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Using a fresh approach that combines literary and historical scholarship, Xiao-huang Yin traces the origins and development of the extensive and largely neglected body of literature written in English and in Chinese from the 1850s to the present. These include journalistic and autobiographical texts from nineteenth-century Chinese authors; writings on the walls of Angel Island; writings of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century "cultivated Chinese," students and scholars who came to America to advance their educations; and the work of more recent authors who have entered the canon, including Sui Sin Far, Jade Snow Wong, Frank Chin, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Amy Tan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

History of Literature and Literature on History
This book combines the literary approach and the socio-political approachin such a delightful manner that it may be considered as both history ofliterature and literature on history. As a history, it is amazinglyinformative of the Chinese Americans' life in the past one and halfcenturies, their weal and woe, tears and laughters. As literature, it issurprisingly readable, and full of sensible judgments from literaryperspectives.

The design of the jacket cover, however, somewhat fallsshort of doing full justice to the quality of the book. Especially, theChinese graphs in the background might mislead potential readers to thinkthat Chinese American literature is more Chinese than American, amisconception that the author himself endeavors to correct in the book.

Chinese American Literature Since the 1850s
Do you know what happened to the altar food left open in the Wild West by early Chinese immigrants? You can find the answer in Xiao-huang Yin's path-breaking book Chinese American Literature since the 1850s.The volumeis a careful study on Chinese American cultural and historical experienceseen through a fascinating reading and documentation of Chinese Americanwriting over the past 150 years. I think Yin's book is a fine example ofwhat the Chinese call "yasu gongshang," i.e., to be appreciated by both theacademic and general audience, perhaps the highest standard for allwriting.

Yin has offered to the field of Chinese and Asian Americanstudies the first comprehensive overview of Chinese American literaryexperience from the beginning of Chinese settlement in North America downto the present time. I believe Yin's book has redefined and enriched ourperception of Chinese American literature in two significant ways: first,his research has offered us a fuller and engaging look at the early Chineseimmigrant writing of the 19th century, and more importantly, it embracesthe entire world of Chinese American literature in both Chinese andEnglish. Although it is the concensus of the field that bilingual andtransnational approach is most desirable in Chinese American studies, trulybilingual and transnational research is still very hard to find. Yindemonstrates that bilingual and transnational approach is not only mostfruitful but also a necessity in Chinese and Asian American studies. Whatis most impressive is the sense of balance Yin's commentary achieves indealing with varied voices, often contending, in the worlds of ChineseAmerica. The seven chapters of the book not only includes a historicalin-depth view, but also incorporates distinctive perspectives such asimmigrant, Eurasian, second-generation, American-born,native-Chinese/American, anti-/pro-assimilation, etc, which togetherconstitutes a rich, diverse, and often contradictory, picture of ChineseAmerican experience. Last but certainly not the least, trained as acultural historian and Asian Americanist, Xiao-huang Yin combines the bestof solid historical research method with an acute literary sensitivity thatproduces a powerful effect.

Even though this is an academic book based onsolid research, it is surprisingly a very easy read. Here is the good newsfor the general reading public: there is no hard-to swallow academic jargonin Yin's book. Another aspect I find that it is such an entertaining readis that his notes are full of "gems." Not only will you find who ate thealtar food, you can also find, for instance, who said "white man first,socialist second," who's the first Chinese graduate from an Americancollege, how much money a Chinese-language writer in America makes, etc.Given the increasing importance of the Chinese American community in themaking of a multicultural America, Yin's timely book is well-suited tobenefit the general reading public in their understanding of major (cross-)cultural issues facing Chinese American communities not only historicallybut also in the ever-changing dynamics of the present. ... Read more

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The Chinese began to emigrate to the United States in significant numbers at the time of the California Gold Rush. By 1880 some 100,000 Chinese immigrants were living in this country, the vast majority in California. In that state and in other western states they encountered severe hostility, manifested in numberous racially discriminatroy state laws. The articles and essays in this volume examine the law's impact on the Chinese immigrant community and their response to racial discrimination. ... Read more

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Imagine growing up like a princess. That's what Vera Wang's childhood was like. Vera Wang is now one of the top fashion designers. Women all over the world wear her bridal gowns and clothes. The little princess has transformed herself into a hardworking, successful businesswoman. This is a book about her life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Yes, more biographies for children!
What a wonderful fairy-tale story -- all the more amazing because it's a true story about a real person!

Vera Wang is quite an inspirational figure for anyone, demonstrating that it's possible to follow your dreams & that perseverence pays off. It seems her life could have been one of ease & opulence, but instead Wang chose a career in a very tough field where you're judged by your talent & hard work, not your family history.In fact, as an Asian American woman at that time, she broke the boundaries, blazing trails for others to follow. I'm glad Ms. Louie has written this as a children's book, the better to introduce younger generations to the contributions of Asian Americans to this country's incredible history & achievements.

My favorite parts
I really enjoyed this book because it is a success story about a very gifted young lady. When she became a fashion designer and after she got married, she opened the Bridal Shop. My favorite parts are when she started ice skating, when she took ballet lessons, and when she started to draw. I really like these things too. I would suggest this book to other girls and boys my age (9).

Vera Wang: Queen of Fashion
I was delighted to receive "Vera Wang:Queen of Fashion" with the author's autograph. This is an intelligent children's book that, instead of talking down to children, inspires them with a remarkable (and true) story delivered with respect for its readers. Ms. Louie's writing is enthusiastic, fluid, descriptive and age-appropriate; the illustrations are perfect. This book encourages girls to believe in themselves and to work hard to achieve their dreams. A wonderful message for children of all ages and nationalities! I am looking forward to reading "Vera Wang" to my grandkids. Rona Sands, Teacher of the Handicapped ... Read more

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How could late Qing China, a country bound largely by parochial ties of family, clan, and native place, produce a nationwide mass movement? Was this popular outburst symptomatic of a domestic "nationalist awakening," as historians of modern China claim, or a result of pressure from Chinese overseas suffering under harsh U.S. immigration laws, as students of American history contend? In considering these vying explanations for the boycott of American products, Wang identifies a coalition of interests that came together to shape the movement's strategy, objectives, and outcome. He explores the larger structural and organizational resources available to boycott organizers and participants and the role of this common experience in laying the groundwork for later reform and revolutionary movements. ... Read more

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This collection offers multifaceted explorations of how Chinese Americans have shaped their ethnic culture and identities to claim recognition and acceptance as participants in America's multiracial, multicultural democratic state. In a field that has recently demonstrated its centrality to American processes of racialized nation-state and ideological formations, these articles represent a cutting edge in American, immigration, and ethnic studies.Sucheng Chan introduces this valuable new anthology with a commanding discussion of the field of Chinese American studies, in which she examines its history and points the way ahead. Here, she and Madeline Y. Hsu have brought together leading-edge scholarship from a new generation of thinkers, as useful for scholars as it is for undergraduate readers. The contributors address a broad range of issues, from the activism of left-wing and Communist Chinese immigrants to the U.S. in the 1920s and early 1930s and humanitarian relief during the Sino-Japanese War to the construction of new Chinese regional identities in New York. ... Read more

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"Chinese American Transnationalism" considers the many ways in which Chinese living in the United States during the exclusion era maintained ties with China through a constant flow of people, economic resources, as well as political and cultural ideas. Continuing the exploration of the exclusion era begun in two previous volumes (Entry Denied and Claiming America), editor Sucheng Chan and the contributors underscore the complexities of the Chinese immigrant experience and the ways in which its contexts changed over the sixty-one year period.The collection's topics (and contributors) include: changing patterns of Chinese immigration and strategies for circumventing exclusion laws (Erika Lee); Chinese trade networks that facilitated Chinese migration (Madeline Hsu); female migration, marriage, and family formation (Sucheng Chan); Chinese herbalists in America (Haiming Liu); the significance of Chinese Americans' economic ties with China (Yong Chen); Chinese American debates about ideological currents in China (Shehong Chen); the role of Chinese-language schools in the United States in promoting ethnic "authenticity" (Him Mark Lai); and two classic autobiographies that reflect an emerging Chinese American consciousness (Xiao-huang Yin). ... Read more

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A volume in the Chinese American Educational Researchand Development Association Book SeriesSeries Editor Jinfa Cai, University of DelawareThis is the first in the book series on educational research sponsored by Chinese American EducationalResearch and Development Association (CAERDA, www.caerda.org). Since its inceptionin 1992, CAERDA has dedicated itself to the improvement of educational research anddevelopment of Chinese in North America and around the globe. In 2006, CAERDA launchedits landmark project to start a book series on critical issues and contemporary trends in the educationallandscape of Chinese and Chinese Americans. The purpose of this book series is to promoteexcellence and equity for all, with research and educational implications from studies onChinese and Chinese American education or studies by Chinese and Chinese American scholars and practitioners.The CAERDA book series has three unique features. First, each book has a focused theme with multidisciplinary perspectives structuredin an integrated framework. This interdisciplinary approach encourages participation and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries.Second, each book addresses educational issues not only within its focus on Chinese and Chinese Americans but also in relationto a larger context or environment where Chinese and Chinese Americans are only a part of it. As such, the book series provides bothinsider's and outsider's perspectives on the educational challenges we face today and in the years to come. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Social Work, published by National Association of Social Workers on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 8022 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: Key words: Asian Americans; dating; ethnic differences; Filipino Americans; violence

Citation Details
Title: Assumptions of Asian American similarity: the case of Filipino and Chinese American students.
Author: Pauline Agbayani-Siewert
Publication: Social Work (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: National Association of Social Workers
Volume: 49Issue: 1Page: 39(13)

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This collection of essays centers on the formation of an ethnic identity among Chinese Americans during the period when immigration was halted. The first section emphasizes the attempts by immigrant Chinese to assert their intention of becoming Americans and to defend the few rights they had as resident aliens. Highlighting such individuals as Yung Wing, an ardent advocate of American social and political ideals, and Wong Chin Foo, one of the first activists for Chinese citizenship and voting rights, these essays speak eloquently about the early struggles in the Americanization movement.

The second section shows how children of the immigrants developed a sense of themselves as having a distinct identity as Chinese-Americans. For this generation, many of the opportunities available to other immigrants' children were simply inaccessible. In some districts explicit policies kept Chinese children in segregated schools; in many workplaces discriminatory practices kept them from being hired or from advancing beyond the lowest positions. In the 1930s, in fact, some Chinese-Americans felt their only option was to emigrate to China, where they could find jobs better matched to their abilities. Many young Chinese women who were eager to take advantage of the educational and work options opening to women in the wider U.S. society first had to overcome their family's opposition and then racism. As the personal testimonies and historical biographies eloquently attest, these young people deeply felt the contradictions between Chinese and American ways; but they also saw themselves as having to balance the demands of the two cultures rather than as having to choose between them. ... Read more

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Chapters: Chinese American Museum, Pavilion for Japanese Art, Norton Simon Museum, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Pacific Asia Museum. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 23. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Chinese American Museum (Chinese: ; pinyin: Huámi Bówùgun; abbreviated CAM) is a museum located in Downtown Los Angeles as a part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. It is dedicated to the history and experience of Chinese Americans in the state of California, first such museum in Southern California. It presents exhibits of fine art by Chinese American artists as well as historical exhibits. Planning for the museum began in October 1984, with the grand opening taking place on December 18, 2003. The museum is housed in the Garnier Building, the oldest surviving Chinese building in Southern California. The original Los Angeles Chinatown was located here before it was moved to New Chinatown for the construction of Los Angeles Union Station. It is funded by the State of California, the City of Los Angeles, Friends of the Chinese American Museum, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, the Getty Foundation, the El Pueblo Association, the Center for Chinese Medicine, and hundreds of other donors. A permanent exhibit at the museum is the recreation of the Hing Yuen Hong Chinese Herb Shop of yesteryear. The current featured exhibit is "Asian Roots/American Reality: Photographs by Corky Lee", November 16, 2008 through May 31, 2009. Past exhibits have included "Sunshine and Shadow: In Search of Jake Lee", showcasing the 60 watercolor work of prolific artist Jake Lee; "Milton Quon's Los Angeles" (2005-2006); "The Art of Diana Shui-In Wong" (2006); and "Tyrus Wong (Chinese: ): A Retrospective" (2004), who was one of the earliest and most influential Chi...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=5029426 ... Read more

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This study of first generation Chinese youth and their parents who have immigrated to Houston reveals the ways in which this group resists assimilation into the dominant Western milieu and instead accommodates itself as a paracommunity with the culture of its host city. Chinese parents counter Western influence on their children by enrolling them in Chinese language schools, having them participate in Chinese community events, and encouraging them to develop a network of Chinese friends.
The study presents a detailed ethnography of a Chinese language school. It traces the negotiations between traditional Chinese beliefs-in particular, unquestioned submission to authority, kinship systems, and the denial of the singular self-and the developed sense of self in Western individualism. This study of identity reformation clearly indicates that there is space within the dialectics of immigration and the related cultural processes that enables the immigrant community to resist the image of all diasporic people as liminars and hybrids. The Chinese in this study do not sacrifice their past and their values in order to reformulate themselves for the present. Rather, they are determined to create a self-referential identity within a living and growing Chinese culture. ... Read more