A Chinaman's Chance: The Chinese on the Rocky Mountain Mining Frontier

by Liping Zhu

Writers and historians have traditionally portrayed Chinese immigrants in the nineteenth-century American West as victims. By investigating the early history of Idaho's Boise Basin, Liping Zhu challenges this image and offers an alternative discourse to the study of this ethnic minority. Between 1863 and 1910, a large number of Chinese immigrants resided in the Boise Basin to search for gold. As in many Rocky Mountain mining camps, they comprised a majority of the population. Unlike settlers in many other boom-and-bust western mining towns, the Chinese in the Boise Basin managed to stay there for more than half a century. Thus, the Chinese portrayed all the stereotypical frontier roles-victors, victims, and villains. Their basic material needs were guaranteed, and many individuals were able to climb up the economic ladder. Frontier justice was used to settle disputes; Chinese-Americans frequently challenged white opponents in the various courts as well as in gun battles. Interesting and provocative, A Chinaman's Chance not only offers general readers a narrative account of the Rocky Mountain mining frontier, but also introduces a fresh interpretation of the Chinese experience in nineteenth-century America to scholars interested in Asian American studies, immigration history, and ethnicity in the American West.

Genres: History

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

Receiving his PhD from the University of New Mexico, Liping Zhu is professor of history at Eastern Washington University. As a frontier historian, he is mainly interested in the topic of Chinese immigrants in nineteenth-century American West. He has published several well received books. His latest book "The Road to Chinese Exclusion" won the 2014 Caroline Bancroft History Prize in history of the American West. Currently, he is working on a biography of Anson Burlingame.

Reviews

[Garn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helps to dispel the myth that Chinese immigrants were only relegated to menial labor in California, since it tells the story of Chinese success on the Rocky Mountain Mining Frontier. Very interesting. Very well written.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It never occurred to me to look at Chinese immigration to the gold fields of Idaho's Boise Basin from the point of view of poor people living in southeastern China and hearing rumors of a rich land to the east, populated by barbarians. But that's how Prof. Liping Zhu opens this book, which was his 1998 dissertation at the University of New Mexico, and it's a fascinating start to one of the best local history books I have ever read. It stands on their heads a number of the notions I had about the experience of Chinese miners in the Boise Basin--who they were, what they did, and how they behaved and were treated. I think the best summary of the book comes from the author's own opening paragraphs of the final chapter, since each paragraph neatly sums up the contents of each chapter in the book:

"The story of the Boise Basin shows that the Chinese immigrants participated in the many advantages offered on the American frontier. In seeking economic advancement, the Chinese, enjoying no special privileges, proved extremely competitive, resourceful, and successful. There were no coolies toiling in the mining fields; almost every man was either a free laborer or an independent miner. Although the Chinese laborers usually received lower wages than Euro-Americans, their quality of life remained higher than that of their white counterparts; the Chinese managed to spend less money while living better. Their lower wages actually gave them an advantage over poor white laborers in market competition. The majority of the Chinese population, however, worked not as hired laborers but as independent miners on their own claims and for their own profit. High returns from placering enabled many individuals to accumulate a considerable amount of wealth and scale the economic ladder. The [B]asin mining camps abounded with 'rags to riches' stories. In general, the Chinese, like Euro-Americans, enjoyed a fair degree of economic prosperity.

"Fair competition on the mining grounds, however, could not occur without equal justice in the courts. Working the American system to their advantage, the Chinese frequently sought redress in the various courts. Unlike courts in other western states, those in Idaho upheld Chinese civil liberties and legal rights, allowing them both to sue and to testify against whites. In fact, these Asian litigants, who had learned the U.S. legal game well, often hired American lawyers to do the dirty work and settle disputes effectively. The percentage of successful Chinese litigants in both civil and criminal cases was much the same as for whites. Everyone in the region had equal access to frontier justice.

"Living in a highly competitive and dangerous world, the Chinese also confronted frontier violence. Far from being passive and docile, as they were traditionally portrayed, the Chinese frequently resorted to violent means, either in seeking justice or, sometimes, in committing crimes. Like other westerners, many young Chinese men carried deadly weapons, and they dared to use them when necessary. Some never hesitated to exercise their right of self-defense, shooting their enemies. A few aggressive, evil-minded individuals committed violent crimes, including arson, assault, robbery, and murder. At least in the Boise Basin, the Chinese immigrants clearly were not the innocent victims of western violence. Rather, they played all frontier roles: victim, villain, and victor.

"Surprisingly enough, economic competition, personal feuds, racial prejudice, and cultural differences did not prevent most residents from working toward a more tolerant community. Various nationalities and ethnic groups were integrated into all the major camps, living and working side by side as new Americans. All encountered foreign customs, sharing new ways in a new world. Over the years, many Chinese and Euro-Americans developed close relationships. Some even became lifelong friends. Class rather than race usually had the decisive effect on personal relations. Daily contact and social interaction between the Chinese and Euro-Americans continuously improved race relations, producing, in the main, tolerance, coexistence, and peace.

"Thus, the saga of the Boise Basin Chinese was a success story for these immigrants to the nineteenth-century American West. They were better off not only than their counterparts in China but also than many Americans in the urban East. To be sure, further studies are needed to arrive at more accurate generalizations, but in the Boise Basin, victimization, unhappiness, and oppression were not predominant themes. On the contrary, free soil, free labor, and free gold overshadowed exploitation, injustice, and discrimination. On this Rocky Mountain mining frontier, the Chinese made much of their 'Chinaman's chance.'"

[Sheldon Chau · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those as intrigued by this history as I am, Zhu Liping's book is an essential read. It is so informative on many levels, and not too long as well.

Idaho City and the Boise Basin was such a booming Chinatown with a huge Chinese population in the 1870s-90s, and then by 1910, they were pretty much all gone. What a fascinating period of Chinese-American history. Also does a good job in painting a picture of Chinese not as innocent victims but of residents very much welling to take on "western violence" in order to preserve or uphold frontier justice.

Last chapter "Exodus" also tells a riveting story of successful business Loke Kee and his decision to move himself and his entire family (multiple generations) back to China. His children, as a result, spend their lives growing up in China (soon-to-be taken over by Japan, and then the Communists) wishing to return to Idaho.

These stories need to be translated to cinema.

[Cricket Muse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-researched book highlighting the Chinese experience in the Boise Basin area during Idaho’s gold rush era. It would provide a rounder experience had more information be provided on the North Idaho experience as well, as a comparative if those living in Lewiston at that time had a similar experience. Then again, that might be a different book.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good insight into the historical lives, opportunities, and development of the Chinese in the Boise Basin. Puts some historical understanding of current US anti-immigration policies, and perhaps provides a hint of the future outcomes and impact of them.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book while taking a class from Dr. Liping Zhu at Eastern Washington University. And yes, it was required reading for that course. Feeling smarter than the other shmucks in the class, I borrowed the book from the Faculty Reading Room in the campus library instead of overpaying for the trade paperback edition at the campus rape auditorium bookstore. On the first day of class, Dr. Zhu (one of my favorite professors) was walking around the room while going over the syllabus when he picked up my copy of the book and exclaimed, “Ooh! You got the hardback edition!” I promptly put the book back in my bag in hopes that he would not notice the library labels and markings. The book reads exactly how you would expect a work of nonfiction written by a history professor to read. Chalk full of well researched facts but a bit dry unless you are very interested in the subject matter.

[Joseph Dorris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a historical account of the Chinese in the American West, principally the Boise Basin gold mining region in Idaho from mid-1860s to its end in early 20th Century. Dr Zhu takes a fresh look at how life actually was for these people, particularly in comparison to their fellow countrymen of the times. He substantiates areas in which their lives were better-—health, diet, opportunity—-despite the prejudices and mistrust. This book is fresh, lively with anecdotes, highly informative, and in short, does great service in revealing the rich contributions the Chinese made in building America. This is a part of our history of which few Americans are aware and very little appears to be written.

[Damon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zhu explains the life of nineteenth century Chines-American, who try to make it in the Gold Mines of Central and Southern Idaho. He breaks down the preconseption that Chines immagrants were dumb laborers, who took up claims that were dried out, and used as expendable labor force. He shows us through Chines traditions, morality, and determination of how they earned and shaped a place out in the American Wild West, while the odds were stack against them.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very positive and enlightening take on a darker moment in U.S. history. I enjoyed reading it. The writing was not always cohesive and was often repetitive, but the overall experience of reading was positive. The book is a nonfiction narrative about the experience of Chinese immigrants in the Boise Basin of Idaho. If this is an area of interest, I would recommend it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of Chinese immigration is very well researched and has been an education to me. Will keep you posted.