From around 1860 to the early 1890's, the Chinese had a fishing village at this site along the La Playa Trail. The village had ten shanties, drying racks and salting tanks. At the shore was a shipbuilding facility where Chinese junks were constructed in traditional design from China.
The Sun Yun Lee, shown here; was the finest junk built in all California. Launched in 1884 on this site, the vessel had three masts and measured 52 feet in length, and 16 feet wide. It was built of redwood with masts and rudders made of ironwood from China. The fishermen had another village at the foot of Third Street near Chinatown where there abalone junks were anchored.They sailed these junks south along the Baja California coast to gather abalone. All the fresh fish needs of San Diego were supplied by the Chinese. Local merchants shipped marine products out of the Pacific Mail and Steamship Wharf at Fifth Avenue. By the early 1890's, due to the Chinese Exclusion Laws, the industry had to be abandoned. This monument commemorates the significant pioneer contributions of the Chinese fishermen to San Diego.

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