Critic: Judy Yung’s Unbound Feet

I have some knowledge and understanding of Chinese women’s experiences in San Francisco from Amy Tan’s fantastic book, The Joy Luck Club, which I read several years ago. Yung’s article bears some resemblance to Tan’s work in that is discusses the stories of several Chinese-American women. This is a topic that I’m interested in, however I did unfortunately have some qualms about this work. One glaring critique that I have of Yung’s work is that she begins discussion with immigrants who arrived in San Francisco in 1922 (Yung 337). Chinese immigration to the United States goes back to the late nineteenth century; I’m interested to know how this earlier time impacted the experience of later immigrants and the experience of these earlier female Chinese-American immigrants, something that Yung simply does not discuss at that point. It is sort of an awkward beginning that seems to actually begin at the middle of the story. That is really my largest complaint with Yung’s work is that she seems to present compelling information, which is provided with little context or background. This is particularly in the case of arranged marriages that ended up as “enslaving women in forced prostitution” (Yung 337). The only backstory we get are the personal stories of two women (Yung 340).

Yung mentions, but perhaps plays down the idea that female Chinese immigrants faced even more difficulties than other immigrants at the same time- they were not European and not white, putting an even greater burden on this group of women. Yung’s writing style is too back and forth for my liking, and shifts between times, making the article confusing at times.

Yung’s inclusion of Wong Ah So and Law Shee Low’s experiences after arriving in 1922 seem to put them on the better end of the timeline, after reforms had taken place. She cites the reform movement in 1898 and Sieh King King’s speech in 1902 (Yung 338). At the same time, the 1906 earthquake presented the opportunity to rebuild a nicer Chinatown, overall, bringing about improvements in the experiences of Chinese-American women living in San Francisco (Yung 339). Yung goes as far to state, “By 1929, immigrant women had made considerable progress toward freeing themselves of social restrictions and moving into the public arena. Footbinding was no longer practiced, prostitution had been eradicated, and a substantial number of women were working outside the home, educating themselves and their daughters and playing a more visible role in community affairs” (Yung 338). While a very triumphant acclamation of fact, it almost reads as if there isn’t really a need for this article then. I find it unlikely that at this time, all of these issues were resolved, and Chinese-American women in San Francisco had it easy after that point. If this is the case, then just under ten years after Wong Ah So and Law Shee Low came to the United States, everything was great? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. I am interested in what Judy Yung has to say; I just wish it were said differently. It could be that this article is simply awkward because it is excerpted from a book, and would perhaps be a better read in its entirety.

-William Kowalik

Yung, Judy. “Unbound Feet: From China to San Francisco’s Chinatown.” Women’s America: Refocusing the Past. Ed. Linda Kerber et al. 8th ed. New York: Oxford U P, 2016. 337-44. Print.