A vibrant green tree with red lanterns in the foreground stands before a multi-story building with Chinese characters and a red awning in the background.

Heritage Vancouver Society

LXCL:Ticket sales go towards helping the Wongs with their upcoming exhibition. Although higher than last year due to the changing granting situation, we try to keep the cost reasonable. Please contact info@heritagevancouver.org if cost is an issue and we will accommodate. *By using this platform (Zeffy), we pay $0 in credit card fees. However, Zeffy adds an optional "tip" at checkout.To change or remove it: Click the percentage dropdown right before paying, select "Other," and enter 0. **All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.

General ticket (Please read details in its entirety)

LXCL:For those who are able and wish to give a little extra to support the Wongs and their efforts, while still keeping the price reasonable. *By using this platform (Zeffy), we pay $0 in credit card fees. However, Zeffy adds an optional "tip" at checkout.To change or remove it: Click the percentage dropdown right before paying, select "Other," and enter 0. **All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.

Supporter ticket (Please read details in its entirety)

We continue last year&rsquo;s How We Do Heritage: Chinatown and the Wongs&rsquo; Benevolent Association tours with a new tour for 2026: Why We Do Heritage: the Chinatown Bachelors and the Wongs&rsquo; Benevolent Association This year&rsquo;s tour&nbsp;introduces the Wongs&rsquo; Benevolent Association&rsquo;s initiative to turn the second-floor rooms of their Hon Hsing building into a rooming house exhibition with a planned opening for 2027. In collaboration with acclaimed curator Catherine Clement, the Wongs&#39; exhibition intends to tell the human stories of the many Chinese bachelors who once made these tiny rooms their home. Prior to the exhibition opening, this year&rsquo;s tour will address in depth why this history of the bachelors matters to today, and why the Wongs are doing this particular project.&nbsp; The history of the Chinese Bachelors is not just important because it is the history of discriminatory laws like the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act or the head tax, or the human stories of what happened and the effects. The story of the Chinese Bachelors directly shaped Chinatown and institutions like the Wongs&rsquo; Benevolent Association. Today this is often overshadowed by comments that Chinese food and products define Chinatown, and that because these products are easily found elsewhere, Chinatown is obsolete. On the tour, we&rsquo;ll take a quick look at the bachelor rooms floor where the exhibition will be. We will walk through the western part of Chinatown to highlight the larger context between the bachelors, historical discrimination and why it matters today including the urban&nbsp;planning of the neighbourhood. We will also visit the Wongs&#39; archives space in their heritage building where we will have a conversation about the Wongs and their relationship to the bachelors and why they are taking on this exhibition project. Join us to hear about why the Wongs do heritage. Together we&rsquo;ll consider the questions: what defines Chinatown, how that should be expressed, and what a Chinatown is for present day. NOTE: THERE WILL BE STAIR CLIMBING INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH WE WILL BE INDOORS, WE WILL ALSO BE OUTSIDE FOR A PORTION OF THE TOUR RAIN OR SHINE.&nbsp;There will be two sessions in Cantonese that we will do separate outreach for.&nbsp; This event is a collaboration between the Wongs&rsquo; Benevolent Association and Heritage Vancouver Society. It is made possible by the financial support of the Department of Canadian Heritage.&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1788305544/wysiwyg/h8gl1rsbln6eygn2quq9.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; text-align: center; max-width: calc(100% - 10px); cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; text-align: center; max-width: calc(100% - 10px);" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">

Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="color: rgb(42, 42, 196); overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you for registering for our event and supporting the Wongs and Heritage Vancouver. A reminder email will be sent closer to the event date. Please write to info@heritagevancouver.org if you have any questions.

We continue last year’s How We Do Heritage: Chinatown and the Wongs’ Benevolent Association tours with a new tour for 2026: Why We Do Heritage: the Chinatown Bachelors and the Wongs’ Benevolent Association This year’s tour introduces the Wongs’ Benevolent Association’s initiative to turn the second-floor rooms of their Hon Hsing building into a rooming house exhibition with a planned opening for 2027. In collaboration with acclaimed curator Catherine Clement, the Wongs' exhibition intends to tell the human stories of the many Chinese bachelors who once made these tiny rooms their home. Prior to the exhibition opening, this year’s tour will address in depth why this history of the bachelors matters to today, and why the Wongs are doing this particular project.  The history of the Chinese Bachelors is not just important because it is the history of discriminatory laws like the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act or the head tax, or the human stories of what happened and the effects. The story of the Chinese Bachelors directly shaped Chinatown and institutions like the Wongs’ Benevolent Association. Today this is often overshadowed by comments that Chinese food and products define Chinatown, and that because these products are easily found elsewhere, Chinatown is obsolete. On the tour, we’ll take a quick look at the bachelor rooms floor where the exhibition will be. We will walk through the western part of Chinatown to highlight the larger context between the bachelors, historical discrimination and why it matters today including the urban planning of the neighbourhood. We will also visit the Wongs' archives space in their heritage building where we will have a conversation about the Wongs and their relationship to the bachelors and why they are taking on this exhibition project. Join us to hear about why the Wongs do heritage. Together we’ll consider the questions: what defines Chinatown, how that should be expressed, and what a Chinatown is for present day. NOTE: THERE WILL BE STAIR CLIMBING INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH WE WILL BE INDOORS, WE WILL ALSO BE OUTSIDE FOR A PORTION OF THE TOUR RAIN OR SHINE. There will be two sessions in Cantonese that we will do separate outreach for.  This event is a collaboration between the Wongs’ Benevolent Association and Heritage Vancouver Society. It is made possible by the financial support of the Department of Canadian Heritage. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1788305544/wysiwyg/h8gl1rsbln6eygn2quq9.jpg" style="width:600px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;margin-right:5px;margin-left:5px;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;position:relative;box-sizing:inherit;max-width:100%" />

Heritage Vancouver Society

Why We Do Heritage: the Chinatown Bachelors and the Wongs’ Benevolent Association

27 E Pender St

General ticket (Please read details in its entirety)

$10

Supporter ticket (Please read details in its entirety)

$20