Xiaomingxiong
Encyclopedia
also known as Samshasha (born 1954), is a veteran Hong Kong
gay right activist and one of the first authors to study the history of homosexuality in China.
to Chinese parents emigrated from the mainland
. His father owned a wood cutting factory but went bankrupt during the second world war
when the Japanese occupied Hong Kong
. Young Xiaomingxiong finished high school at the age of sixteen and went to the United States
for university education in 1971. His arrival at Louisiana
and later Austin, Texas
coincided with the advance of the Sexual Revolution
throughout the Western world
. It was there that he met fellow students who self-labeled themselves as gay and came across the first wave of gay liberation writings. After graduation, Xiaomingxiong briefly returned to Hong Kong but went to rural New York
in 1976 to pursue graduate study in geology
. His attention was, however, quickly diverted to the vibrant post-Stonewall
New York City
. In the year that followed, he explored first hand various aspects of the new urban gay lifestyle, interviewing first generation of gay bookshop owners, gay parents, homosexuals from different races, etc. In June 1979, xiaomingxiong travelled to the White House
as part of a delegate for gay rights, representing Asian American. There, he met with a secretary of Jimmy Carter
and raised concerns regarding the United States immigration procedures.
At the end of 1979, Xiaomingxiong returned to British colonial Hong Kong, where homosexual acts were still illegal and punishable by life imprisonment. He was quick to discover the one and only local underground gay bar at the time, the Dateline, through the then editor of the City Magazine. There, he met a wealthy Chinese merchant, who agreed to finance Xiaomingxiong for his first gay liberation Chinese publication, "A Chinese Gay's Manifesto" (1980). This was followed by the underground newsletter "Pink Triangle" (1981) and the book "Twenty-five Questions about Homosexuality" (1981). The public's reactions also earned Xiaomingxiong a column space in the City Magazine, allowing him to openly disseminate information and advices on homosexuality. After more than five years of preparations, the comprehensive "The History of Homosexuality in China" was published in 1984 just before the announcement of the Sino-British Joint Declaration
.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
gay right activist and one of the first authors to study the history of homosexuality in China.
Biography
Xiaomingxiong was born in 1954 in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
to Chinese parents emigrated from the mainland
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. His father owned a wood cutting factory but went bankrupt during the second world war
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
when the Japanese occupied Hong Kong
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
. Young Xiaomingxiong finished high school at the age of sixteen and went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for university education in 1971. His arrival at Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and later Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
coincided with the advance of the Sexual Revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
throughout the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
. It was there that he met fellow students who self-labeled themselves as gay and came across the first wave of gay liberation writings. After graduation, Xiaomingxiong briefly returned to Hong Kong but went to rural New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1976 to pursue graduate study in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. His attention was, however, quickly diverted to the vibrant post-Stonewall
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
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 the year that followed, he explored first hand various aspects of the new urban gay lifestyle, interviewing first generation of gay bookshop owners, gay parents, homosexuals from different races, etc. In June 1979, xiaomingxiong travelled to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
as part of a delegate for gay rights, representing Asian American. There, he met with a secretary of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and raised concerns regarding the United States immigration procedures.
At the end of 1979, Xiaomingxiong returned to British colonial Hong Kong, where homosexual acts were still illegal and punishable by life imprisonment. He was quick to discover the one and only local underground gay bar at the time, the Dateline, through the then editor of the City Magazine. There, he met a wealthy Chinese merchant, who agreed to finance Xiaomingxiong for his first gay liberation Chinese publication, "A Chinese Gay's Manifesto" (1980). This was followed by the underground newsletter "Pink Triangle" (1981) and the book "Twenty-five Questions about Homosexuality" (1981). The public's reactions also earned Xiaomingxiong a column space in the City Magazine, allowing him to openly disseminate information and advices on homosexuality. After more than five years of preparations, the comprehensive "The History of Homosexuality in China" was published in 1984 just before the announcement of the Sino-British Joint Declaration
Sino-British Joint Declaration
The Sino-British Joint Declaration, formally known as the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong, was signed by the Prime Ministers, Zhao Ziyang and Margaret...
.
Booklets
- A Chinese Gay's Manifesto (Chinese, 1980)
- Twenty-five Questions About Homosexuality (Chinese, 1981)
- Thirty Questions About Homosexuality (Chinese, 1989)