ALegacyMagnified:AGenerationofChineseAmericansinSouthernCalifornia,1980’s-2010’s(南加華人三十年史話英文版)isamonumentalpublicationjointlyauthoredbyateamofrenownedgroupofwritersconsistingof17chapters,nearly1millionwords,andmorethan1,300photographs,manyofwhicharecollectedfromhistoricalarchives.Itisanunprecedentedendeavorundertakenbymorethan500volunteerswhowereprivilegedtohavewitnessedthedrasticandamazingtransformationofChineseAmericancommunitiesinSouthernCaliforniaduringthecriticalthreedecades,fromthe1980’stothe2010’s.Thishandsomevolumeencompassesanhistoricalaccountofmultifariousrealmsofcommunitydevelopment,includingvariousaspectsofculture,history,politicalparticipation,economicgrowth,businesses,education,language,sports,massmedia,scienceandtechnology,scholarlyresearch,literature,music,dance,theatreandotherperformingarts,amongothersubjects.Thisbookissubstantial,andisdedicatedto“AllChineseofpast,present,andfuturegenerationswhocontributetotheworldculturebyincorporatingthequintessenceofChinesecivilizationandtheirheritage.”IntroductionSeventy-fouryearselapsedbetweenthefoundingoftheUnitesStatesasanationandtheadmissionofCaliforniatotheUnion.ThepassageofthistimeandCalifornia’sgeographicfeaturescontributedtoCalifornia’suniqueculturalcharacteristicsandimmigrationpatternorhistory,differentfromotherstates.WhiletheChinesecannotclaimtobetheearliestforeignsettlersinthiscountry,wecansay,however,thattheChineseareneitherlate-comersnoraretheyanethnicgroupwhocametoenjoythefruitofothers.TheChinesearrivedinCaliforniapriortosomeEuropeanimmigrants,Jews,andtheJapanese.Togetherwithotherethnicgroups,theChinesereclaimedthislandandcultivatedtheplacetheycalledhome.LiketheWestwardMovementshortlybeganafterthefirstcolonialsettlementswereestablishedalongtheAtlanticcoast,theearlyChineseimmigrantstoAmericawerepioneersinexploration,enduringmuchhardshipanddisplayingunyielding,indomitable,anddauntlesscourageandperseverance.Doesn’tthiscalltomindthedramaofwestwardexpansion,filledwithcourageousaswellastragicincidents?AccordingtoareportonthestatusofChineseAmericansintheU.S.conductedbytheUniversityofMarylandin2009,theearliestChinesecametoAmericain1785,whenthreeChinesesailorsarrivedinBaltimore,Maryland,onboardtheshipPallas.LarryHajimeShinagawa,authorofthereportandDirectoroftheAsianAmericanStudiesProgramattheUniversity,indicatesthatitisprobablethattheChinesemighthavearrivedinAmericaearlierthan1785.SomescholarssurmisedthatChineseAmericansintheUnitedStatescouldbetracedbacktengenerations.SomeChinesemighthavearrivedintheMississippiRiverareaandSouthernCaliforniaasearlyas1700.IthasbeensevenoreightgenerationssinceChinesecametoAmericaduringtheGoldRushinthe1840’s.I.WhoaretheChineseAmericans?WhoaretheHuaren華人(EthnicChinese)?WhoareMeijihuaren美籍華人(ChineseAmericans)orHuayi華裔?Thesearetermswhichhavebeenasubjectofdiscussionintheacademicdisciplinesofanthropology,sociology,andimmigrationhistoryforoveracentury.MichelGuillaumeJeandeCrevecoeur(akaJohnHectorSt.John,1735-1813),aFrench-Americanprosewriteronceasked,“WhatisanAmerican?”Inordertofindananswer,oneneedstotracebacktohistory.Thefactthatquestionssuchasthisareraisedisitselfahistoricalphenomenon.EthnicChineseisagenerictermreferringtoallChineseethnicities.TheyarealsoknownasthepeopleofTangorTangren唐人.Itisanapolitical,anthropologicaldesignation,indicatingthosepeoplewhoseancestorscamefromancientChina.The
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