On February 12, 2025, USCET hosted its latest event in the Asian American Author Series, featuring Fae Myenne Ng and her memoir Orphan Bachelors. The webinar was attended by over 70 students and scholars from across China and the U.S. to engage in a thought-provoking discussion about heritage, resilience, and belonging in the Chinese American experience.
Fae Myenne Ng, bestselling and award-winning author, was joined by UCLA Professor of English and Asian American Studies King-Kok Cheung. In her latest memoir, Orphan Bachelors, Ng blends her family’s history with the broader narrative of San Francisco’s Chinatown, exploring the enduring impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act on the Asian American community.
During the webinar, Ng recounted her upbringing as a jook-sing (a Chinese person who was born in the West) and the bilingual nature of her writing. She highlighted the role of storytelling and imagination in the face of adversity, using elements of Cantonese language to capture the working-class experiences. Ng discussed how the stories of Mulan and Sima Qian sparked her imagination as a child and influenced her memoir. Through personal and family narratives, she reflected on the lasting impact of exclusion and confession policies on Chinese American families. She also explored themes of identity, familial expectations, and societal pressures within the Chinese American experience.
Cheung provided a literary perspective, highlighting how Ng’s work weaves Cantonese opera, poetry, and historical narrative into a unique form of storytelling. She found a parallel trajectory between her and Ng and noted how Orphan Bachelors reflected their common cultural roots. In the memoir, Ng discussed the pressure on women to procreate in Cantonese, and their decision not to have children as a form of revenge. Drawing inspiration from the woman warrior story her mother passed down, Cheung also challenged traditional Chinese gender stereotypes. She believed that people were connected not by blood but by words, which was more important than biological procreation. She introduced the concept of zhiyin, emphasizing how literature connects people through humanity and shared understanding.
Both Ng and Cheung explored the influence of the Cantonese language in shaping personal and collective narratives. Ng highlighted the distinct power and passion of Cantonese, arguing that its expressiveness sets it apart from other major Chinese languages. Cheung reflected on how her appreciation for her Cantonese cultural roots deepened after retirement. She also advocated for broader language education in the U.S., emphasizing the need to include Cantonese alongside Mandarin in classroom learning.
During the Q&A session, audience members engaged with the speakers on the future of Chinese American culture, the role of education in honoring immigrant sacrifices, and the power of storytelling in shaping identity. Ng concluded by reflecting on the resilience of Chinese American youth today. “We do not need to conform to any people’s expectations, but we can choose our own expectations.” Ng shared with her audience. She emphasized that “exclusion did not win,” a testament to the creativity, determination, and evolving narratives of the next generation.
Through this event, USCET reaffirmed its commitment to promoting cross-cultural understanding and highlighting diverse Asian American voices in literature. The conversation between Ng and Cheung not only shed light on the historical struggles of Chinese immigrants but also emphasized the evolving nature of cultural identity in contemporary society. As part of its ongoing efforts, USCET continues to support literary and educational initiatives that bridge cultural divides, encourage multilingual representation, and amplify stories that shape a more inclusive and informed global perspective.
Panelists
Fae Myenne Ng is the author of Orphan Bachelors: On Being a Confession Baby, Chinatown Daughter, Baa-bai Sister, Caretaker of Exotics, Literary Balloon Peddler, and Grand Historian of a Doomed American Family (2023. The book received the American Book Award, the California Book Award (Non-fiction), and the 2024 William Saroyan International Award for Writing (Non-fiction). Her novel Bone (1993) was a PEN/Faulkner Fiction finalist; Steer Toward Rock (2008) received an American Book Award. Her short fiction and essays are published in Harper’s Magazine, The New Republic, Ploughshares, and anthologized widely. She received the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, fellowships from the Guggenheim, the Lannan Foundation, the NEA, the Radcliffe Institute, and the Rockefeller Center’s Bellagio Center. She teaches creative writing and literature at UC Berkeley.
King-Kok Cheung is UCLA Research Professor of English and UCLA Professor Emeritus of English and Asian American Studies, and Special Advisor of the US-China Education Trust (USCET). Born and raised in Hong Kong, she received her PhD in English from UC Berkeley; she was also the UCEAP Study Center Director in Beijing (2008-2010) and Shanghai (2015-2017) and Chair Professor at Renmin University of China (2018-21). She is author of Articulate Silences: Hisaye Yamamoto, Maxine Hong Kingston, Joy Kogawa (Cornell UP,1993; Japanese edition, 2015; Chinese edition, 2022) and Asian American Literature without Borders (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017; Chinese edition, 2023); editor of important works on Asian American literature, including Words Matter: Conversations with Asian American Writers (U of Hawaii Press, 2000), and Asian American literature: An Annotated Bibliography (MLA, 1988).
Professor Cheung has received an ACLS fellowship, a Mellon fellowship, a Fulbright lecturing and research award, and a resident fellowship at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford. She is the 2012-2013 Recipient of the UCLA Hoshide Teaching Award in Asian American Studies and recipient of the 2023 AAAS (Association of Asian American Studies)’s Lifetime Career Achievement Award.