Narratives of Diaspora : Representations of Asia in Chinese American Literature

Chinese American authors often find it necessary to represent Asian history in their literary works. Tracing the development of the literary production of Maxine Hong Kingston, Amy Tan, Lisa See, and Russell Leong, among others, this book captures the effects of international politics and globalization on Chinese American diasporic consciousness. In Chinese American literature, countries such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are experienced as well as imagined - experienced because some authors were born in Asia and have first-hand acquaintance with life in their birth-country, imagined because all representation inscribes ideological bias. For US-born authors of Chinese descent, Asia is often imagined with the help of parental stories, reading and research, and awareness of US political involvement and military activities in Asia. For naturalized Chinese American authors, Asia is the site of memories, often manifested as nostalgia or as interrogation and critique. Walter S.H. Lim explores how and why different Chinese American authors arrive at their choice of literary subject-matter and what this choice reveals about the cultural politics of national identity and belonging. Tracing the development of the literary production of Maxine Hong Kingston, Amy Tan, Lisa See, and Russell Leong, among others, this study captures the effects of international politics and globalization on Chinese American diasporic consciousness "In Chinese American literature, countries such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are experienced as well as imagined - experienced because some authors were born in Asia and have first-hand acquaintance with life in their birth-country, imagined because all representation inscribes ideological bias. For US-born authors of Chinese descent, Asia is often imagined with the help of parental stories, reading and research, and awareness of US political involvement and military activities in Asia. For naturalized Chinese American authors, Asia is the site of memories, often manifested as nostalgia or as interrogation and critique. Walter S.H. Lim explores how and why different Chinese American authors arrive at their choice of literary subject-matter and what this choice reveals about the cultural politics of national identity and belonging. Tracing the development of the literary production of Maxine Hong Kingston, Amy Tan, Lisa See, and Russell Leong, among others, this study captures the effects of international politics and globalization on Chinese American diasporic consciousness." -- Publisher's description. Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-12 The Sino-Japanese War and Chinese History in Amy Tan’s Novels and Lisa See’s Shanghai Girls....Pages 13-35 The Vietnam War and the Cultural Politics of Loyalty in Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Fifth Book of Peace....Pages 37-59 Sexual Politics, Buddhism, and Transnationalism in Russell Leong’s The Country of Dreams and Dust and Phoenix Eyes....Pages 61-83 Writing Exile and Diaspora in Li-Young Lee’s The Winged Seed and The City in Which I Love You....Pages 85-109 Postcolonial Southeast Asian Transnationalism in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Among the White Moon Faces and Sister Swing....Pages 111-134 Writing Communist China and the Politics of Diasporic Identity: Ha Jin, Anchee Min, Lien Chao, and Lisa See....Pages 135-156 Conclusion....Pages 157-163 Back Matter....Pages 165-195