1
Chinese Americans 2
Most of todays Chinese Americans 3
are descendants of some of the early miners and railroad workers. 4
Those immigrants had come from the vicinity 5
of Canton in Southeast China, 6
where they had been uneducated farm laborers. 7
The same kind of young men, 8
from the same area and from similar humble origins, 9
migrated to Hawaii in those days. 10
There they fared far better,
11
mainly because they did not encounter hostility. 12
Some married native Hawaiians, 13
and others brought their wives and children over. 14
They were not restricted to Chinatowns, 15
and many of them soon became successful merchants 16
and active participants in general community affairs. 17
Chinese Americans retain many aspects of their ancient culture, 18
even after having lived here for several generations. 19
For example, their family ties continue to be remarkably strong. 20
Members of the family lend each other moral support 21
and also practical help when necessary.
22
From a very young age 23
children are imbued with the old values and attitudes, 24
including respect for their elders 25
and a feeling of responsibility to the family. 26
This helps to explain 27
why there is so little juvenile delinquency among them. 28
The high regard for education 29
which is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, 30
and the willingness to work very hard to gain advancement, 31
are other noteworthy characteristics of theirs. 32
This explains why so many descendants of uneducated laborers
33
have succeeded in becoming doctors, lawyers, 34
and other professionals. 35
Chinese Americans make up only a tiny fraction of our population; 36
there are fewer than half a million, 37
living chiefly in California, New York, and Hawaii. 38
As American attitudes toward minorities and toward ethnic differences 39
have changed in recent years, 40
the long-reviled Chinese have gained wide acceptance. 41
Today, they are generally admired for their many remarkable characteristics, 42
and are often held up as an example worth following. 43
And their numerous contributions to their adopted land 44
are much appreciated.
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