Description
From unappreciated railway workers facing institutional racism and neglect in the last century to national cultural figures of the present, the Chinese, like other coloured peoples of Canada, have made great inroads into the mainstream, which in turn has adjusted its self-image to accommodate diversity.
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The Chinese Buddist monk Hoei-shin may have come to the west coast of Canada centuries before Columbus arrived in the Americas; and modern Chinese presence in Canada dates back more than a century, including the railway pioneers whose contribution was pivotal to the development of the nation from coast to coast. This study of the literary output in English by Chinese Canadians begins with the 130-year history of the community in Canada to consider first how institutional racism and neglect contibuted to its collective silence in mainstream media, history, and mythology; and how historical awareness has emerged in the country. The genres of mythology anthology, fiction, poetry, drama and essay are considered in detail, as well as numerous writers, including Denise Chong, Sean Gunn, Winston Christopher Kam, Evelyn Lau, Sky Lee, Paul Lee, Fred Wah, Jim Wong-Chu and others.
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