Members of the Chinese Colony of Costa Rica together with the Municipality of San José, unveil the sculpture Monument to Coexistence to celebrate the 168th anniversary of the arrival of the first Chinese immigrants to Costa Rica, from Zhongshan (Canton).
The work was made by the Costa Rican sculptor Juan Carlos Abarca, it measures more than 7 meters high and consists of three statues each with a particular meaning. It has a beautiful base that narrates the history of the sculpture and its background, as well as details alluding to both countries. It will be located in Chinatown and will be illuminated at night to show every aspect of its composition.
According to Isabel Yung, president of the Association:
168 years ago the incorporation of the ancient Chinese culture to the incipient Costa Rican nation was gestated, which crystallized through relevant contributions in the most diverse fields. This monument represents the three fundamental pillars from which the Chinese integrated and became part of this young nation: Culture, Commerce and Gastronomy.
The Chinese brought with them a thousand-year-old culture, rich in manifestations in the most diverse fields, standing out among them the fine arts, music, theater, academy and science.
Mythical Cathay
Marco Polo’s mythical Cathay was famed as a land of spicesjewelery and fine silks, so China’s trading tradition is as old as the nation itself. The Chinese have always had a merchant vocation, which could be considered as part of their very being. This commercial tradition was brought by immigrants from the east to the lands of America, and it persists today.
For its part, Chinese gastronomy is varied and ancient, nourished by the thousand flavors experimented with by many generations that brought their ancestral recipes and techniques to these shores, achieving a sort of amalgamation with local ingredients and flavors. Today Chinese cuisine is omnipresent and constitutes an important part of the Costa Rican seasoning.
