Identity is the general overall character of a particular place and culture, in this case Chinatown and its Chinese culture. Naturally, Chinatown has an identity of being a cultural area of the Chinese traditions. It is assumed that it is a place where Chinese locals are able to stay connected through their culture and roots, whether through religion (temples), or cultural delicacies and products that stays authentic to the Chinese culture. It is also assumed that it still serves the purpose of allowing for a Chinese settlement to gather. However, this common assumption of identity of Chinatown, whether it is Singapore or the United States of America, is vastly changed in the Singapore context, due to the rapid modernization of Singapore in the past 40 years. It is today less like a common space for Chinese to gather and stay rooted to their tradition through religion and products, as I will be explaining later.
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