Hi,

Spring is coming and our calendar is packed!  Join us for CHCP's Annual Lunar New Year Festival on March 14th, or CPAA's Lantern Festival. Read how artisans continue this colorful art form.

On March 7th, student docents kickoff Women's Heritage Day by highlighting notable Chinese Americans during our regular museum hours 12-3:45pm. While sewing machines, factories, and mothers constantly working might define the experience of many growing up in SF Chinatown. In 1880, 80% of shirt makers and more than 90% of early “seamstresses” were Chinese men. Archaeologists have uncovered treadle sewing machines that were buried during the 1906 earthquake. Another interesting find is this collection of nursery rhymes translated from Chinese. Rhymes were recited by nurse-maids who cared for the children of expatriates. My, we have come a long way!

Then we shift into another venerable tradition -- Ching Ming, a ceremony honoring Chinese ancestors. Participate in ingot making on March 15th or the April 4th community remembrance ceremony on land in San Jose that has been stewarded since 1902. We memorialize these pioneers with a taoist priest, incense, lucky money, and a whole suckling pig which has long been a hallmark of such gatherings. Contact Brenda.Wong@chcp.org with questions.

Lastly, mark your calendars for a special performance by the Piedmont Children's Choir in its mid-peninsula premiere of "Echoes of Eureka" on April 19th. Set during the height of the Gilded Age—it was a period of deep economic inequality and rising anti-immigrant sentiment. This is a powerful seven-movement opera by Artistic Director, Eric Tuan, following the true story of Charley Wei Lum, a young Chinese immigrant who arrived in the 1880s and settled in Eureka, a thriving redwood logging town that housed the largest Chinese community in the state outside of San Francisco. 

- Kimberly Eng Lee, CHCP Board President 

Upcoming Events

Site Beautification Visit to Iris Chang Park

Visit the park with us to garden, celebrate Earth Day, and honor Iris Chang, a Chinese American journalist, author of historical books, and human rights activist.
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ACCC Art Exhibition: Season in Harmony (thru Mar 16)
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Quartet & SF Poet Laureate Genny Lim

Sat. March 14th 12 noon
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Tribute to Flo Oy Wong

Sun. March 15th 1pm
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Webinar: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, 'Father of Modern China”

Sat. March 21st 10am
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Webinar: Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype

Wed. March 25th 11am
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volunteering together

Do you love crafts? Come join our Outreach team! CHCP's Lunar New Year event on March 14th and AAPI Month in May 16th are especially good times to share Chinese culture and traditions with the community!

Contact Liz.Chew@chcp.org

News and Updates

Celebrating New Year with the Community

We had such fun this year, sharing Chinese New Year out in the community.
A huge shoutout to the Outreach & Events Committee and all our volunteers who brought joy and festivities to the Children's Discovery Museum, Milpitas Civic Center, Bagby Elementary School, Westfield Valley Fair Mall, Almaden Quicksilver Museum, and Avenidas Community Center!
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2nd Annual Thomas Foon Chew Day

CHCP Advisory Board member Gloria Hom, was on hand to celebrate Lunar New Year and 'Thomas Foon Chew Day'. Hom shared stories of her grandfather’s resilience and entrepreneurship with the community members who gathered.
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Ancestry: From Whence We Came

A traditional Chinese name has three parts: a surname, a generational name which is the first character of the given name, and a personal name which is the second character of the given name. The migrating ancestor is a key person in Chinese genealogy research. This term refers to the forebearers who migrated from one region to another, often due to socio-political upheavals, economic opportunities, or environmental factors. This migration often led to the establishment of new family clans in different regions, influencing local culture, traditions, and surnames. 

Researching Chinese ancestors often requires a spoken and written proficiency in the Chinese language. However, many descendants of Chinese people who migrated overseas no longer read or speak Chinese, creating a generational gap between them and their elders. Gaps are accentuated by the inconsistencies in Chinese names in overseas documents. Roots trips, family reunions and oral histories can bring together long-lost relatives raised in very different countries and cultures.
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CHCP is hiring Spring and Summer Interns


Do you know a college student or recent graduate? CHCP offers internships for young adults seeking community-centered, career-building experience. Encourage them to apply. In addition to docenting in the Museum, CHCP interns help with:

  • Research and archival documentation
  • Digital storytelling and archiving
  • Educational material development
  • Cultural program and event planning
  • Community outreach and communications
More Info
 

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