In this account of his tribulations and triumphs in Gold Mountain (the Chinese immigrant's euphemism for the United States), Tung Pok Chin writes, "It is commonly said among us Chinese here in the United States that before World War II about 99 percent of all Chinese immigrants were paper sons."
This was the term used by those who had purchased documents that enabled them to begin new lives under false identities. They constructed names, parents, marital status, all depending on the trail of paper that created their immigrant identities. They consequently led "paper lives," hidden away in the "the shadows of exclusion" that K. Scott Wong speaks of in his introduction.
The exclusion was very real. From 1882 to 1943, the Chinese Exclusion Act was in force; it was the first American immigration legislation to bar a particular group of people because of their race. And even when it was finally lifted, the annual quota was set at only a little over 100 a year, and the paper people inside were still subject to varying degrees of harassment.
Getting into the country on false papers was the first of many trials. Since the would-be immigrants were subject to interrogation, they had to memorize their paper identities and then conform to their particulars. Consequently, many lied about their marital status, since having a spouse meant more false facts to memorize. As a result, once a foothold was established, these people had great difficulties bringing their families over and had to resort to more paperwork.
Traffic in paper people was big business. Those wishing to enter the U.S. purchased paper proof that they were sons (less often daughters) of Chinese Americans. These may have been acquired from people who had returned, or they may have been concocted.
In any event, they were expensive. The going rate for each "child" was $100 for each year of the child's age -- a very large amount of money in those times -- payable before departure or, more commonly, to be worked off upon arrival.
Chin, one of the first to leave a detailed account of his adventures, arrived in the United States in 1934, 19 years old and carrying "paper" that designated him as the son of an American citizen who had come to join his entirely fictitious parent. He had bought the paper on the Chinese black market for about $2,000, excluding transportation. Penniless, he was able to purchase it on credit by agreeing to repay the amount when he arrived at Gold Mountain and found work.
Work was restricted to being a waiter or a laundryman, the latter considered the more respectable occupation. All, however, were controlled by the various tong organizations, which meant further outlays. Chin found himself a laundry job, but the place was so cold that he took up smoking to warm himself.
Nor was he spared table-waiting. Still not a citizen, he joined the U.S. Navy during World War II to avoid being drafted into the army, only to discover that the navy "would not allow any people of color, Asians included, into any other division than that of Mess Attendants."
During the war, China was perceived as a U.S. ally and that helped. Paper people were encouraged to "confess," which meant that they lost whatever time they had already spent in the country, but ensured that they would not be deported and would be eligible for citizenship in five more years.
Shortly after Mao Zedong's successful revolution, however, China was again described as the Yellow Peril, this time bearing the bacillus of communism. The FBI started paying visits to Chin's laundry. They tried to interrogate his children in their kindergarten.
"I compared my situation with that of the Japanese during WWII. The United States declared war not only on Japan but also on Germany and Italy, yet no German or Italian Americans were rounded up and sent to internment camps." But now, with Sen. Joseph McCarthy loose upon the land, Chinese people were being targeted because of China's communism.
"I was hurt. In my heart I felt like an American. America had been my home for over two decades, my children were born here, I served in the U.S. Navy, and I was as patriotic as anyone. Now they wanted to deport me. I had decided at age 19 that America would be home despite whatever hardships. Now I could not even be assured of that."
Chin nevertheless survived. With his combination of candor, guile and genuine innocence he persisted and eventually, happy ending, became a full-fledged citizen of Gold Mountain. This sober, methodical, interesting account of his life and times ends with a description of a big Chinese New Year party, family united, aim achieved, in which he celebrates both his good fortunate and his perseverance.
This very affirming book may be ordered through www.temple.edu/tempress (the above price is that listed by Amazon.com).
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