Welcome to DimSum, a website for people interested in the experience of being Chinese or East Asian in the UK. We want to create a space where people can discuss the problems that come out of living in a multicultural society. Our aim is to raise awareness of the complex issues Chinese people face in trying to fit into a predominantly European culture. Most of all, Dimsum hopes to be able to give voice to the views of ethnic minorities that have, until now, been silent or ignored.

We welcome letters and views from any anyone who can contribute to the discussion whether they are Chinese or not. We particularly welcome contributions from or about the smaller ethnic minority communities, such as Koreans, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai to name a few. Our needs are often neglected because we do not make up large enough numbers to appear on government statistics. Nonetheless our needs and experiences of discrimination are no less important than those of the larger minority groups. Dimsum hopes to provide a place where your views can be voiced and heard.

What's in a Name?

Translated literally, DimSum (or Dian Xin, in Mandarin) means "a bit of heart or mind". In everyday usage, DimSum generally means light refreshments. The Chinese often take light refreshments by drinking tea and eating a variety of delicious morsels of food, very much like Spanish Tapas or Greek Meze. This is DimSum. Often, the point of DimSum is not so much the food as the discussion about politics and life. Chinese restaurants all over the world serve DimSum all day and provide a space for people to meet and share experiences of life. With a name like Dimsum we express the hope that this site will recreate some of the atmosphere of talk, discussion and sharing that you would enjoy if you were sat down with friends and really having DimSum.

Who is Chinese?

The emphasis on Chinese in Dimsum is not meant to be exclusive or racially discriminating. Dimsum was started by a group of people who are Chinese or are interested in Chinese issues. As a natural consequence this website has a definite Chinese leaning. However, if more people joined us who are interested in the issues faced by other ethnic minorities, Dimsum welcomes the opportunity to represent their views and experiences.

How do we work?

Dimsum currently runs as a non-profit company. All members of the management team and all contributors participate in Dimsum on a voluntary basis. If you would like to become part of our team, feel free to get in touch with us. You can use the links on the left hand navigation bar to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!

More Information

You can find out more about the Dimsum Team here: The Dimsum Team.

If you are interested getting involved with Dimsum, see this article: Get Involved!.

You can submit articles for publication by clicking Submit Articles, which also appears on the left side of each page. Have a look at our Contributors' guide for more information.

Finally, you can find out more about Dimsum and the people who run it by downloading our press pack (600k) which is in PDF format. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to read this.