Photo Book Tells History of Chinese in San Jose

Images of America: Chinese in San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley, by Lillian Gong-Guy and AsianWeek columnist Gerrye Wong, captures the Chinese community in the Santa Clara Valley from the 1800s to today through a showcase of black and white historic photographs.

Six sections document frequently overlooked points in San Jose’s history. For one, San Jose once had five Chinatowns from the 1850s to 1930s. The book also details better-known facts like the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad by Chinese workers, who were ostracized by American society at the time.

The first chapter also pays homage to John Heinlen, a landowner who leased out his land to the Chinese, despite strong opposition following the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Named after Heinlen, “Heinlenville” was erected immediately after the burning of one of San Jose’s original Chinatowns on Market Street. The authors acknowledge the “enterprising, hard-working Chinese” who “contributed substantially to the economy of the young state of California,” in spite of very strong anti-Chinese sentiments.

In the chapter on economic prosperity, images of the earliest Chinese business owners are presented. Before the days of looming Ranch 99 Asian grocery stores and Chinese jook joints, there were fruit orchards, chrysanthemum gardens and the first Chinese restaurant, Qui Hong Low on Castro Street in Mountain View. At Qui Hong Low, owners On Liu and Rose Liu served up fresh Chinese noodles and whipped up chop suey – a “purely American dish.” Then came the large grocery stores, expanding outward to clothing, hotels and more restaurants, including Ming’s of Palo Alto, a hot spot for Stanford community gatherings and family celebrations.

The chapter also delves into a brief history of “firsts” — the first Chinese American dentist, the first Chinese American family physician, the first Chinese American anesthesiologist, the first Chinese American engineers. We get the point.

But among the montage of firsts are the not-so-common Chinese achievers like Robert Lee, who was named Inventor of the Year by NASA in 1985. And the first Asian American leaders — Don Tang of Lockheed Missiles and Space, who became president and general manager of the Space Systems Division, and Dr. Belle W. Y. Wei, the dean of the College of Engineering at San Jose State University.

In sections on community organizations and community affairs, we learn of the emergence of Chinese schools, a much-abhorred destination for many Chinese American children. The book gives a more appreciative perspective on the existence of Chinese schools, in the context of the history of Chinese hardships and battles. But of course, Chinese school is still Chinese school.

The final chapters are most inspiring. We get a glimpse of major Asian American leaders in the area today, including Steven Chu, winner of the Nobel Prize in physics; Jerry Yang of Yahoo; and Andrea Wong, a fourth-generation Chinese American who earned degrees from MIT and Stanford, and is currently the president-CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services. All have made major strides in breaking through the glass ceiling and challenging Asian stereotypes.

Much of the information contained in the book is not new, but photography brings a different aspect to Chinese American history. In spite of hardships, the photos are rather upbeat and indicate the strong will of early Chinese. While not especially vibrant or unusual, the photos serve as a sort of montage of the past — many photos are in fact family portraits and photos from celebrations. The book makes for a quick-and-dirty 30-minute take on over a century’s worth of Chinese American history in the United States.