The Chinese-Americans
(中國人在美國)
History, Cultural Trends, and Approaches
By Phil Rehberger
EDU 9510
Friday, July 24, 2015
Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_American
Religious Demographics
http://projects.pewforum.org/files/2012/07/AsianAmericans_Affiliation-41.png
https://http://iwr.cass.cn/zjwh/201403/W020140303370398758556.pdf
Demographics
Historical population of Chinese Americans
Year
Pop.
1850
4,018
1860
34,933
1870
63,199
1880
105,465
1890
107,488
1900
89,863
1910
71,531
1920
61,639
1930
74,954
1940
77,504
1950
117,629
1960
237,292
1970
435,062
1980
806,040
1990
1,645,472
2000
2,432,585
2010
3,347,229
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_American
https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.ImIZQhuFKERYqfTmDyDF8w&pid=15.1&H=274&W=160&P=0
±%
—
+769.4%
+80.9%
+66.9%
+1.9%
−16.4%
−20.4%
−13.8%
+21.6%
+3.4%
+51.8%
+101.7%
+83.3%
+85.3%
+104.1%
+47.8%
+37.6%
Early History
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCIeniI_o9MYCFceMDQodm
FkDEg&url=%2Furl%3Fsa%3Di%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dimages%26cd%3D%26cad%3Drja%26uact%3D8%26ved%3D%
26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fherndonapush.wikispaces.com%252FChinese%252BMigration%252B%252526%252BAntiChinese%252BImmigration%252BMovement%26ei%3DVbuyVfvcMMjBggS71q2wCw%26bvm%3Dbv.98717601%2Cd.eXY%26psig%3DAFQjCNH
UsRXyrWrJhUqD9QGSON0xFZKtyw%26ust%3D1437863126259940&ei=ybuyVceeCceZNpizjZAB&bvm=bv.98717601,d.eXY&psig=AFQjCNHUsRX
yrWrJhUqD9QGSON0xFZKtyw&ust=1437863126259940
http://norawuchineseimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/2/1/28211751/13
99079719.jpg
Chinese Exclusion Act
http://i2.wp.com/www.asamnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Chinese-Exclusion-Act2.jpg
http://norawuchineseimmigration.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/2/1/28211751/13
99079719.jpg
Opium and War
www.china-mike.com
http://alphahistory.com/chineserevolution/boxer-rebellion/
https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/faqf9LFWHzReV_U6ioVfSw--/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9NTk5O3E9OTU7dz03NzM/http://cmapspublic3.ihmc.us/rid=1GXH4282Z-159KNKV-1C3K/British%20opium%20sales%20to%20China.jpg
World War 2
http://future-economics.net/tag/chinese-politics/
VIDEO: The Rape of Nanking
http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/images/ww2-5.gif
The Rise of the Communist Party
http://stimulatedboredom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/cultural-revolution-poster.jpg
https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/CHINA.CHAP1.HTM
http://blog.dominiontea.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/china-and-taiwan.gif
Modern China
http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tiananmen_square_2014/bp1.jpg
http://tommytoy.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3a4072c970b014e861ccea2970d800wi
“Third-Wave Immigration”
www.china-mike.com
http://time.com/3949424/chinese-immigrants-u-s/
http://china2012.bizjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Chinese-Ministry-of-Ed-Xinhua-News-Agency.jpeg
Chinese cultural views of education:
• One-child policy = all the hopes of the family rest on the child.
• Respect for elders = focus on what the teacher says and does.
• Educational model = European model, with high-implication
tests early on in the students’ career.
• Great Firewall = Tilted view of other countries and people.
• Education = Access to economic strength.
• Rote Training = Focus on clarity of teaching, not creativity.
Translated to Lane, the dominant Chinese
culture is likely to be…
• High context, doing in nature.
• Highly formal and hierarchical, with a high uncertainty
avoidance and a large power distance.
• Collective in political and social thought, but possibly
independent in economic thinking.
• The worldview may vary, but mostly modern.
• “Face” is an important aspect of the Chinese culture.
Chinese-American students may also…
• Have some level of assimilation with American culture.
• Hold strong views on the Chinese government and its policies,
but avoid sharing those views.
• Want to avoid conflict and losing face.
• Have pride in their Chinese heritage and culture.
• Be academically oriented, but be poor at stress management.
• Have parents who are very focused on their children’s
success, but who may be sporadic or absent parents.
Books to teach Chinese-American culture:
Fritz, J., & Tomes, M. (1999). Homesick, my own story. New
York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.
Homesick is the rare book that works equally well at a lower-reading
level and a higher-reading level. Although a work of fiction, the book is
based on the author, Jean Fritz’s, real-life experience growing up as an
American in China. She lives in China at a time when foreigners are hated
and reviled as “white devils,” and the razor-sharp descriptions of her
difficulties create an acute awareness of how xenophobia creates harm.
As the book progresses, she moves to America, but experiences difficulty
in leaving her adopted culture behind, a common phenomenon among
first-generation Asian-Americans. Students of all ages will admire and
root for Jean, and gain valuable insight into trials that moving to a foreign
country may bring. This book was the Newbery Honor Book in 1982.
Books to teach Chinese-American culture:
Lord, B., & Simont, M. (1984). In the year of the boar and Jackie
Robinson. New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row.
A ten-year old girl discovers that she has to move from China to America
to be with her family. In doing so, she discovers all of the emotions and
changes that go on when a person leaves their premodern clan in China
(this takes place in 1947) and travels to the US, to try and fit in with
modern US kids. This book also is a historical novel, leveraging the rise to
baseball fame of the African-American Jackie Robinson. The writing is
humorous and generally optimistic, but also teaches children about the
thinking and fears of a person who makes a cultural shift. Although it is a
bit young for the students, it could be a very pointed discussion starter
about the responsibilities of a dominant culture towards newcomers.
Books to teach Chinese-American culture:
Yep, L. (1995). Dragon's gate. New York: HarperTrophy.
Rounding out the trilogy of adventure/historical/cultural novels is this
adventurous gem by Laurence Yep. Based in 1865-9, this tells the story of
a noble Chinese boy, Otter, who longs to go to America to become rich,
so he can return and free China from all its troubles. When he gets
involved in an accident, he is forced to flee China to be with his father
and uncle in America, where they are building the transcontinental
railroad. Otter quickly becomes disillusioned by the poor treatment and
lack of honor accorded to his relatives, and the hatred accorded to
immigrants. Rich with historical detail, the plot also carries along to a
surprise ending. This was a Newbery Honor book in 1994.
Select Bibliography
Chang, I. (2004). The Chinese in America: A narrative history. New York: Penguin.
Deng, B. (2014, July 5). Untitled [E-mail interview].
French, H. (n.d.). China's second continent: How a million migrants are building a new
empire in Africa.
Lane, P. (2002). A beginner's guide to crossing cultures: Making friends in a
multicultural world. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
McGregor, R. (2012). The Party: The secret world of China's communist rulers. New
York: Harper Perennial.