Charles Y. (Charlie) Wah (d. 1977) opened the 8 Immortals Restaurant in 1964 at 509 7th Avenue South in Seattle’s Chinatown International District. The restaurant served a wide variety of dishes, both simple and exotic, said to be served in 8 “immortal flavors”: Tom (bland), Teem (sweet), Seen (sour), Foo (bitter) Lot (hot), Heong (fragrant), and Gum (golden). A free booklet describing the Eight Immortals of Chinese mythology was available to restaurant guests.

This photograph was taken as part of a 1965 newspaper report about the effect of a recent fatal shooting on businesses in the Chinatown International District neighborhood. Charles Wah was one of several Chinese businesses owners and civic leaders interviewed for the article. At the time, in addition to owning the 8 Immortals Restaurant, Wah worked as a realtor, and was Vice President of the Chong Wa Benevolent Association. Here, Wah sits at the reception area of the 8 Immortals Restaurant. At top left is a painting of the Eight Immortals of mythology, with labels identifying each.

Caption information source:"Linyen booms; Chinatown glooms," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 15, 1965, p. 11
Caption information source: Flood, Chuck, "Lost Restaurants of Seattle," p. 230.