名号的公司称，儘管这些纺织厂已搬出唐人街，但亚裔移民女性在这些环境中仍受到严重剥削。海螺在此提醒了我们，这些被遗忘的劳动剥削有着长久的历史，而且依旧存在于今天的社会，这些劳工必须享有更多的权利和公平的待遇，他们是诚实的劳动者，而那些剥削者却狡诈地对这些组成其生产力的劳动者的艰苦现实视而不见。

Victory Banner – Humility

胜利幢──谦逊

Banners are often used in war, as a symbol for success. In Buddhism, the banner represents Buddha’s victory over many of life’s difficulties: pride, desire, disturbing emotions, fear of death. The teaching of humility is that we are part of a larger whole, that we must share instead of take, and respect our communities. Humility is represented by the wolf that lives for its pack. Cooperation and community are the only way we can survive with one another.

Similar to the “Endless Knot – Love” banner, this banner showcases people. They are dancing in joy. Animals are all around them in earth and sky, to represent holding up the “banner.” You can see the wolf and its guiding principles, the guardian lion offering protection, and the animals of the four cardinal directions.

旗幢经常在战争中使用，作为胜利的象徵。在佛教中，旗幢代表了佛陀成功克服生命中的诸多困难：骄傲、慾望、不安的情绪、对死亡的恐惧。关于谦逊的教诲让我们认知到自身为更大集体的一部分，因此我们必须分享而不是滥取资源，并学会尊重我们的社群。为了群体而活的狼代表了如此的谦逊，互助与社群是你我能够共生共荣的唯一途径。

与名为「无尽结──爱」的挂幅相似，这面挂幅也描绘了人群。他们手舞足蹈，十分欢欣，而天地间的众生万物环绕着他们，象徵着彼此合作，支撑起这面「旗幢」。除此之外，这面挂幅也描绘了狼及其核心原则、提供保护的守护石狮，以及代表四个基本方位的动物。

Parasol – Courage

宝伞──勇气

This banner is about protection from harm and inner courage. The parasol protects all beings from harm. It’s quite like what a guardian lion does. A very long time ago, guardian lions were depicted as genderless or male. In the re-emergence of Taoism during the Song Dynasty in China (960-1279), the guardian lions became two equal but opposing forces. The male lion has one paw on a ball, which protects physical architecture, while the female lion has a paw on her cub and protects the spiritual architecture. Courage allows us to “…seek the strength to face our greatest enemy — oneself. The bear will give us the understanding to seek resolutions through spiritual intervention: hence, spiritual healing to deal with anger, pain, and ourselves.” (Southern First Nations: Network of Care)

The guardian lion and weeds you see in this banner represent protection. Only the female lion is illustrated, to respond to all of the lost and invisible stories of women, from long ago and today. Dandelions signify growth, hope, healing, and wishes. As well, moths are said to be your ancestors for some Chinese.

这面挂幅描绘了抵禦伤害的保护心以及内在的勇气。宝伞能保护一切众生免受伤害，这跟守护石狮非常相似。很久以前，守护石狮被描绘为无性别或雄性。在中国宋代（960-1279年），道教重新兴起时，守护石狮成为两股平等但相对应的力量。雄狮的一隻爪子置于球上，保护着物质面的建筑，而雌狮的爪子则放在幼狮身上，保护着灵性上的建筑。勇气让我们能够「……寻求力量来面对我们最大的敌人──也就是自己。熊让我们学习去透过灵性层面的改变，找寻解决方案：因此，灵性治疗可以处理愤怒、痛苦和我们自己。」（南部原住民社群：以关爱为基础的网络）

挂幅中的守护石狮和杂草象徵着保护之心。这面挂幅只描绘了雌狮，藉以回应从古至今许多被遗忘、忽略的女性故事。蒲公英则象徵着成长、希望、疗癒和愿景。此外，有些华人社群相信，飞蛾是自己祖先的化身。

Lotus Flower – Truth

莲花──真理

The lotus flower represents a pure body and mind. It floats above muddy waters. In this banner, the lotus flowers and leaves are placed above a western painted turtle on top of a log. Truth is represented by the turtle, who carries the record of time on its back. The turtle understands the importance of both the journey and destination. The turtle can adapt to change without changing.

莲花代表了纯洁的身心，它漂浮于淤泥之上。挂幅中的莲花和莲叶坐落于休憩在浮木上的西部锦龟上方。在这里乌龟象徵着真理，龟背上承载着关于时间的纪录。乌龟理解旅途过程和抵达目的地这两件事都同等重要，能够以不变应万变。

Treasure Vase – Wisdom

宝瓶──智慧

The treasure vase represents health, long life, riches, wisdom, and more. The beaver represents wisdom, which is gained through experience. The beaver changes its environment in a way that does not harm nature but still takes care of the beaver’s family. “When one pollutes water, one does not break a human law, but the law of nature, which states that to poison the water, is to destroy oneself.” (Southern First Nations: Network of Care)

This banner shows the vase as it celebrates wisdom and knowledge of women and racialized people. Their wisdom and labour are not included in the archives, instead it was ignored, or forgotten. We must remember to ask: whose wisdom are we ignoring? What happens when we ignore those people and how can we fix it?

宝瓶代表了健康、长寿、财富、智慧等等，而河狸代表着透过经验获得的智慧。河狸为了家人的存活改变了其生活的环境，但这种改变方式并不会伤害自然。「当一个人汙染了水时，他并非违反人类的法律，而是违反了自然法则。这种法则明订，毒害水就等于是自我毁灭。」（南部原住民社群：以关爱为基础的网络）

这面挂幅呈现的宝瓶颂扬着女性和有色族裔的智慧及知识。这些智慧和劳动常常被官方文史档案省略或遗忘。我们必须时时扪心自问：哪些人的智慧被我们忽略了？当我们轻忽这些人，所带来的影响为何？而我们又该如何去面对、解决这个问题？

Pair of Fish – Respect

双鱼──尊重

This banner shows the pair of fish — human hands surround the animal and plant life as though it is being embraced or carried.

The pair of fish represents the success of all sentient life, happiness, and abundance. It is about swimming without the fear of drowning. Respect is understanding balance and value the needs of others — to honour all living things. The buffalo represents this respect. It gives every part of itself to sustain the traditional human way of living. “Respect is the gift from the Buffalo. In all life, respect is the first and foremost. Respect oneself and respect will be bestowed.” (Southern First Nations: Network of Care)

这面挂幅描绘了一对双鱼──而人的双手以拥抱、关爱的姿态环绕着画面中的动植物。

双鱼象徵了一切众生的成功、幸福与富足，象徵着不用担心淹溺地畅游水中的悠然自在。尊重必须建立在理解万物平衡并重视他者需求──尊重所有生物──的前提之上。水牛代表了如此的尊重，它奉献自己的每部分来维持人类的传统生活方式。「尊重是来自水牛的礼物。人生在世，尊重是首要的，学会尊重自己，就会得到尊重。」（南部原住民社群：以关爱为基础的网络）

Endless Knot – Love

无尽结──爱

The endless knot is a symbol of love, unity of everything, weaving together wisdom and compassion. Chinese culture also uses the “panchang knot,” which specifically represents the belief that life is a cycle with no beginning or end. Allen Sutherland, Waabishki Mazinazoot Mishtaatim, White Spotted Horse, is a Saulteaux elder from Skownan First Nation. In his teachings, Allen says: “To know love is to know peace, as you’re able to understand all perspectives.” (Allen Sutherland, Waabishki Mazinazoot Mishtaatim, White Spotted Horse for FortWhyte Alive)

The panchang knot is in the centre of the banner while surrounding it are community members from all walks of life: children, parents, elders, people who are houseless, people with disabilities, etc. We are all connected in life even when our experiences and knowledge are different. There absolutely must be compassion, autonomy, and safety for all of our neighbours, even those with harmful stereotypes surrounding them such as our houseless neighbours, substance users, disabled kin, everyone.

无尽结象徵着爱、万物的统一、以及智慧与仁爱的相辅相成。华人文化中也有着代表了生命是个无始无终循环的「盘长结」。艾伦．萨瑟兰、瓦比希基．马兹纳佐．米希塔提、白斑马（Allen Sutherland, Waabishki Mazinazoot Mishtaatim, White Spotted Horse）是来自斯科南原住民社群的索托长老。根据艾伦的教诲：「了解爱就是了解和平，因为你能够理解各种不同的观点。」（艾伦．萨瑟兰、瓦比希基．马兹纳佐．米希塔提、白斑马，FortWhyte Alive网站）

盘长结位于挂幅中心，而围绕着它的是来自各行各业的社区成员：孩子、父母、老人、无家可归者、身心障碍人士等。即使有着截然不同的经历与知识，我们在生命中都是相互联繫的。生活在这世上的所有众生都必须能享有仁爱、自主权和安全感，即使是那些经常被贴上负面标籤，如无家可归者、成瘾者、身心障碍人士等。

Food – Community

饮食──社群

It would be a crime to not have a piece featuring food in Chinatown! This is the banner with no traditional treasure or teaching. Instead, there is the theme of community through food that is made to be shared — whether it is dim sum or the “family style” way dishes are served in Chinese and Chinese-Canadian cuisine.

这次创作如果没有描绘唐人街美食，是令人无法想像的！这是一面没有传统珍宝或教义的挂幅，相反地，这面挂幅展现了以饮食分享来创建社群关係的想法──无论是港式饮茶、中式料理还是中式加拿大菜餚中的「阖家共享」餐点。

Anecdote: I remember celebrating Thingyan with a couple of friends — the broke college edition. We were noting that a lot of immigrant families with roots in the global south, but especially the Asian diaspora, had stronger feelings of collectivism. They had reiterated from their mother that the people you choose to share food with are the people you see as family. This is because food is necessary to life.”

个人轶事：我记得几年前和几个朋友一起庆祝缅甸新年──当然是贫困大学生的简易庆祝版本。当时我们注意到，许多来自全球南方（发展中国家）的移民家庭，尤其是散居海外的亚裔人士，有着更为强烈的集体主义意识。这些朋友的母亲经常教导他们，你选择与之分享食物的人即是你视为家人的人，这是因为食物是维持生命所必需的。」

– Natalie Mark 麦月明

For more on the Seven Teachings, go to:

如想更深入了解原住民社群的七项教诲，请至以下链结浏览：

• Southern First Nations Network of Care
• Empowering the Spirit- Alberta Education Resource for classroom use
• Allen Sutherland, Waabishki Mazinazoot Mishtaatim, White Spotted Horse, via FortWhyte Alive with paintings by Oji-Cree artist Jordan Stranger on a teepee on the trails

In the media:

• Sign Media Canada, posted February 23, 2024: Street banners create visual ‘garden’ in Winnipeg’s Chinatown
• Winnipeg Free Press, posted February 21, 2024: A long time coming
• CTV News Winnipeg, posted February 9, 2024: Artists in Chinatown
• CTV News Winnipeg, posted February 9, 2024: Banners in Winnipeg's Chinatown
• The Manitoban, posted January 17, 2024: Revitalizing historic Chinatown through art