CHINESE AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE THE 1850S.

• Author: SUOQIAO, QIAN
• Position: Review

CHINESE AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE THE 1850S BY XIAO-HUANG YIN UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PRESS 2000, 344 PAGES, $34.95

Xiao-huang Yin's book is a careful study of Chinese-Americans seen through a fascinating reading and documentation of their writing over the past 150 years. Indeed, the book is an excellent example of what the Chinese call "Yasu Gongshang"--that is, to be appreciated by academic and general audiences, perhaps the highest standard for research writings.

In offering the first comprehensive overview of Chinese-American literary experience from the beginning of the Chinese settlement in North America to the 1990s, Yin has redefined and enriched the perception of Chinese- and Asian-American literature in two significant ways: First, his research presents a fuller and more engaging look at the early Chinese immigrant writing of the 19th century. More importantly, it embraces the entire world of Chinese-American literature in both English and Chinese. Although it is the consensus of the field that the multilingual and transnational approach is most desirable in Asian-American studies, such an approach is still very hard to find. Yin demonstrates that bilingual and transnational research is not only most fruitful, but a necessity.

What is equally impressive is the sense of balance Yin's commentary achieves in dealing with a wide range of voices, often contending, in the worlds of Chinese America. The seven chapters include a historical in-depth view, while incorporating distinctive perspectives such as immigrant, Eurasian...