CONTINUE
THE PAST
INTO
Explore the profound history of Sydney Chinatown through the lens of our family's legacy. Join us in celebrating the mural that honors our ancestors.
THE FUTURE
Team Behind the Murals
Researcher & Oral Historian
Dr Christopher Cheng
Dr Christopher Cheng is an oral historian whose recordings are held in the State Library NSW and the National Library of Australia. He documents stories that official archives “forgot.” By recording Chinese Aussie voices, he brings the past to life, revealing a multicultural Australia full of colourful characters and stories too good—or too exotic—for any history book.
Artist
Pei Kwang
Pei Kwang is a Sydney-based artist whose practice moves between contemporary art and cultural memory, often drawing on diasporic identity. Through layered textures and considered forms, her work invites reflection on belonging, heritage, and transformation.
Artist
Sharon Billinge
Sharon Billinge is a Sydney-based mural artist known for transforming public spaces through vibrant, community-driven works. Her large-scale murals blend storytelling and place-making, celebrating local histories while reimagining the urban landscape.
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Editor & Culture Writer
Rosanna Chim
Rosanna Chim is an editor and culture writer focused on Asian Australian storytelling, arts, and community histories. Her work explores themes of diasporic identity, and intergenerational memory, amplifying voices that shape Sydney’s cultural landscape. She is currently writing a book with Soul of Chinatown.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which this mural stands at 96–100 Hay Street, Haymarket, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who live, work and create on this land.
In the spirit of the Chinatown gates’ guiding words to “continue the past into the future”, this artwork honours the deep cultural histories of this place while looking ahead to a shared and vibrant future for all who walk these streets
The Lai Family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the City of Sydney Council for their support and commitment to the arts. Their generous funding has the installation of this art mural possible, enriching our community and enhancing our shared cultural landscape. We are truly grateful for their partnership bringing this vision to life.