The Flower Drum Song

by C.Y. Lee, David Henry Hwang (Introduction)

Originally published in 1957, The Flower Drum Song was a groundbreaking work of popular literature. An immediate bestseller, it inspired the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. This charming, bittersweet tale of romance and the powerful bonds of family tells the story of Wang Ta, who wants what every young American man wants: a great career and a woman to love. Living in San Francisco's Chinatown—with his widowed father, Old Master Wang, who misses the old way of life in China, and his younger brother, who just wants to be a normal American teenager—Wang Ta becomes involved with a series of women as he searches for love and the American dream. Comic, poignant, and sexy, The Flower Drum Song is an astute portrayal of immigrants struggling with assimilation. This edition features a new introduction by David Henry Hwang.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Romance, China, Asia, Novels

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Chin Yang (C.Y.) Lee, born in Hunan, China, received a B.A. degree from Southwest Associated University, Kunming, China, and an M.F.A. with a major in playwriting from Yale University (1947).

Before his American education, Lee worked during World War II as Secretary to the Sawba of Mangshih, a small principality on the China-Burma border. The experience resulted in a series of articles published in the New Yorker magazine and, later, a book entitled The Sawba and His Secretary (British edition: A Corner of Heaven). A television series based on the book was made and aired in Taiwan.

Lee wrote his first novel, The Flower Drum Song, in San Francisco while he was city editor of a Chinese language newspaper in Chinatown. The book was a New York Times best-seller; as Flower Drum Song it subsequently became a Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical and a Universal film.
--excerpted from The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization

Lee died at his daughter's home in Los Angeles in November 2018.

Reviews

[Creolecat · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a long-time fan of the Rogers & Hammerstein musical based on this novel, I was surprised to learn of the book's existence. For some reason, when great Asian authors and literature are discussed, C.Y. Lee's "Flower Drum Song" is not part of the equation.

This is a pity, really. Lee takes an honest look at Chinese-American cultural mores in San Francisco's Chinatown (where he lived at one point), including the problems caused by immigration quotas and anti-miscegenation laws. He writes frankly, for example, about Wang Ta (the eldest son in the story) consorting with prostitutes, thus breaking a barrier I have never been able to understand -- the idea that Asian men are somehow asexual.

At the time Lee's novel takes place, immigration quotas had resulted in there being six Chinese men for every woman. Anti-miscegenation laws prevented those men from marrying outside of their ethnicity. Thus, when Lee writes about Linda Tung (this character became Linda Low in the musical) and her "brothers" competing for her attention and her playing them against each other to obtain gifts, he is talking about a cultural reality. Women could be, and were, quite particular.

The book also describes the immigrant experience in detail. Anthropologists know that immigrants cling to their old culture while the first generation born into the new culture assimilates entirely and is embarrassed at their elders. It is not until yet another generation is born that the cultures meld. The clashes between Old Master Wang Chi-yang and Young Masters Wang Ta and Wang San are frequent, and serve as splendid demonstrations of the situation.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

[Christine Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After spraining my ankle very badly I had to spend most of time at home in a recliner with my foot elevated. I watched movies I picked up from the library. I happened to see a DVD of the Flower Drum Song and loved it when it first came out. One of the extra features was a blurb about C.Y. Lee and the book. I have to admit that I did not know it had been a book first.

Luckily the library had a copy so I read it. A very easy and enjoyable read. As with most books made into movies there are differences. The differences actually added depth to some of the characters, particularly the character of played by James Shigeta, Wang Ta as well as that of Miyoshi Umeki, Mei Li.

The book actually gave me a better taste of the flavor of the old China Town. With the movie all the color and gorgeous fabrics and dancing overshadowed what Mr Lee had to say about the sights, sounds, and smells of China Town as experienced while walking the streets.

One does not have to have seen the movie to appreciate the book, nor vice-versa. I enjoyed both very much.

[Genni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know why at the time, but I was obsessed with "The Flower Drum Song" musical as a child. My sisters, however, were not. XD They loathed it every time I wanted to watch it. It's so funny to see now how I ended up living in Taiwan and Indonesia, speaking both languages, and having mixed Chinese-Indonesian kids. And I had no idea this was originally a book until I saw this in a used book store recently. I'm so glad I picked it up because, as is usually the case, the book was so much better.

Many authors have written of generational conflict and cultural clashes. Lee stands out as one of the earliest ones to break through to elevate Asian voices. The way historical acts of immigration affected Chinese immigrants in San Francisco was one fascinating aspect. But also, his characters were very nuanced for the time in spite of the work's brevity, and also absolutely hilarious. I found myself completely invested in all of the relationships, from old married couples, to friendships, to Wang Ta's numerous attempts at finding love. Definitely worth a read!

[Russell Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.Y. Lee’s The Flower Drum Song is the bestselling novel upon which Rodgers and Hammerstein, with Joseph Fields, based their musical play Flower Drum Song. That show later became a blockbuster movie, and eventually, in 2004, playwright David Henry Huang did a drastic revision of the plot. Written in the 1950s, Hammerstein and Joseph Fields created a supremely entertaining but flawed depiction of the Chinese inhabitants of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Asians had, and to some extent still have, a love/hate relationship with the show, for its 1950s sensibilities sometimes show Asians in a somewhat stereotypical light, while it showcases their culture. The film was the first major Hollywood film to have a virtually all-Asian cast, which helped to propel careers of Asian actors and show their abilities. That being said, Lee’s book, the source material, has none of those controversies. It is a universal tale of generational conflict, set against the backdrop of the Chinese culture. Old Master Wang, a Chinese immigrant, is totally set in his old-world ways. He fights his two sons Wang Ta—who is Chinese born, American assimilated—and Wang San—a teenager who is totally assimilated into American ways. The novel tells of this struggle, featuring Ta’s romantic entanglements which include, in the second part of the novel, his meeting May Li, a feisty young Chinese immigrant. The novel is rich with character and atmosphere. What makes it so wonderful is that it enriches the experience of enjoying the musical. Unlike so many movies or plays based on novels, we don’t find ourselves saying, “Well, they left that out” or “The adaptation would have been so much better if they hadn’t changed this or that.” What Fields and Hammerstein did in devising their show was to take Lee’s characters and incidents and use them to propel an almost new plot. The generation gap is still present, the quirks of the characters are still vividly portrayed, and incidents in Lee’s plot are spun into new scenes. In a sense, Lee’s The Flower Drum Song is different from the musical, but it still remains the same. We as readers are treated to an exercise in how adaptation should be, for this episodic novel could never have formed a cohesive musical comedy plot without the delicate weaving and stitching Hammerstein and Fields wrought. We marvel at Lee’s wonderful writing and, if you are as familiar with the musical play as I am, we see tiny things that caught the attention of the adapters and got elevated into song lyrics or plot developments. And that is what good writing is all about, both for Hammerstein and Fields and for Lee. As for that controversy, it still exists. Huang’s reworking worked on one level and is brilliant, but for those of us who loved the original version of the musical, there was something very lacking. Flower Drum Song, the 1958 musical, has its faults, but it also has its many charms. As does Lee’s novel The Flower Drum Song—many charms indeed.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike the R&H musical, this novel on which their work was based doesn't have an orientalist bone in its body. Written in the 1950s by C. Y. Lee, the son of Chinese immigrants to San Francisco, this novel gives a charming and nuanced portrait of Chinatown at the time. I thought the gentle humor used to portray the tensions between the main character, a first generation Chinese American boy, and his Chinese father was particularly good. It's especially good if you can read the copy that has an introduction by David Henry Hwang. R&H really messed up this book.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

C. Y. Lee's examination of generational conflict in the midst of not only the war between ancient ways and modern but also between western ways and eastern provides plenty for the reader to chew on. The characters are drawn solidly through the author's portrayal of their desires and concerns. Noteworthy as the first Chinese/American novel, it steers clear of the stereotypes so often propounded by Caucasian writers of its time. For those of you familiar with the Rogers and Hammerstien musical, you will find the original a little more earthy than their version is.

[Anika · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not what I thought it would be. I'm very familiar with both main versions of Flower Drum Song, the musical, and I thought that the book would follow the gist of the story there. In actuality, the book is far more scattered, and I was surprised at how modern it is. This is most obvious in Wang Ta, the young male lead, who has a few romantic subplots, none of them obvious (and some of them quite sad). The musical has sharpened up some of the themes of the book (old versus new), and added a character or two who balance out the plot (hello, Sammy Fong). But the book is worth a read, especially when you consider how rare it must have been in the 1950s to read a popular American novel that, as Hwang says in his introduction, delved into what it was like to be Asian American in that era.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this novel! I was always a fan of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, but this added so much more depth to each of the characters. I actually found the book more fascinating and I hope more people will pick this one up. It's a little deeper than you'd expect, and ends up being a pleasant surprise!

[Arjen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It doesn't surprise that the book inspired a musical, it just doesn't have the depth for a play. The foreword to the book was very high in praise, extolling the writers skill in avoiding stereotypes. Although some characters were quite balanced, I cringed at the many stereo typical one dimensional characters that survived editing efforts, the plot turns were too predictable (the golden clock) and the repetitiveness of some parts (the endless dumb turtle scolding) numbing.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in the SF Bay Area I felt this novel a must-read. Taking a journey along the San Francisco streets filled my mind with fond memories cherished from youth.
Read for personal historical research. I found this work of immense interest and its contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Overall, this work is also a good resource for the researcher and enthusiast.

[Sara G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book written in the 1950s about Chinese immigrants in Chinatown, San Francisco. The author is one of those immigrants himself, so I think his perspective on their lives is pretty unique in this genre. The introduction asserts that this may have been the first real American novel about Chinese immigrants written by a Chinese author.

The story revolves around the Wang family. The patriarch is an elderly man who doesn't even speak mainstream Chinese, only the Hunan district dialect, so he has basically isolated himself in his ways and doesn't want to take part in the modern world. His elder son is a medical student who just wants a relationship with a decent woman, and his much younger son just wants to play with his friends and not study Chinese and Confucius after school. It's an interesting look at the old world vs. new world dynamic that always occurs with children of immigrants, as well as the lack of Chinese women in the US at that time due to immigration quotas.

I enjoyed the stories of these men, as well as the strong female characters they encounter. Madame Tang is my favorite. She's the maternal aunt of the young men, and she manages to straddle the gulf between Chinese traditions and American culture better than anyone in the story (while driving the old man crazy!) I've never seen the musical that was based on this book, but I'm definitely interested after reading it.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a delight to read!
Loved the movie "Flower Drum Song", learned it was based on a book. I had to have that book, written by C.Y. Lee! It has now been reprinted so success was mine; I made sure it was the actual book by C.Y. Lee & not something based on the movie. The foreword proved very interesting and helpful in how the book came to be.

I have found the book a delight to read. I loved the movie but was determined that would not affect my reading. Though I can easily see how the book lent itself to become a movie, this is a book that is somewhat different from that movie. It is indeed a story about the problems of the Chinese youth trying to reconcile life in the China they left, with the America they have come to (probably in the mid-20th century). Though the majority of the parents remain traditionally Chinese, the young people want to break away from such a strict and uncompromising life. This is the backbone of the story of the Wang family.

Though the production was done as a musical this felt like a logical step, as the book theme circles around music. The original characters in the book remain, with some changes in the transition to theatre production. Overall, the main concept of the book remains and I would recommend it to anyone.

[Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm surprised after reading The Flower Drum Song that it's not usually included amongst AA/APA literature standards. C.Y. Lee put together a much deeper and groundbreaking novel than he gets credit for (or that Rogers and Hammerstein took credit for in their musical "adaptation"). The themes of immigrant generational conflict and identity are presented as strongly if not better than its contemporaries (Fifth Chinese Daughter, anyone?) and I was impressed with the depth of some of the interpersonal relationships, especially regarding Helen Chao's character. That being said, the book still some problems with Wang Ta/C.Y. Lee's misogynistic undertones, but for better or for worse I think they can be attributed to the context in which the novel was written. Overall, still a better read than I expected, and god damn you Rogers and Hammerstein for giving me those expectations in the first place.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw The movie made from this book also called The Flower Drum Song when I was young I enjoyed it very much. The book as is usually the case bears somewhat of a resemblance but has it's very own charms.The story is told through the eyes of Old Master Wang who is an immigrant from China now living in Chinatown, San Francisco. He and his wife left in the forties or fifties when China was becoming communistic.

Old Master Wang has two sons, one in his twenties Wang Ta and one just fourteen Wang San. His wife has died some years past and he despairs of raising two sons with the Chinese characteristics of filial piety and following the teachings of Confucius. His sons of course have become Americanized and want to do things a different ways.

The story is told in a light humorous fashion that show the collision of cultural values that brings out the best in both worlds.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 1957, this book was one of the first Chinese American novels. It is the story of Old Master Wang and his two sons. Wang San, the youngest, just wants to be American. Want Ta, the oldest, is caught between two worlds. As he searches for himself and his place in this new world, he becomes involved with various types of women. From a wild playgirl, to a homely seamstress, to a young girl newly arrived from China Wang Ta tries everything to discover who he is. A poignant, comic, and bittersweet (if politically incorrect) tale of American assimilation. Very different from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical it inspired. A fantastic read!

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the story it told of an immigrant family adjusting (some faster than others) to their new home in San Francisco's Chinatown. That said, in my mind it doesn't hold up to other fiction I've read about the same topic (in particular, am thinking about Potok). I really appreciated how Lee developed the relationship between the father and his late wife's sister, and between the household servants; the romantic relationships were less convincing to me, especially toward the end of the book. Have not seen the R & H musical based on the book, so cannot compare. All in all, an enjoyable read (although not easy to locate, and sadly not available for e-readers)

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

The two generations of The Wangs living in Chinatown experience different kinds of lives. Old Wang lives his life the same way as his old life in China. He has home-made traditional Chinese food and misses old good days. His elder son Wang Ta and younger son both have their life respectively. It is a good portrait of life of immigrants from China. It is interesting and easy to read because there are many kinds of Chinese cultures involved in it. Good command of English language and full of humors.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

My motivation for reading this was that I am familiar with the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical it inspired. I enjoyed this story which focused on intergenerational change and communication. The book is much darker than the musical, but very much worth reading. I wish I could see the musical again so that I would be more able to compare; I know the basic plot and have seen the movie, but I'm not sure I"ve ever seen it on stage, though I have the cast recording. There are some things in the book that are probably dated, but it still worked for me.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this book after seeing the movie musical recently. As often happens, the book was significantly different from the movie. The book was culturally interesting to read, but kind of tedious. It seemed like the author couldn't decide whether the story should be serious or lighthearted. Also, some of the characters, who were cute, funny, or charming in the movie, were not at all nice in the story.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read the original book after seeing the movie of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. R&H took a lot of liberties-- so much so, that they should probably say that the musical was inspired by the book than based on it.

The book itself is an interesting look at San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s and the widening gulf between 1st-generation and 2nd-generation immigrants. The writing is pretty awkward, however, so I hesitate in recommending it to read.

[Neale Sourna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat different from the 60s film musical. Wanted to see what was the original dramatic fiction story from the original musical and the later revamped version, which is WAY way off, and more offensive than the fifties/sixties version, according to Wikipedia's outline of all theater versions and film.

And film version has May Li, played by a darling Japanese actress, play as a retiring Japanese maiden; in the book she is tough, mouthy, and a feisty joy of a Chinese woman.

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this interesting story on which the Rodgers/Hammerstein musical is based.
Unlike the musical, the main character is the boy/man Wang Ta. It follows him as he tries to find the balance between being a normal American male and being a dutiful Chinese son.
A good coming of age story in different circumstances than what your average American is used to.

[Karen Mosley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The interesting part of this book was American Chinese history. The story was a bit choppy and loose, however the character of the old Chinese man, Wang Chi-yang, was interesting. I was curious to read it after watching the musical made from it.

[REDD · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoyed the musical the book would be a great read although they changed a few things in the movie/musical...read to find out. :-)

[Oliver Hazan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My Name is Asher Lev" with wontons. A wonderful tale of intergenerational discord set in San Francisco's Chinatown. If you like the Broadway Musical version, you will derive additional enjoyment.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the musical/movie, loved the book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the novel but I much preferred the screenplay.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of a Chinese family in 1950s San Francisco. The father is
stuck in the past longing for an old-world China, while his sons have embraced American culture.

[Kathy Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Mama Kucing Books & Ravings: The Flower Drum Song by C Y Lee

It's charming book.