Wong Chin Foo
Encyclopedia
Wong Chin Foo was a Chinese
-born journalist, lecturer, and writer, one of the most prolific Chinese writers in the San Francisco press of the 19th century. He first came to the United States
in 1868; he returned to China but was forced out for his political activism; he then moved to Japan
and (in 1873) back to the U.S.
In the U.S., he lived mostly in the East and Midwest, traveling and lecturing. He founded a weekly newspaper, The Chinese American, in New York City
in 1883, the country's first association of Chinese American
voters in 1884, and the Chinese Equal Rights League to campaign against the U.S. policy of Chinese Exclusion
in 1892. His work was published in periodicals including the North American Review
and Chautauquan. When a visitor to a saloon in New York's Chinatown accused a Chinese grocery of handling small cats and rats, Wong offered $500 reward for anyone who could prove that Chinese ate cats or rats, an offer which was not taken up. The incident provoked Wong into writing an article on Chinese food for the
Brooklyn Eagle which offers a rich description of Chinese cooking, in which he says “chop soly,” that is, Chop Suey
“may justly be called the national dish of China” (though it is not the dish usually called Chop Suey in the United States).
His 1887 essay "Why Am I a Heathen?" explains his rejection of Christianity
in favor of traditional Chinese beliefs; it prompted a response that same year, "Why I Am Not a Heathen" by his fellow Chinese immigrant Yan Phou Lee, a Christian.
Wong went up repeatedly against anti-Chinese activist Denis Kearney, heckling him and at one point challenging him to a duel
, and giving Kearney his choice of weapon: chopsticks
, Irish potato
es, or Krupp
guns. In 1904, he approved of Sun Yat-Sen
's revolutionary message. He subsequently disappeared from recorded history. His date and place of death are unknown.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
-born journalist, lecturer, and writer, one of the most prolific Chinese writers in the San Francisco press of the 19th century. He first came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1868; he returned to China but was forced out for his political activism; he then moved to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and (in 1873) back to the U.S.
In the U.S., he lived mostly in the East and Midwest, traveling and lecturing. He founded a weekly newspaper, The Chinese American, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1883, the country's first association of Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
voters in 1884, and the Chinese Equal Rights League to campaign against the U.S. policy of Chinese Exclusion
Chinese Exclusion Act (United States)
The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law signed by Chester A. Arthur on May 8, 1882, following revisions made in 1880 to the Burlingame Treaty of 1868. Those revisions allowed the U.S. to suspend immigration, and Congress subsequently acted quickly to implement the suspension of...
in 1892. His work was published in periodicals including the North American Review
North American Review
The North American Review was the first literary magazine in the United States. Founded in Boston in 1815 by journalist Nathan Hale and others, it was published continuously until 1940, when publication was suspended due to J. H. Smyth, who had purchased the magazine, being unmasked as a Japanese...
and Chautauquan. When a visitor to a saloon in New York's Chinatown accused a Chinese grocery of handling small cats and rats, Wong offered $500 reward for anyone who could prove that Chinese ate cats or rats, an offer which was not taken up. The incident provoked Wong into writing an article on Chinese food for the
Brooklyn Eagle which offers a rich description of Chinese cooking, in which he says “chop soly,” that is, Chop Suey
Chop suey
Chop suey is a Chinese dish consisting of meat and eggs, cooked quickly with vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery and bound in a starch-thickened sauce...
“may justly be called the national dish of China” (though it is not the dish usually called Chop Suey in the United States).
His 1887 essay "Why Am I a Heathen?" explains his rejection of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in favor of traditional Chinese beliefs; it prompted a response that same year, "Why I Am Not a Heathen" by his fellow Chinese immigrant Yan Phou Lee, a Christian.
Wong went up repeatedly against anti-Chinese activist Denis Kearney, heckling him and at one point challenging him to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
, and giving Kearney his choice of weapon: chopsticks
Chopsticks
Chopsticks are small, often tapered, sticks used in pairs of equal length as the traditional eating utensils of China and its diaspora, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Northern provinces of Laos, Thailand and Burma. Generally believed to have originated in ancient China, they can also be found in some...
, Irish potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, or Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
guns. In 1904, he approved of Sun Yat-Sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
's revolutionary message. He subsequently disappeared from recorded history. His date and place of death are unknown.