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Happy Chinese New Year! January 29 th , 2006 will be the first day of the Chinese calendar year of 4703. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, occurs on the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice. It is the most important of traditional Chinese holidays, starting off a fifteen day celebration of the New Year that concludes with a Lantern Festival. Our team at Zhang & Associates would like to wish everyone, and especially our clients and readers of Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese heritage, a very happy New Year!!! 2006 is the year of the Dog, a zodiac sign of loyalty, benevolence, and good fortune. This year, the Dog's noble influence should bring harmony, equality, and liberty to our lives this year. This should be a year in which controversial issues may gain consideration and unconventional but effective changes may be enacted, and the Dog should also lend integrity and good faith to our intentions and actions. Interestingly, Chinese New Year also triggers the largest annual human migration as Chinese around the world hurry home for the traditional New Year eve reunion dinner with their families. Z&A would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Asian immigrants who left their homes to seek better futures in America , contributing their hard labor and braving many difficulties toward gaining the legal rights and recognitions for the rest of us to enjoy today. Immigration to the United States from China began in the mid 19th Century, when domestic turmoil, international disgrace from the Opium War, and a series of natural disasters made livelihood in China extremely challenging. Learning of the discovery of gold in California , many Chinese, mostly young male peasants, parted with their families and arrived in America to join the Gold Rush, amassing debts from the arduous journey but eager to strike it rich. Unfortunately, most of these newcomers never realized their dream. They moved on instead to fulfill many key functions essential to the development of the American West. Some filled the demand for low-wage labor by America 's rapidly expanding industries, such as wool and mining. Others contributed their advanced agricultural knowledge and skills to help the new western states become more self-sufficient in their food production. A work-force with primarily Chinese immigrants worked on Transcontinental Railroad, which was crucial in opening and populating the western frontier. Some historians now even credit the Chinese immigrants for easing the tension in the South after the Civil War when they helped fill the labor shortage caused by the departure of the freed slaves*. As 25% of California 's workforce was Chinese by 1880 and Chinatowns emerged in nearly every major city, Chinese immigrants became targeted in anti-immigrant protests and riots. There was increasing belief that immigrants were hogging jobs that should be given to citizens, and Chinese immigrants drew much attention because their close-knit communities and values that isolated them from mainstream American society. These anti-immigration sentiments prompted policies to prevent further immigration. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prevented Chinese people from entering the US unless they already have family here and denied Chinese Americans the right to naturalize, becoming the first law in US history to ban a specific racial group from immigrating. Pressure upon some existing immigrants also became overbearing, leading some to leave the country with only their shattered American dreams. As time progressed, awareness of the unjust treatment of Chinese immigrants and appreciation for their contributions grew. The Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943, and the Walter-McCarren Act was enacted in 1952, granting first-generation immigrants the right to apply for citizenship. The Immigration and Nationality Act removed the last barriers to Chinese immigration in 1964, re-opening the door to immigration from China . Today, as Asian Americans gain representation in politics and other renowned professions, and a large number of highly educated and skilled Asian immigrants enter the American work force in the scientific, medical, and engineering fields, they continue to contribute to the American culture and growth. Our firm wants to pay tribute to these Chinese immigrant pioneers whose diligence, accomplishments, persistence, and sacrifice paved way for the success of Chinese people in America today. As China 's economy booms and globalizes, we also have plans to set up an office in Beijing to help bridge the cultural and value differences that has and continues to plague communications and transactions between residents of the two nations. In 2006, we have high hopes of bringing new immigrants better services and optimistic results. We are proud to help more Chinese and Asian immigrates realize their American dreams to sustain and promote the continuous immigrant contribution to this great nation that our American dream is built upon. May the Year of the Dog bring you happiness, good health, and a quantum leap in fulfilling your American Dream! Melissa Mao (01/20/2006) For more immigration news, please click here |
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