China In The 19th Century

In these few decades, China’s economic has growth efficiently and the country is developing rapidly. However, in the 19th century and early 20th century , many Chinese were living under privation whether in cities or rural areas. As a result, many Chinese had the “American dream”: immigrating to the United States to get away from hardship and anticipate for life improvement. Indeed, their main goal was to “gold digging” meaning to earn money for better survival and able to contribute even a little back to their homeland. Under autocratic control and political corruption, many people’s life was extremely difficult, they suffered under famine and poverty. The two Opium wars fought between 1839-1860 involving China’s attempt to forbidden …show more content…
With massive employment of cheap labour, the Industrial Revolution led to an establishment and development of machine manufacture. According to Howard, contract labours were important “because it creates conditions that allow for the emergence of transnational social relations involving those engaged in the labour trade”(pg. …show more content…
There are few famous Chinese American from Canton who made significant contribution to their motherland after working hard in the US. Firstly, Taishan’s hero Chen Yixi, who was a master of commerce and industry born to an impoverished family to become a wealthy and successful businessman. He is also a labour contractor, a railroad engineer, and owner of a import-export business based in Seattle. He worked in railway construction for more than forty years in America and accumulated rich experience. Not only did he initiated business in America, but brought his fortune and technical expertise back to Taishan in an effort to benefit others. His patriotism eventually brought him back to his motherland. With rich experience, he helped to fulfill a friend’s dream to build a railroad in his hometown Xinning, China. Later, the decision of building a railroad was opposed by citizens, but Chen Yixi’s perseverance made the dream come true and remarkably this was the first private railway built in China. Besides, he helped to fight for democratic freedom with courage and boldness. Even though he was a businessman, but in the heart of many Chinese American, he was also a powerful leader. Indeed, he strived to change Seattle and improved many Chinese Americans’ destiny at that time. Although many American considered Chinese immigrant as inferior and unable to assimilate into the Western culture, Hsu notes that