Fifth Chinese Daughter is a 1950 memoir by Chinese American writer and ceramist Jade Snow Wong. The name of the book refers to Wong being the fifth child born to immigrant parents from China. The book has been considered as an early classic of Asian American literature.[1]
In Fifth Chinese Daughter, Wong describes her upbringing in Chinatown, San Francisco, providing a detailed portrayal of her family's immigrant experience and the disciplined upbringing she received. It also explores her defiance against the expectations imposed by both her family and society for a Chinese woman.
Receptionedit
Published in 1950, the book became a best-seller, especially in the aftermath of the lifting of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943.[2]
In a profile about Wong, The New York Times wrote that the Fifth Chinese Daughter is "a portrait of the Chinese American immigrant family experience, written with humanity and insight." Journalist Neely Tucker writing for the Library of Congress blog about the book in 2021, wrote that "the book has settled into the national narrative as a lasting portrait of Chinese American life at the midcentury – stilted, sometimes perceptive, sometimes shading the truth in favor of an up-by-the-bootstraps narrative."[2][3]
In a scathing review about the book in 1979, Patricia Lin Blinde wrote that the book "in no way adds anything in terms of real knowledge where the general public's picture of Chinese people is concerned" and "what Wong does is essentially to 'repeat' the white world's articulations and expectations as to what Chineseness is or not."[4]
Promotionedit
Freda Foh Shen as Jade Snow Wong in PBS's half-hour special Jade Snow (1976)
The success of the book led it to being translated into several Asian languages by the U.S. State Department and Wong being sent on a four-month speaking tour of Asia in 1953, to promote the book. In 2004, the Fifth Chinese Daughter was published in China by Yilin Press under the title Chinese Daughter A Wu (Chinese: 华女阿五; pinyin: Huá nǚ ā wǔ).[5][2][3][6]
In 1976, PBS made a half-hour special for public television based on Fifth Chinese Daughter, called Jade Snow, in which Wong was portrayed by actress Freda Foh Shen and Wong's father portrayed by actor James Hong.[7][8]
Referencesedit
^Wildermuth, John (March 19, 2006). "Jade Snow Wong -- noted author, ceramicist". SFGate. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ abcTucker, Neely (July 28, 2021). "Jade Snow Wong: The Legacy of "Fifth Chinese Daughter"". Library of Congress Blog. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
^ ab"Shining a Light on Forgotten Designers". The New York Times. October 28, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
^Blinde, Patricia Lin (1979). "The Icicle in the Desert: Perspective and Form in the Works of Two Chinese-American Women Writers". Multi-ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS). 6 (3). Oxford Academic: 51–71. doi:10.2307/466953. JSTOR 466953. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^Marshall, Anna Wei (2020). "Crafting Identities Between Cultures: A Holistic Study Of Jade Snow Wong". Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
^"Jade Snow". Vimeo (USC Cinematic School of Arts Hugh M. Hefner Moving Image Archive). 1976. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^Rourke, Mary (March 22, 2006). "Jade Snow Wong, 84; 'Fifth Chinese Daughter' Author, Ceramicist". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
External linksedit
"Fifth Chinese Daughter". Goodreads.
May 03, 2024
fifth, chinese, daughter, 1950, memoir, chinese, american, writer, ceramist, jade, snow, wong, name, book, refers, wong, being, fifth, child, born, immigrant, parents, from, china, book, been, considered, early, classic, asian, american, literature, 1950, cove. Fifth Chinese Daughter is a 1950 memoir by Chinese American writer and ceramist Jade Snow Wong The name of the book refers to Wong being the fifth child born to immigrant parents from China The book has been considered as an early classic of Asian American literature 1 Fifth Chinese Daughter1950 coverAuthorJade Snow WongCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSubjectMemoirPublication date1950Media typePrint hardcover Pages264ISBN9780295968261 hardcover Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Reception 3 Promotion 4 References 5 External linksSynopsis editIn Fifth Chinese Daughter Wong describes her upbringing in Chinatown San Francisco providing a detailed portrayal of her family s immigrant experience and the disciplined upbringing she received It also explores her defiance against the expectations imposed by both her family and society for a Chinese woman Reception editPublished in 1950 the book became a best seller especially in the aftermath of the lifting of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 2 In a profile about Wong The New York Times wrote that the Fifth Chinese Daughter is a portrait of the Chinese American immigrant family experience written with humanity and insight Journalist Neely Tucker writing for the Library of Congress blog about the book in 2021 wrote that the book has settled into the national narrative as a lasting portrait of Chinese American life at the midcentury stilted sometimes perceptive sometimes shading the truth in favor of an up by the bootstraps narrative 2 3 In a scathing review about the book in 1979 Patricia Lin Blinde wrote that the book in no way adds anything in terms of real knowledge where the general public s picture of Chinese people is concerned and what Wong does is essentially to repeat the white world s articulations and expectations as to what Chineseness is or not 4 Promotion edit nbsp Freda Foh Shen as Jade Snow Wong in PBS s half hour special Jade Snow 1976 The success of the book led it to being translated into several Asian languages by the U S State Department and Wong being sent on a four month speaking tour of Asia in 1953 to promote the book In 2004 the Fifth Chinese Daughter was published in China by Yilin Press under the title Chinese Daughter A Wu Chinese 华女阿五 pinyin Hua nǚ a wǔ 5 2 3 6 In 1976 PBS made a half hour special for public television based on Fifth Chinese Daughter called Jade Snow in which Wong was portrayed by actress Freda Foh Shen and Wong s father portrayed by actor James Hong 7 8 References edit Wildermuth John March 19 2006 Jade Snow Wong noted author ceramicist SFGate Retrieved November 19 2023 a b c Tucker Neely July 28 2021 Jade Snow Wong The Legacy of Fifth Chinese Daughter Library of Congress Blog Retrieved November 19 2022 a b Shining a Light on Forgotten Designers The New York Times October 28 2021 Retrieved November 19 2022 Blinde Patricia Lin 1979 The Icicle in the Desert Perspective and Form in the Works of Two Chinese American Women Writers Multi ethnic Literature of the United States MELUS 6 3 Oxford Academic 51 71 doi 10 2307 466953 JSTOR 466953 Retrieved November 19 2023 Marshall Anna Wei 2020 Crafting Identities Between Cultures A Holistic Study Of Jade Snow Wong Pennsylvania State University Retrieved January 11 2024 Wong Jade Snow January 2004 华女阿五 华裔美国文学译丛 Isbn 9787806576304 ISBN 978 7 80657 630 4 Retrieved November 19 2023 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a newspaper ignored help Jade Snow Vimeo USC Cinematic School of Arts Hugh M Hefner Moving Image Archive 1976 Retrieved November 19 2023 Rourke Mary March 22 2006 Jade Snow Wong 84 Fifth Chinese Daughter Author Ceramicist Los Angeles Times Retrieved November 19 2023 External links edit Fifth Chinese Daughter Goodreads Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fifth Chinese Daughter amp oldid 1198303806, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
