{"id":14,"date":"2006-10-30T23:33:51","date_gmt":"2006-10-31T03:33:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scripts.mit.edu\/~zong\/wpress\/?p=14"},"modified":"2011-01-14T14:43:26","modified_gmt":"2011-01-14T19:43:26","slug":"chin-chun-hock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/?p=14","title":{"rendered":"Chin Chun Hock"},"content":{"rendered":"

Somebody forwarded me an article<\/a> on Wikipedia. Actually as of today, the article contains 4 sentences:<\/p>\n

Chin Chun Hock was the first Chinese man to settle in Seattle. He arrived in 1860 and was employed as a domestic worker. By 1868, Chin Hock had founded a general merchandising store, The Wa Chong Co., at the foot of Mill Street. He owned the Eastern Hotel which housed the first Asian workers in Seattle.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, that’s not very satisfying. There is more to be known, but how to find it? True, there is likely stuff at the Wing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle and in the archives of the University of Washington, but it would be too much trouble to get at those for a lunchtime-project. Let’s just dig around.
\n
\n\"http:\/\/www.wingluke.org\/CHC\/exhibit4\/images\/e40025b.jpg\"The English sources<\/a> on the internet are fairly useless, but they do point out that Chin Chun Hock got a fellow Toisan’er (Chin Gee Hee) as junior partner to run their Wa Chong Co. trading and contract labor operation in downtown Seattle. Actually they are related. I think Chin Chun Hock is Chin Gee Hee’s paternal first cousin once removed (\u65cf\u53d4). It turns out that Chin Gee Hee later raised lots of money, went back to China, and built a railroad<\/a> to his hometown – the first one built entirely with Chinese capital and engineering. Seems like this could be the thread to a lot more information about both of them, and so it was<\/a>.<\/p>\n

First of all, we learn of Chin Gee Hee’s Chinese name (\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7), clearly written on this book. A search on Google in Chinese easily turns up 175 articles about the guy and of course, his partner Chin Chun Hock, the Wa Chong Co., and whatever else we might want to know. Well darn, that wasn’t terribly hard at all.<\/p>\n

So, Chin Chun Hock’s Chinese name is \u9648\u7a0b\u5b66. The Wa Chong trading company in Seattle is \u534e\u660c, literally, Chinese Properity Co. The more interesting tidbits are from Chinese sources, and I will quote just one<\/a> below…<\/p>\n

\uff11\uff19\uff10\uff15\u5e74\uff12\u6708\uff0c\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7\u81ea\u8d39\u53bb\u9999\u6e2f\u3001\u65e7\u91d1\u5c71\u3001\u897f\u96c5\u56fe\u548c\u6e29\u54e5\u534e\u7b49\u5730\uff0c\u5411\u534e\u4fa8\u52df\u96c6\u80a1\u91d1\u3002\u4ed6\u558a\u51fa\u4e86\u4e00\u4e2a\u9971\u542b\u7740\u7231\u56fd\u6fc0\u60c5\u3001\u4ee4\u4fa8\u80de\u4eec\u70ed\u8840\u6cb8\u817e\u7684\u62db\u80a1\u53e3\u53f7\uff1a\u201c\u4ee5\u4e2d\u56fd\u4eba\u4e4b\u8d44\u672c\uff0c\u7b51\u4e2d\u56fd\u4eba\u4e4b\u94c1\u8def\uff1b\u4ee5\u4e2d\u56fd\u4eba\u4e4b\u5b66\u529b\uff0c\u5efa\u4e2d\u56fd\u4eba\u4e4b\u5de5\u7a0b\uff1b\u4ee5\u4e2d\u56fd\u4eba\u4e4b\u529b\u91cf\uff0c\u521b\u4e2d\u56fd\u53f2\u4e4b\u5947\u529f\uff01\u201d\u65e0\u6570\u534e\u4fa8\u4e3a\u8fd9\u53e3\u53f7\u6240\u611f\u594b\uff0c\u4ed6\u5f88\u5feb\u5c31\u52df\u96c6\u4e86\u80a1\u91d1\uff12\uff17\uff15\uff18\uff14\uff11\uff12\u5143\uff0c\u8d85\u51fa\u539f\u8ba1\u5212\uff14\u500d\u3002\uff11\uff19\uff10\uff15\u5e74\uff12\u6708\uff11\uff17\u65e5\u65e7\u91d1\u5c71\u4e2d\u6587\u62a5\u7eb8\u300a\u4e2d\u897f\u65e5\u62a5\u300b\u53d1\u8868\u793e\u8bba\u300a\u5174\u529e\u65b0\u5b81\u94c1\u8def\u4e4b\u5e0c\u671b\u300b\u6307\u51fa\uff1a\u201c\u5408\u5eff\u4e8c\u884c\u7701\u4e4b\u94c1\u8def\u8ba1\u4e4b\uff0c\u5229\u6743\u7686\u64cd\u4e4b\u5916\u4eba\uff0c\u552f\u65b0\u5b81\u94c1\u8def\u4e4b\u5229\u6743\uff0c\u5219\u5b8c\u5168\u65e0\u7f3a\u3002\u201d\u5f53\u7136\uff0c\u5728\u5e7f\u5927\u4fa8\u80de\u5927\u529b\u652f\u6301\u7684\u540c\u65f6\uff0c\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7\u4e5f\u542c\u5230\u4e86\u53cd\u5bf9\u7684\u58f0\u97f3\u3002\u4ed6\u7684\u65cf\u53d4\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\uff08\uff11\uff18\uff14\uff14\uff0d\uff11\uff19\uff12\uff17\uff09\u5c31\u8bf4\u4ed6\u4e0d\u81ea\u91cf\u529b\uff0c\u201c\u5982\u679c\u4f60\u80fd\u4fee\u6210\u94c1\u8def\uff0c\u6211\u51b3\u4e0d\u5750\u4f60\u7684\u8f66\u3002\u201d\u540e\u6765\u94c1\u8def\u544a\u6210\uff0c\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u4e5f\u56de\u56fd\u62c5\u4efb\u7ca4\u6c49\u94c1\u8def\u987e\u95ee\u548c\u9999\u6e2f\u4e1c\u534e\u533b\u9662\u603b\u7406\u3002\u6bcf\u6b21\u56de\u4e61\uff0c\u4ed6\u53ea\u597d\u4ece\u9999\u6e2f\u4e58\u8239\u5230\u6c5f\u95e8\uff0c\u518d\u96c7\u8239\u5f00\u56de\u53f0\u5c71\u53bb\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Translation:<\/p>\n

\nIn February of 1905, Chin Gee Hee paid his own way to Hong Kong, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver among other places to raise funds from overseas Chinese. He used a patriotic fund-raising slogan that excited the overseas compatriots: “Using Chinese capital to build a Chinese railroad; using Chinese ingenuity to engineer a Chinese project; using the power of the Chinese people to create a miracle in Chinese history!” Countless overseas Chinese were moved by the slogan and quickly donated $2,758,412 (US Dollars?), four times that of the original plan. On February 17, 1905, the San Francisco Chinese newspaper Chinese-Western Daily<\/u> printed an editorial titled “The hope of creating the Sun Ning Railroad” which read, “Looking over the railroads of all 22 administrative provinces, the rights to all of them are controlled by foreigners, except those of the Sun Ning Railroad, which are complete.” Of course, at the same time that the support poured in, Chin Gee Hee also heard an opposing voice. His first-cousin-once-removed Chin Chun Hock (1844-1927), for example, said he was in over his head, and made a bet, “If you actually finish the railroad, I promise not to ride your train.” Afterwards, the railroad was completed and Chin Chun Hock himself also returned to China to consult for the Canton-Wuchang Railroad and serve as the Director of the Tung Wah Hospital in Hong Kong. But every time he went back to his hometown, he had to take a boat from Hong Kong to Jiangmen, then take another boat from there to Toisan.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here’s another one<\/a> of the same incident:<\/p>\n

\u65b0\u5b81\u94c1\u8def\u7684\u5efa\u6210\uff0c\u5168\u53bf\u4eba\u6c11\u7686\u5927\u6b22\u559c\uff0c\u552f\u72ec\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7\u7684\u53d4\u7236\u3001\u7f8e\u56fd\u94c1\u8def\u5de5\u7a0b\u5e08\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u6df1\u611f\u5185\u759a\u3002\u56e0\u4e3a\u65e9\u5728\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7\u884c\u52a8\u56de\u4e61\u7b51\u8def\u4e4b\u524d\uff0c\u66fe\u8bda\u9080\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u534f\u52a9\u3002\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u8511\u89c6\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7\u7684\u80fd\u529b\uff0c\u4e0d\u4ec5\u4e0d\u5141\uff0c\u53cd\u5632\u7b11\u8bf4\uff1a\u201c\u6709\u5c3e\u72d7\u4ea6\u8df3\uff0c\u5187\u5c3e\u72d7\u4ea6\u8df3\u3002\u4f60\u5982\u679c\u7b51\u5f97\u6210\u94c1\u8def\uff0c\u6211\u6c38\u8fdc\u4e0d\u5750\u4f60\u7684\u706b\u8f66!\u201d\u5982\u4eca\u94c1\u8def\u7b51\u6210\u4e86\uff0c\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u65e0\u989c\u4ee5\u5bf9\uff0c\u6bcf\u6b21\u8fd4\u4e61\u90fd\u53ea\u597d\u4e58\u8239\u6216\u5750\u8f7f\u3002 <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Translation:<\/p>\n

With the completion of the Sun Ning Railroad, the people of the entire county were overjoyed, except for Chin Gee Hee’s ‘uncle’, the American railroad engineer Chin Chun Hock, who felt regretful. Because even before Chin Gee Hee went home to build his railroad, he had invited Chin Chun Hock to help. Chin Chun Hock looked unfavorably on Chin Gee Hee’s capability, however – not only did he disapprove, but he even ridiculed with, “A dog with a tail jumps, and a dog without a tail also jumps. If you build this railroad, I promise never to ride your train!” Now that the railroad had been completed, Chin Chun Hock felt he had lost face, so he resigned himself to taking a boat or carriage when he went home.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here<\/a> is something on the Wa Chong Co. There is a bit of disagreement on the business partner relationship<\/p>\n

\u897f\u96c5\u56fe\u5510\u4eba\u8857\u7684\u5f00\u62d3\u8005\u9648\u7a0b\u5b661868\u5e74\u5f00\u8bbe\u7684\u534e\u660c\u516c\u53f8\u5c31\u662f\u6700\u8001\u800c\u4e14\u4eba\u4eba\u719f\u77e5\u7684\u6279\u53d1\u96f6\u552e\u517c\u800c\u6709\u4e4b\u7684\u5546\u53f7\u3002\u5b83\u65e2\u7ecf\u8425\u8336\u53f6\u3001\u7206\u7af9\u3001\u8475\u6247\u7b49\u6742\u8d27\uff0c\u53c8\u5236\u9020\u96ea\u8304\uff0c\u517c\u8425\u7f1d\u7eab\u670d\u52a1\uff0c\u8fd8\u529e\u7406\u4e2d\u7f8e\u95f4\u7684\u8fdb\u51fa\u53e3\u4e1a\u52a1\u3002\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u66fe\u7ecf\u4e00\u6b21\u5c31\u8fd0\u90014000\u888b\u7f8e\u56fd\u9762\u7c89\u5230\u9999\u6e2f\uff0c\u901a\u8fc7\u9999\u6e2f\u5c06\u4e2d\u56fd\u8336\u53f6\u8f93\u5f80\u7f8e\u56fd\u66f4\u662f\u7ecf\u5e38\u6027\u7684\u4e1a\u52a1\u3002\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u7684\u534e\u660c\u516c\u53f8\u540e\u6765\u7684\u5408\u4f5c\u4f19\u4f34\u9648\u89c2\u4e5f\u662f\u65b0\u5b81\u4eba\u30021860\u5e74\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u7684\u5802\u4f84\u9648\u5b9c\u79a7\u6765\u5230\u897f\u96c5\u56fe\uff0c\u4ed6\u5148\u5728\u9648\u7a0b\u5b66\u7684\u534e\u660c\u516c\u53f8\u6253\u5de5\u30021888\u5e74\u4ed6\u79bb\u5f00\u534e\u660c\u516c\u53f8\u4e0e\u4eba\u5408\u4f19\u5728\u534e\u76db\u987f\u8857\u5f00\u8bbe\u4e86\u5e7f\u5fb7\u516c\u53f8\uff0c\u5f00\u5c55\u52b3\u52a1\u4e2d\u4ecb\u548c\u627f\u63fd\u897f\u96c5\u56fe\u5e02\u9547\u5efa\u8bbe\u4e1a\u52a1\uff0c\u81ea\u4efb\u603b\u7ecf\u7406\uff0c\u6210\u4e3a\u4e00\u540d\u5546\u5bb6\u3002<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Translation:<\/p>\n

The Wa Chong Co. started in 1868 by the pioneer of Seattle’s Chinatown, Chin Chun Hock, is the oldest and very well known wholesale and retail business (in Chinese American history). It traded tea, firecrackers, Chinese fans, etc., and also sold cigars, provided tailoring services, and engaged in import\/export trade between the US and China. Chin Chun Hock once sent 4000 bags of American flour to Hong Kong in a single shipment. Importing Chinese tea through Hong Kong to the US was an even more frequent business. Chin Chun Hock’s partner Chen Guan Ye is also a Toisan’er. In 1860, Chin Chun Hock’s ‘nephew’ Chin Gee Hee also came to Seattle, and he learned his trade at Wa Chong. In 1888, he left Wa Chong and started Quong Tuck Co. (lit. Broad Virtue Co.) with some people at Washington Street, and began engaging in labor contracting and construction (note: the labor and construction went to the Northern Pacific Railway and Seattle’s trolley system). He took the title of manager and became a proprietor himself.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"http:\/\/www.washington.edu\/uwired\/outreach\/cspn\/Website\/Graphics\/China%20Tea%20Store.jpg\"It is said<\/a> that Chin Gee Hee left Wa Chong because Chin Chun Hock wanted to focus on the merchandise trade and not on labor contracting (of Toisan’ers shipped to the US).<\/p>\n

For something different, this<\/a> article says that in 1900, Chin Chun Hock started some sort of ‘Shun’ ancestral worship society to promote ancestral virtues, piety, and Confucian social mores. (‘Shun’ is a mythical emperor and one of two progenitors of the Chinese race, apparently.)<\/p>\n

Interesting. Perhaps some day, somebody will take interest and inject this into Wikipedia.<\/p>\n

Although Chin Chun Hock holds the title of “first” in Seattle (and was one of the first non-indigenous people to settle in the area, making the Seattle Chinatown as old as the city itself), it is Chin Gee Hee who gets most of the PR and historic notes, including some that claim he had good rapport with the Chinook Indians (e.g., speaking their language) and with a number of influential white businessmen and technologists of the day. Chin Gee Hee is also the one with his photos all over the internet, but so far I haven’t been able to find one of Chin Chun Hock. Just from these sources, it seems that between Chin Chun Hock and Chin Gee Hee, the former was the more traditional and conservative of the two in business and life…<\/p>\n\n\n
\nThe Chinese term \u65cf\u53d4, if I have this right, corresponds to first cousin once removed, but carries more information. In particular, Chin Chun Hock’s paternal grandfather is Chin Gee Hee’s paternal great grandfather, and<\/em>, Chin Chun Hock is younger than Chin Gee Hee’s father.\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

By the way, the postulated relationship between Chin Chun Hock and Chin Gee Hee is probably correct, because according to this genealogical survey<\/a> on the Toisan Chin\/Chan\/Chen’s, the generation names for the clan that Chin Gee Hee belongs to (\u516d\u6751 – Six Villages) are as follows:<\/p>\n

\u7956\u5fb7\u8d50\u5149\u88d5\uff0c\u660e\u5ef7\u64e2\u8302\u826f\uff1b\u5b66<\/strong>\u5b9c<\/strong>\u5b97\u5b54\u5b5f\uff0c\u534e\u56fd\u4ee5\u6587\u7ae0<\/p>\n

In Mandarin, this is:
\nZu De Ci Guang Yu, Ming Ting Zhuo Mao Liang, Xue<\/strong> Yi<\/strong> Zong Kong Meng, Hua Guo Yi Wen Zhang.<\/p>\n

Xue<\/strong> is the Hock in Chin Chun Hock<\/em>.
\nYi<\/strong> is the Gee in Chin Gee<\/em> Hee.<\/p>\n

So there you have it, Chin Chun Hock in a nutshell.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Somebody forwarded me an article on Wikipedia. Actually as of today, the article contains 4 sentences: Chin Chun Hock was the first Chinese man to settle in Seattle. He arrived in 1860 and was employed as a domestic worker. By 1868, Chin Hock had founded a general merchandising store, The Wa Chong Co., at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1813,119,110,114,111,118,116,115,112,117],"class_list":["post-14","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-asian-workers","tag-boat","tag-chong-co","tag-english-sources","tag-first-cousin","tag-gee","tag-hee","tag-hometown","tag-merchandising-store","tag-railroad"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.yhuang.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}