Paper Son: One Man's Story

by Tung Pok Chin

In this remarkable memoir, Tung Pok Chin casts light on the largely hidden experience of those Chinese who immigrated to this country with false documents during the Exclusion era. Although scholars have pieced together their history, first-person accounts are rare and fragmented; many of the so-called "Paper Sons" lived out their lives in silent fear of discovery. Chin's story speaks for the many Chinese who worked in urban laundries and restaurants, but it also introduces an unusually articulate man's perspective on becoming a Chinese American.Chin's story begins in the early 1930s, when he followed the example of his father and countless other Chinese who bought documents that falsely identified them as children of Chinese Americans. Arriving in Boston and later moving to New York City, he worked and lived in laundries. Chin was determined to fit into American life and dedicated himself to learning English. But he also became an active member of key organizations -- a church, the Chinese Hand Laundrymen's Alliance, and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association -- that anchored him in the community. A self-reflective and expressive man, Chin wrote poetry commenting on life in China and the hardships of being an immigrant in the United States. His work was regularly published in the China Daily News and brought him to the attention of the FBI, then intent on ferreting out communists and illegal immigrants. His vigorous narrative speaks to the day-to-day anxieties of living as a Paper Son as well as the more universal immigrant experiences of raising a family in modest circumstances and bridging cultures.

Historian K. Scott Wong introduces Chin's memoir, discussing thelimitations on immigration from China and what is known about Exclusion-era Chinese American communities. Set in historical context, Tung Pok Chin's unique story offers an engaging account of a twentieth-century Paper Son.

Genres: American History, Nonfiction, Adult, Memoir, Read For School, China

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Tung Pok Chin (1915-1988) was born in Tai-shan County in Guangdong, China and emigrated to the U.S. in 1934 as a “paper son” to circumvent the Chinese Exclusion Acts. He worked in laundries during his brief residence in Boston, and later established his own laundry business in Harlem and Brooklyn, New York, with the assistance of the Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance (CHLA). In his spare time, he studied English, read Chinese literature, and wrote prose and poetry. In 1937, he contacted Dr. Ralph E. Pickett, then Associate Dean of NYU’s School of Education, about admission into NYU. Although he was not eligible for admission, Dr. Pickett sent him grammar books and literature to encourage Mr. Chin’s education. The two men shared a friendship and correspondence that would last a lifetime.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, Tung Pok Chin enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was the first Chinese person in New York City to enlist, and photos of his swearing-in were published in major newspapers in the northeast U.S.A. to encourage minority enlistment. After his honorary discharge from the navy, he began to write columns and poems for the China Daily News under the pen name Lai Bing Chan. In 1949, he returned briefly to China where he married Mak Ting Fong, and in 1950 re-entered the United States with his new bride. Amidst McCarthyism and FBI accusations that he was writing and subscribing to a pro-Communist newspaper, Tung Pok Chin burned more than 200 of his own poems. Upon retirement in 1978, he co-wrote his memoir with his daughter, Winifred C. Chin. The result was Paper Son, One Man’s Story, published by Temple University Press in 2000.

Mak Ting Fong (also known as Wing Fong Chin, 1928- ) first arrived in the United States in 1950 with her husband, Tung Pok Chin. In 1955, when their first child was old enough to attend school, Mrs. Chin began working as a seamstress in Chinatown. Her work with the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) began when she interpreted messages for union organizers from English to Chinese at the shops where she worked. As the daughter of a prominent Hong Kong family, Wing Fong Chin understood English and used her language ability to aid the ILGWU in organizing Chinatown garment workers. Wing Fong Chin became increasingly involved in the ILGWU, eventually becoming Chairperson of the Executive Board in 1983. She was influential in the 1982 Chinatown garment workers’ strike and in 1985 testified before Congress against foreign imports that ate away at American jobs. Wing Fong Chin’s work was exceptionally important as an advocate for the Asian American women and workers’ rights.

This collection contains photos and the original speeches of Wing Fong Chin, and articles about her in ILGWU newsletters. The collection also contains navy photos and selected writings of Tung Pok Chin, documents from the “paper son” era, and the collection of the letters from Dr. Ralph E. Pickett written to Mr. Chin.

To learn more about the contents of the Tung Pok Chin and Wing Fong Chin Papers and Photographs, located at the NYU Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, view the collection’s finding aid.

Reviews

[Ellen Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a Chinese-American, with a father who was a paper son, and family stories of China and of coming to America, you should read this book. You will see your parents, your Grandparents as having stories that perhaps weren't so different from this man's experience. I hope that my children read this book, having been to see family in New York City Chinatown, knowing the streets, and hearing these stories. However, if you have no connection to Chinese immigration and New York City perhaps you will not be able to get past the disjointed stories, with little description of the surroundings.

[Alli Dubin · Rating 4 out of 5]

i feel many things at once. i am ashamed of how the united states treated tung pok chin and i am proud to come from the country that lai bing chan called home. zooming in on the Chinese exclusion act inspires the strange mixture of despair and hope that defines american character during my moment in history.

[Sydney Kwok · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read, finished in under two hours. A pleasant first hand narrative on the Chinese American experience from the 1930-70s.

[Suzanne Ruiz-halwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good

[Sriya Sureddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this book for one of my classes. I felt like this book gave me more insight on what it was like to be a Chinese immigrant at the time and the struggles that comes with it. I was nice to hear from that perspective and that side when it comes to major history events. It was also interesting to see how certain things that happened in this time still happen today. I just thought the writing was a bit simple, but overall, I think it did a good job of highlighting the experience of an Chinese immigrant at that time.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Son: One Man’s Story by Tung Pok Chin is a rare and moving first person account of Chinese immigration during the Exclusion era. Chin writes with honesty and quiet strength about living under a false identity, working in laundries, and striving to belong in America while carrying constant fear. His reflections on community, language, family, and identity give this memoir both historical value and emotional depth. An engaging and important read for anyone interested in immigration history and the human side of the American experience.

[Blessing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chin shares the daily realities of living under a false identity, from working long hours in laundries and restaurants to the constant fear of exposure. At the same time, the book is about aspiration and belonging. His determination to learn English, engage in community organizations, and raise a family shows the quiet resilience behind immigrant survival. His poetry and reflections add an unexpected layer of sensitivity and self awareness.

[Akash Adani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot from this one... took an Asian American History course at Penn and this narrative was not included in it. Sheds a different light on Chinese immigration to the US and was a particularly interesting read given current tensions between the US and China. Quick read can easily finish in a day.

[Ramos Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Son: One Man’s Story by Tung Pok Chin is a powerful and deeply moving memoir that sheds light on a largely hidden chapter of American immigration history. Through his own voice, Chin offers a rare first person account of the lives of Chinese immigrants who entered the United States under false identities during the Chinese Exclusion era.

[Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What makes this book especially compelling is Chin’s honesty and reflection. He writes not only about fear, hardship, and constant anxiety, but also about determination, learning, and the desire to belong. His dedication to mastering English, participating in community organizations, and raising a family reveals the everyday resilience behind the term “Paper Son.

[Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The memoir goes beyond personal history and captures broader immigrant experiences such as cultural adaptation, labor struggles, and the challenge of living between two worlds. Chin’s poetry and writing add emotional depth and show an unusually articulate perspective shaped by both hope and hardship

[Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

With historical context provided by K. Scott Wong, the book becomes both an intimate life story and an important contribution to understanding Exclusion era Chinese American communities. Paper Son is an engaging, educational, and human account that will resonate with readers interested in immigration, identity, and American history.

[Abdul Samad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Son: One Man’s Story is a compelling and intimate memoir that brings a human voice to the often abstract history of Chinese immigration during the Exclusion era. Tung Pok Chin’s account stands out because first person narratives from so called Paper Sons are rare, and his writing is both thoughtful and emotionally grounded.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

With helpful historical context provided by K. Scott Wong, the memoir connects personal experience to broader patterns of exclusion, surveillance, and adaptation. This is not only an important historical document but also a deeply human story about identity, perseverance, and the meaning of home. An essential read for anyone interested in immigration history and lived experience.

[Divine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Son: One Man’s Story is a moving and invaluable memoir that gives voice to a generation of Chinese immigrants who lived in the shadows of the Chinese Exclusion era. Tung Pok Chin’s story is especially powerful because it is told in his own words, offering rare insight into the emotional and psychological weight of living under an assumed identity.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chin writes with clarity and restraint about fear, labor, and survival, but also about ambition, learning, and community. His efforts to master English, participate in social and cultural organizations, and raise a family reveal a deep desire not just to survive, but to belong. The inclusion of his poetry adds a reflective and deeply human dimension to the narrative.

[Ellie Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for mc 319

not really worth reviewing but crawling towards my goodreads goal due to this hellish semester

[Bob Schmitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is the story of a Chinese immigrant Tung Pok Chin.

The Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited Chinese immigrants to the US from 1882 to 1943 when it was repealed. In '43 the quota for the entire US was 105 individuals! However many young men would come to the US with an agreement with a current Chinese American citizen claiming to be their son. Wives in China were proud to claim that their husbands had gone to "Gold Mountain," the US though this might mean that they would not see their husbands for decades.

Mr. Chin came to the US in 1934 at age 19. I worked in laundries and eventually set up one himself. He recounts being mocked by children but the choice was being mocked here or being poor in China. He came under suspicion as a Communist during the red scare years. His wife back in China had an affair and a baby which she buried. He eventually became a citizen.

Easy read and an insight into the hidden lives of the Chinese immigrants.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of one man's immigration from China to New York, during the "exclusion era" 1882-1943 and subsequent permanent residence in Boston and New York, under his "paper son" identity. He wrote the book and gave it to his son, providing a rare first-person view into a life that many in this era lived.

[Winifred C. Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper sons are a hidden past in the history of early Chinese immigration to America. An era least studied in American history classes, it is a topic that Americans of all ethnic backgrounds should know about. It is after all a part of the American past ... Winifred C. Chin, author

[Katrina Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel talks about his life being a paper son, the hardships during this period, family and more. It's very interesting to hear a Chinese immigrant story.

[Mayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked it

[Nabila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative but not necessarily engaging.