MetaFilter posts tagged with Chinese and immigration

"What appears as discipline or “tough love” from one perspective often appears as abuse from another."

the man of twists and turns — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:50:30 -0800

On Tiger Moms: "What the controversy surrounding Chua demonstrates, however inadvertently, is that parenting techniques are always grounded in basic assumptions about the way things are and what matters to us. And they are always guided by some answer to the most fundamental of ethical questions—how to live?" Via The Point Magazine, and, previously on Metafilter, Amy Chua's original article: Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior

The Pershing Chinese

SpringAquifer — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:53:32 -0800

After a fruitless hunt for Pancho Villa, General Pershing and his forces withdrew from northern Mexico in early 1917. But, "[w]hat to do with 300 Chinese who have associated themselves with the punitive expedition?" By the start of the 20th century, Chinese immigrants had carved a niche across northern Mexico. Yet, their economic success had become a "national embarrassment" in the political climate of the revolution. This growing immigrant community became a target for racially motivated violence (including the 1911 massacre of some 300 Chinese in Torreón) and, ultimately, expulsion from their adopted homes (some to other regions of the country, some to the United States, and some back home to China). When General Pershing crossed into Mexico in 1916, the local Chinese stepped in to provide American troops with various sundries, such as laundry services and supplies. According to a contemporary New York Times account, "[d]oughnuts, pies, candy, tobacco, matches, and fruit, which comprised about all the luxuries known to the men during this campaign in a poverty-stricken country, were furnished by Chinese, and by them only." This behavior understandably raised the ire of Pancho Villa, and when the Punitive Expedition withdrew, many Chinese feared retaliation. Yet, standing in the way of safety across the border was the Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred Chinese immigration to the U.S. Only after a great deal of political maneuvering could General Pershing bring 527 Chinese across the border, most of whom eventually settled in San Antonio. They are affectionately dubbed the "Pershing Chinese." Unfortunately, a wealth of further reading on this topic is only available offline:

A contemporary account of the Pershing Chinese: Worley, F.B. “Five Hundred Chinese Refugees.” Overland Monthly, April 1918.
On the years of political maneuvering it took to give the Pershing Chinese legal status in the U.S.: Briscoe, Edward Eugene. “Pershing’s Chinese Refugees: An Odyssey of the Southwest” M.A. thesis, St. Mary’s University, 1947.
On the lives of the Chinese who settled in San Antonio: Nims, Amy Elizabeth. “Chinese Life in San Antonio.” M.A. thesis, Southwest Texas State Teachers College, 1941.

Goodbye, "Leih Hou Ma," Hello "Ni Hao Ma!"

zarq — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:57:09 -0800

"Chinatown" communities across the United States (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco) are undergoing a shift in linguistic identity, as recent immigrants are more likely to natively speak Mandarin (the official spoken language of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan,) instead of Cantonese. Also see these anecdotal reports about similar changes in Vancouver and Oakland, CA. Good news for the tri-literate: signs like this may soon become commonplace. :) The Language Atlas of China The PopUp Chinese Podcast and Arch Chinese site provide basic Mandarin lessons. Also see: Mango, ZhongWen and LiveMocha

Chinese Diaspora

plep — Thu, 07 Aug 2003 10:01:05 -0800

Chinese Heritage of Australian Federation. A page full of stories of the Chinese community in Australia around 1900. 'At this time there were almost 35,000 Chinese in the Australian colonies. Each of these individuals to varying degrees has played a role in the development of Australia. This page explores the lives of some of these people - both ordinary and famous. '
Related :- the Ng Shing Gung in San Jose; the Mai Wah Society and the Asian heritage of Butte, Montana (old building and the Tong Wars); the Wing Luke Asian Museum, Seattle; a Chinese joss house in Darwin; Chinatown Melbourne (history, today, virtual tour); Chinatown Sydney (community and culture); Yema-po, once a Chinese labourers' work camp in California.