Flower farms, particularly those growing chrysanthemums (pictured here at the O’Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm), played a vital role in the local economy through the mid-20th century. | Andrew Brodhead

The following is an excerpt from the 1/21/26 Stanford Report:

By Solveig Knapstad

Through the Forgotten Flowers initiative, Stanford researchers and local organizations are uncovering how small farms on university lands shaped the Bay Area’s flower industry from the 1890s onward.

While conducting research on Stanford land leases, University Archaeologist Laura Jones made a fascinating discovery: The Bay Area’s cut flower industry got its start on the Farm.

“I was looking into a university practice that began with Jane Stanford leasing small farms to earn income for the university. One of my colleagues gave me a map of Stanford from the 1950s that showed leases to flower growers, most of whom were Asian American,” she said. “They were growing flowers where the shopping center is today, where the research park is today, and where Escondido Village is today. It was amazing how many farms there were in places that are unrecognizable as such now.”

A forgotten crop

One of the farms Jones came across belonged to a Chinese American flower grower in Palo Alto whose son, George Chin, is now one of the founding directors of the Chinatown History and Culture Association.

According to Chin, many Bay Area flower farmers got their start on the Stanford campus, but their stories have been overlooked and underdocumented in historical accounts of the region – something Jones has found as well.

“When we talk about the history of agriculture in the Bay Area,” Jones said, “there’s a lot of literature about orchards and a bit on wineries, but there’s not much about flower growing, which was huge in the first half of the 20th century.”

Jones, the executive director of Stanford Heritage Services, which stewards the university’s cultural and biological land-based resources, is working with Chin and other community organizations including the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project and the Bay Area Chrysanthemum Growers Association on the Forgotten Flowers project, an effort to preserve the legacies of the Asian American flower growers who leased Stanford lands between the years of 1890-1960. These farms produced crops, including chrysanthemums, that played a vital role in the region’s economy before dwindling in the late 1900s due to factors including urbanization, lower-cost imports, and the burgeoning technology scene.

Stanford’s Office of Community Engagement is providing support for the project.

“We’re learning more about the distribution of agriculture in the Bay Area and this really important moment in Chinese American and Japanese American history, which is also tied in some ways to U.S. immigration and other land policies – it was illegal for a period of time in some cities for Asians to own land,” said Jones. “So if you couldn’t buy land, it was much easier to rent a small acreage and farm it really intensively with flowers.”

Mapping the Bay Area

One of the main outcomes of the project will be a digital exhibit that lets users explore a map of historical data supplemented by family interviews – a sprawling interactive archive of historical material chronicling the stories and locations of flower growers across the Bay Area.

English and American studies major Kaylee Chan is an undergraduate research intern on the project, where her primary focus has been exploring historical archives from the 19th through 20th centuries and compiling photos, maps, and written records to display on the interactive map she’s developing.

“It’s so important for students to have opportunities to explore local history and to engage in cultural, historical, and literary research,” Chan said. When the map is complete, she added, “you’ll see how historical research can be implemented and presented in a very practical way for people to look at, interact with, and enjoy.”

For example, viewers will be able to search for the Chin family’s former farm on El Camino and click through photos of their family and the nursery. George Chin’s personal narrative about his ancestors will supplement archival documents, further chronicling their experience and impact on the industry.

A legacy of remembrance

A condominium complex now stands on the former site of the Chin family’s nursery, and development has likewise taken the place of other flower farms. But project leaders hope the Forgotten Flowers project will help the stories of the farmers and their impact on the region live on.

“Our vision for this project extends beyond collecting oral histories,” Chin said. “My goal is to build meaningful connections and collaborations across communities and generations – at Stanford, in San Francisco, and across borders to China. We’ve been in conversation with museum curators in Doumen and Zhuhai, China, where many of these flower growers originally came from, to explore the creation of an overseas Chinese history exhibit that would bring together the histories of these families on both sides of the Pacific.”

The book, Sojourners to Joke Sings: Tales of Chinatown & Beyond, is available for purchase:

PURCHASE BOOK

NOTE: For each book purchased through this link, $15.00 will be donated from the proceeds to the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP). Thank you for your support!

Chef Chu’s is located in Los Altos on December 11, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)

The following are excerpts from 12/19/25 KQED California Foodways:

By Lisa Morehouse, Will Hewlett

When the restaurant opened in 1970, it was a small family business, and the area around it was a relatively sleepy suburb. Now, it’s at the heart of Silicon Valley — but they don’t deliver, and there’s no online ordering.

Still, Chef Chu’s is an institution. It’s been visited by luminaries in entertainment, politics and business. Throughout all of the change in the last 55 years, Chef Chu’s has adapted and held on, and remained true to its identity as a family business.

[...]

Even early on a weeknight, the lobby at Chef Chu’s was bustling. One whole wall is a glass window, looking into the kitchen where 82-year-old Chef Lawrence Chu and his cooks work. At the bar, a staff member took phone orders, and waiters in crisp white shirts and bow ties moved efficiently from room to room.

As we waited for our table we checked out a long wall of celebrity photos including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev.

[...]

His oldest son, Larry, and the restaurant’s general manager, was born in 1973, a few years after the restaurant opened.

[...]

Many Silicon Valley pioneers became Chef Chu’s regulars. “Mr. Tramiel was the founder of Atari, Chuck Geshke who founded Adobe, Gordon Moore, Paul Allen, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs — when he was just a kid — all these people from Silicon Valley ate at Chef Chu’s,” Larry remembered.

[...]

And the youngest of the kids, Jon Chu, tried his luck as a Hollywood director. Yeah, Jon M. Chu — the director of Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights and the Wicked movies.

For more of the story:  Read the full 12/19/25 KQED California Foodways article.

CHCP's Student Docent Cultural Ambassador Program (SDCAP) members shared Chinese winter solstice traditions and children's holiday crafts (consisting of Origami Fan, Xmas Tree, Santa, and Elf ornaments) at the Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM) for History Park's Children's Heritage Holiday event on December 13, 2025.

The following is an excerpt from 11/08/25 Ding Ding TV:

By Gerrye Wong, Ding Ding TV Columnist and CHCP Co-Founder/Trustee

After a year of hard work, CHCP Co-President Kimberly Lee knew the remedy to end the year on a happy relaxed note. She invited both the Board of Directors, Trustees, and Advisory Board Members to come to an in-person holiday brunch at her lovely home in Los Altos Hills. Forty of her dedicated team came to end the year with a celebration of the achievements and progress that CHCP had in 2025. But they all agreed it was fun not to talk “business” and just enjoy the merriment of the season with fellow CHCP brothers and sisters.

Kimberly welcomed everyone to her beautiful fun home for entertaining, both inside and outside. Co-VP Ingrid Lai with photographer/husband Bill Shu gathered all into Kimberly’s family room to play the ever traditional 'Steal the Present' gift exchange game of chance. Lots of laughs ensued as each gift was opened which so disappointed the receiver, he or she began begging people to rescue them and steal the unsuitable winning object. During a serious moment, I spoke as Co-Founder of the organization and thanked everyone being here for their dedication to the fine cause CHCP stands for. Since 1987 its goal was to preserve and present Chinese American history through its Ng Shing Gung Chinese American Historical Museum experience. I gifted Co-President Kimberly Lee and past President Dave Yick with a framed watercolor print of them standing before the historical museum in History Park San Jose.

2025 activities of CHCP included sponsoring school tours for children from low income school areas of the Chinese American museum as well as other museums on the premises, presenting a Lunar New Year Festival in the park, and presenting a Speakers Series with guest lecturers and authors of Asian American books and movies. An exhibit and curriculum kit highlighting Chinese American veterans of World War II was also produced to be distributed to schools for history lessons.

Anyone interested in joining this fun yet hard working group, can look up details on website chcp.org. Be a part of making history by restoring the history of Chinese Americans in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area and bringing its importance for future generations who will carry on the CHCP tradition of giving and serving.

The Monkey King Rises at San Francisco Opera

Bay Area Chinese Heritage Shines
November 30, 2025

By Samantha Lee, CHCP Member

Honoring Chinese Legends, Diaspora, and Artistry

In a historic moment for Bay Area arts and the Chinese American community, members of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP) joined a sold-out audience at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House for the world premiere of The Monkey King, a new opera composed by Huang Ruo with a libretto by David Henry Hwang. This landmark event brought the mythic journey of Sun Wukong (Journey to the West) into a new era and to new audiences, forging connections between tradition, innovation, and intergenerational storytelling.

Setting the Stage for Anticipation and Representation

Even before the curtain rose, guests filled the grand lobby to view works by local artists, while families shared their own Monkey King stories—some told in Mandarin, others in English, Cantonese, or Toisanese. Grandparents pointed out program highlights to grandchildren. Teenagers discussed Asian and Asian American talent taking center stage at an American opera house. Audience anticipation for the costumes, projections, and puppetry was also palpable. Throughout the production’s run, SF Opera expanded its outreach through school workshops, public markets, and a livestream, extending representation beyond traditional opera-goers into the city’s neighborhoods.

A Brief Synopsis of the Story

Guanyin and Bodhisattvas chant Buddhist sutras as they watch over the story of Monkey, who has been imprisoned beneath the Five-Element Mountain for five centuries, yearning for freedom and redemption. He escapes by bursting from the stone and leads a tribe of embattled monkeys, becoming their leader through courage and resourcefulness, symbolizing the search for community and identity. Monkey seeks enlightenment under Master Subhuti, earning the name Sun Wukong and mastering the 72 Transformations, but his teacher warns that power alone is insufficient. His quest for a weapon takes him to the Dragon Palace, where he acquires a magical staff, causing chaos and demonstrating the consequences of his actions. Heaven’s gods, corrupted and complacent, attempt to tame Monkey with flattery and a hollow title, but he rebels upon seeing the suffering of Heavenly Horses, drawing heaven’s wrath. Furious at rejection and craving acceptance, Monkey defies heaven by leading his people and eating the Queen Mother’s peaches of immortality. 

Sun Wukong, proclaimed as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, leads a celestial rebellion against Heaven's armies, demonstrating wit and resilience in battles filled with music, puppetry, and martial arts. Captured and subjected to fiery trials, he emerges more powerful. He destroys the heavenly forces, only to realize through Buddha’s challenge that true strength lies in humility, care, and connection rather than power. Ultimately, guided by Guanyin's compassion and his own introspection, Monkey is freed from his pride and prison, embarking on a journey of peace, caring, and service to all beings.

Art as a Bridge

Throughout the performance, audience members—elders, parents, students—were moved by the opera’s interweaving of music, martial arts, humor, and spirituality. Children laughed at Monkey’s mischief, adults reflected on the lessons of pride and humility, and all felt pride seeing a Bay Area stage animated by the full richness of Chinese myth and Asian American artistry.

The production’s creative leadership and cast, which were majority Asian and Asian American, were themselves a landmark for representation. The bilingual storytelling and accessibility efforts ensured that audiences of all backgrounds could claim a place in the opera’s magic and meaning.

CHCP recognizes The Monkey King not only as an artistic achievement, but as a living bridge—linking Chinese legend to contemporary identity, connecting generations, and celebrating the ongoing evolution of heritage in the Bay Area. Special thanks to all the CHCP members who attended, brought family, shared stories, and supported cultural arts.

“To see Sun Wukong’s journey on stage was more than entertainment—it was a reconnection. We carry these stories forward, not just for heritage’s sake, but for pride, healing, and hope.”

For more of CHCP’s ongoing programming, visit chcp.org or follow @CHCPorg on Instagram and Facebook.

CHCP proudly promotes, educates, and preserves Chinese and Chinese American history in Santa Clara County and beyond.

Local Bay Area Heroes: Honoring Chinese American WWII Contributions

CHCP Commemorates the 80th Anniversary of the End of WWII at History Park
November 15, 2025 | History Park San Jose

By Samantha Lee, CHCP Member

In commemoration of Veterans Day and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP) proudly presented Part II of "Local Bay Area Heroes: Chinese American Contributions During WWII" on November 15, 2025, at San Jose’s History Park. This landmark event honored the legacy of Chinese American veterans and their families, particularly those rooted in the Bay Area, and drew a full house of visitors, supporters, and descendants eager to learn, remember, and connect across generations.

Held at both the Chinese American Historical Museum (Ng Shing Gung) and the Firehouse Building, the program combined powerful live storytelling, historical exhibits, and multimedia presentations—creating a day of remembrance that bridged the past with the present.

Morning Program with Stories That Endure

The day opened with three new exhibits showcasing Chinese American Contributions to WWII, meticulously curated and displayed on the museum’s second floor. These exhibits included photographs, medals, uniforms, original letters, and artifacts loaned by families of veterans—highlighting stories of service in the Pacific, European, and China-Burma-India (CBI) theaters. Visitors learned about the challenges Chinese Americans faced under the Chinese Exclusion Act, and how, despite exclusion from full citizenship, they still served the United States with valor and loyalty.

The morning "Live Mic" session featured:

• Sgt. Harry Lim and Sgt. Wing Lai, who served with the 14th Air Force in the CBI Theater, shared poignant accounts of their wartime duties—Lim as an aircraft electrician with the 407th Air Service Squadron, and Lai as a supply officer with the 555th. Both were stationed in some of the most remote and dangerous outposts of WWII.

• John Buck Chew, a U.S. Army tank driver stationed in the Philippines, reflected on life during and after the war. His presence was especially meaningful for younger attendees seeking a personal connection to history.

• Jean Bee Chan, a civilian survivor of the Japanese occupation of China and author of "The Soldiers Are Coming," delivered a moving 20-minute reflection about her journey of survival, migration, and the complex realities of war. Her presentation included readings from her book and evoked standing applause.

These presentations, each heartfelt and personal, provided rare firsthand perspectives that deepened the audience’s understanding of Chinese American service during WWII.

Afternoon Program of Film, Family, and Legacy

At 12:30 p.m., the Firehouse's second floor became a space for collective memory as families displayed memorabilia and guests gathered for a special screening of "Crossing Oceans in Service to Country," a documentary by Vivian Low. The film, which features interviews and oral histories of Chinese American WWII veterans from across the Bay Area, revealed the depth of their sacrifice—made even more significant given the social inequities they faced at home. Following the screening, Low participated in a Q&A session, sharing insight into the film’s production and the importance of telling untold stories.

The final portion of the program featured an open mic session where descendants and community members honored their family members through storytelling, slideshows, and cherished photos, trophies, medals, and books:

• Logan Ho, great-grandson of Sgt. Wing Lai spoke movingly about rediscovering his family’s legacy and the importance of preserving it for future generations.

• Doug Wong, representing the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Oakland, shared stories of the Oakland Chinatown USO and Dorothy Ng, whose leadership uplifted local servicemen during wartime.

• Russell N. Low, author and son of Loren and Stanley Low, delivered a compelling multimedia presentation titled “All American Crew,” which brought his uncles’ heroic story as Chinese American airmen vividly to life.

• Connie Young Yu, daughter of Col. John C. Young, spoke of her father’s military and civic achievements. She displayed one of his medals and recalled his postwar commitment to civil rights and inclusion.

• Ron Chan, son of Alfred Chan, presented a video tribute to VFW Post 3956, highlighting how returning Chinese American veterans built new communities of support.

• Wanda Ching honored her mother, Lonnie Yee Young, sharing family photos and reflections on her legacy of quiet strength.

• Oliver Chin, son of Henry Chin, paired family stories with a slideshow tribute to pioneering aviator Katherine Sui Fun Cheung, connecting military and aviation history with cultural pride.

• Herbert “Chuck” Chan, nephew of Eddie Len, honored his uncle with a photo collection and informal talk that emphasized camaraderie and resilience in the face of adversity.

• Kan Wong, son of Shek P. Wong, and Morgan Lew, son of Tech Sgt. Tom Lew, both gave moving tributes to their fathers, sharing memories, photographs, and their continuing efforts to preserve their families’ military legacies.

The intimate setting fostered intergenerational dialogue, allowing for deep engagement with the veterans and their families. Light refreshments were offered mid-afternoon as guests continued to explore the exhibits and engage in one-on-one conversations with speakers. The second floor of both venues buzzed with stories, connections, and shared reverence for a generation whose sacrifices helped define American freedom.

The "Local Bay Area Heroes" program is part of CHCP’s ongoing effort to honor the contributions of Chinese Americans to the nation's history—particularly those who have served in the armed forces despite exclusion, racism, and cultural erasure. The event complemented CHCP's WWII Veterans Project, which seeks to collect oral histories, preserve artifacts, and ensure Chinese American service is formally recognized. This includes ongoing public education efforts and support for national recognition, such as the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to all Chinese American World War II veterans.

CHCP extends heartfelt gratitude to all participants, veterans, descendants, volunteers, and attendees who made the event so impactful. Special thanks to CHCP Director Brenda Wong, SDCAP, and event volunteers for their dedicated coordination and care.

As one guest remarked, “This was more than a memorial—it was a reconnection. We carry these stories forward, not just for history’s sake, but for justice and belonging.”

To learn more about CHCP's Chinese American World War II Veterans Project or to contribute a story, please visit: https://chcp.org/WWII-Veterans-Project

For photos and event highlights, follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @CHCPorg

CHCP is proud to promote, educate, and preserve Chinese and Chinese American history in Santa Clara County and beyond.

Alisa Kim held signs honoring her aunt Ruby Tape and her father Jack G. Kim, who both served in World War II // Photo by Michelle Shen

The following is an excerpt from 11/12/25 AsAmNews of Asian American Media Inc:

By Michelle Shen

On a blustery New York City morning, nearly 50 Chinese Americans came out to march in honor of their relatives who served in World War II.

Donning hats and gloves to shield from the brisk wind, they proudly carried posterboards with black-and-white photographs of their loved ones, who served as cooks, medics, and Flying Tigers in the European and Pacific theaters of war.

Many Chinese Americans enlisted during WWII despite being denied citizenship. Here are some of the stories of these veterans, told by their relatives:

The year was 1942 when Ruby Kim Tape, at the age of 44, tried to enlist in the military. The military initially turned her down, stating that she was too close to the maximum age of 45, but she was very determined to join, reaching out to another recruiter and acing her written and physical tests.

She was eventually accepted and sent to Camp Ritchie during World War II to conduct intelligence work. Besides serving in the military, Tape also went on a quest to find her sister, whom she had left in China in the early 1900s. 

Ruby Tape is the sister-in-law of Mamie Tape, the young girl behind one of the most consequential Supreme Court cases in American history. In the 1880s, at just eight years old, Mamie Tape was denied entrance to a local San Francisco school due to her Chinese heritage. Her parents filed a lawsuit in a local court, and the case eventually reached the Supreme Court, where they won one of the earliest cases to desegregate public schools. 

Among those representing the Tape family in the parade was Alisa Kim, the niece of Ruby Tape. She also held a poster honoring her father, Jack G. Kim, who served alongside his sister in the Army during World War II.

Ben F. Lee was only a teenager in San Francisco when he joined the military, serving as an interpreter, cook and infantryman. He returned to the West Coast after the war, where he raised a large family. His three granddaughters represented him in the Veterans Day Parade, one of whom is a longtime veteran herself.

“I am also a retired 26-year service veteran, straight reservist with five years [of] active duty,” said Yvonne Eng Chung, one of Lee’s granddaughters in the parade. “He was the fun grandpa.”

Da Yee Lin, Kim Wing Ngai, Ming Bow Yee, and Arthur William Chan, among others, were part of the famed Flying Tigers, Chinese Americans who helped China defend against attacks from the Japanese. Ngai’s first cousin Hay Hom, served alongside him in the Army during World War II, and their children marched side by side in the parade. Andrea Chan, daughter of Arthur William Chan, marched along her husband, whose father also served as a Flying Tiger in World War II.

“My father was the captain, and my father-in-law was a private but he was in the Merchant Marines in China during that time,” Chan said. “It’s good that they are finally acknowledging the World War II Chinese veterans.”