In 2006, his graphic novel, American Born Chinese — a memoir about growing up as an Asian American — became the first graphic novel to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award. He is the author of the Secret Coders series and has written for the hit comics Avatar: The Last Airbender and Superman. What is the meaning of Chin-Kee?
Is American born Chinese a graphic novel?
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. Released in 2006 by First Second Books, it was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Awards in the category of Young People's Literature.
What is an American-born Chinese?
American-born Chinese or ABC is a term widely used to refer to natural born American citizens of Chinese descent, excluding first-generation immigrants. It is therefore a sub-category of the term Chinese Americans, the latter of which also includes those who were born in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan but naturalized as U.S. citizens.
Who is the cartoonist of American born Chinese?
It was colored by cartoonist Lark Pien, who received the 2007 Harvey Award for Best Colorist for her work on the book. The story of American Born Chinese consists of three seemingly separate tales, which are tied together at the end of the book.
How many American born Chinese stories are there?
The story of American Born Chinese consists of three seemingly separate tales, which are tied together at the end of the book.
Is American Born Chinese an autobiography?
The third story deals with a Chinese-American student moving into a school where he's the only Asian-American, which, while not directly autobiographical, has elements from Yang's personal experience.
Is American Born Chinese a fable?
Book Details Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
Is American Born Chinese fiction or nonfiction?
Graphic novelAmerican Born ChineseCover art of the first editionAuthorGene Luen YangGenreGraphic novelPublisherFirst Second BooksPublication date20066 more rows
What is American Born Chinese based on?
American Born Chinese is an upcoming action-comedy television series based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. Filming had begun in Los Angeles by February 2022. The series is set to premiere on Disney+.
What is a Chinese fable?
A proverb is a statement that teaches a useful lesson. A fable is a very short story that teaches a useful lesson. Fables: The ancient Chinese used fables to teach their children lessons. They created many hundreds of fables.
What is the main theme of American Born Chinese?
American Born Chinese explores themes around identity, stereotypes, friendship, and self-acceptance through these three (ultimately intertwined) story threads.
Is fiction real or is nonfiction real?
In general, fiction refers to plot, settings, and characters created from the imagination, while nonfiction refers to factual stories focused on actual events and people.
What does ABC mean Chinese?
American-born Chinese (simplified Chinese: 美国出生华裔; traditional Chinese: 美國出生華裔; pinyin: Měiguó chūshēng Huáyì) (sometimes abbreviated as ABC) is a term widely used to refer to Chinese people that were born in the United States and received U.S. citizenship due to birthright citizenship in the United States.
What does Danny represent in American Born Chinese?
Danny doesn't want to be comfortable with his Chinese self—that's the whole point of his character. He's white on the outside for a reason; validating his Chinese origins (through Chin-Kee, through self-acceptance) would make it impossible for him to continue the fantasy of being white.
What does Chin-Kee symbolize in American Born Chinese?
Think of Chin-Kee as Jin's/Danny's worst fears come alive. He represents everything they don't want to be associated with: the idea of the "chinky" Chinese.
What is a Chinese-American called?
Chinese Americans are Americans of Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans.
What POV is American Born Chinese?
First PersonFirst Person (Central Narrator)
What are the folktales from China?
In a nutshell, the four great folktales of China are Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, Tale of the White Snake, Lady Meng Jiang, and The Cowherd and the Weaving Girl (Niu Lang and Zhi Nu).
What point of view is American Born Chinese?
First Person (Central Narrator)
What are the 3 stories in American Born Chinese?
American Born Chinese It begins with the ancient Chinese fable of the Monkey King, followed by the story of Jin Wang—who feels like an outsider as the only Chinese-American student in his new school, and a third story about Chin-Kee who is an over-the-top caricature of numerous offensive Chinese stereotypes.
What does it mean to be American Born Chinese?
American-born Chinese (simplified Chinese: 美国出生华裔; traditional Chinese: 美國出生華裔; pinyin: Měiguó chūshēng Huáyì) (sometimes abbreviated as ABC) is a term widely used to refer to Chinese people that were born in the United States and received U.S. citizenship due to birthright citizenship in the United States.
What is the story of the Monkey King?
The first tale is based upon the legendary folk tale of Sun Wukong, or The Monkey King , a character from the classic 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West . The second tale is the story of a first-generation child of immigrants named Jin Wang, who has moved from San Francisco's Chinatown to a mostly white suburb.
Why does Greg ask Jin to break up with Amelia?
Greg, Amelia's friend, asks Jin to break up with her because he doesn't think Jin is right for Amelia. Amelia Harris: Amelia Harris is a white American girl who is the classmate of Jin and Wei-Chen. Jin has a crush on her. Wei-Chen Sun: Wei-Chen Sun is a Taiwanese immigrant who slowly becomes Jin's best friend.
What is a chin kee?
Chin-Kee: Chin-Kee is a startling caricature of negative Chinese stereotypes. He is Danny's larger-than-life Chinese cousin who, to Danny's embarrassment, comes to visit every year. Chin-Kee wears antiquated Chinese clothing, the traditional queue hairstyle, and literally has yellow skin, buck teeth, and eyes squinting so tightly that the pupils cannot be seen. He loudly speaks extraordinary " Chinglish " at all times, likes to play tricks on people, and possesses a frightening sexual appetite. Chin-Kee is really the Monkey King in disguise. Chin-Kee's name sounds like the ethnic insult " chinky " when said aloud.
What are some examples of racial stereotypes?
The primary example of these stereotypes is Chin-Kee, who is the embodiment of the term " coolie ," a nineteenth-century racial slur ...
What is the purpose of the Gnomes?
Gnomes states that American Born Chinese is a great resource to help academically struggling students (particularly struggling readers) and students with social-cognitive disabilities to find motivation to learn, to relate a piece of text to their lives, and to use the graphics to help them understand/relate to the words.
What is the transformation of American born Chinese?
The primary characters of American Born Chinese undergo phases of identity crises that are coupled with some sort of mental or physical transformation (s). Chaney states that the novel "celebrates transformations of identity by way of creaturely alterity. Put another way, Yang's characters become not ...
Who is Jin Wang?
Jin Wang : Jin Wang is a Cantonese American boy who wants to fit in with the white students at his new school in a suburb. He doesn't like talking too much at school, especially in front of Amelia, the girl he has a crush on.
Reader Q&A
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About Gene Luen Yang
Gene Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his first comics work as an adult. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including Duncan's Kingdom (with art by Derek Kirk Kim) and The Rosary Comic Book.
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What is the storyline of American Born Chinese?
A graphic novel that that reads with the humor of a comic book, it has a rich storyline that combines a well-known Chinese allegory with the simple reality of a boy living in a multiracial American society. Throughout the novel, Yang switches back and forth between what seems like three very different stories, but in the end, all three of these worlds collide to tackle issues of self-identity and race.
What is Chin Kee's name?
Chin-Kee, whose name clearly alludes to the derogatory term "Chinky," is an exaggeration of every ill-conceived Chinese image. Not only is his skin colored an alien shade of yellow and his eyes mere slits, he is also fully decked out in a traditional Chinese outfit and has his hair in a long braided queue.
What is the third story in Gene Luen Yang?
In a situation opposite to Jin's struggles to self-adjust, the third story that Gene Luen Yang focuses on is about an American boy named Danny, whose Chinese cousin is visiting. His cousin Chin-Kee happens to embody a perverse Chinese stereotype who finds no shame in boldly sharing his hyperbolized shortcomings.
What is the Dose of Humor and Reality?
A Dose of Humor and Reality: American Born Chinese. A finalist for The National Book Award, Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese merges what seems to be the life of a typical Chinese boy with elements of antiquity and perverse modern-day stereotyping, giving readers a triumphantly funny and creative story.
What is the monkey king's story?
Yang's story starts with the legend of the Monkey King, a long-established Chinese fable about a monkey who was born from a large rock and who came to learn of his great powers. These powers allowed him immense strength, immortality, and the ability to fly, to shape-shift and more -- but alas, the Monkey King was not satisfied.
Why does Jin lose his best friend?
As the argument between the two friends erupts, Jin's refusal to accept Wei-Chen's "fobbiness" ultimately causes him to lose his best friend. In a situation opposite to Jin's struggles to self-adjust, ...
Why does Jin want to stay away from Wei-Chen?
Despite finally summing up the courage to ask his crush out on a date, Jin is asked by her friend to stay away from her because of his Chinese ethnicity. Feeling ostracized, Jin mistakenly tries to seek validation by upsetting and belittling his best friend Wei-Chen. As the argument between the two friends erupts, Jin's refusal to accept Wei-Chen's "fobbiness" ultimately causes him to lose his best friend.
How long does it take to read American Born Chinese?
The average reader will spend 4 hours and 0 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
What are American Born Chinese called?
American-born Chinese ( simplified Chinese: 美国出生华裔; traditional Chinese: 美國出生華裔; pinyin: Měiguó chūshēng Huáyì) (sometimes abbreviated as ABC) is a term widely used to refer to Chinese people that were born in the United States and received U.S. citizenship due to birthright citizenship in the United States.
What is the subject of American Born Chinese?
American Born Chinese, by Gene Yeng, is a graphic novel that grapples with themes, or main ideas, of friendship, identity, and personal transformation by weaving together three stories.
What is an ABC?
American-born Chinese or ABC ( simplified Chinese: 美国出生华裔; traditional Chinese: 美國出生華裔; pinyin: Měiguó chūshēng huáyì) is a term widely used to refer to natural born American citizens of Chinese descent, excluding first-generation immigrants. It is therefore a sub-category of the term Chinese Americans, the latter of which also includes those who were born in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan but naturalized as U.S. citizens.
What is the natural born citizen clause?
List of Chinese Americans. Jook-sing (竹升) is a Cantonese term for an overseas Chinese person who was born in a Western environment and/or a Chinese person who more readily or strongly identifies with Western culture than traditional Chinese culture. v.
How many Chinese people married non-Chinese people in 2000?
However, this begins to shift in subsequent generations as families structures change through interracial marriage. In 2000, approximately 45% of American-born Chinese marry non- Chinese Americans; this is contrasted with Chinese Americans more generally, whereby 81.5% of men and 77.9% of women married other Chinese Americans.
What is the first demographic word?
In both of these cases, the first demographic word refers to the person's citizenship at birth , and the second refers to his citizenship at present. However, in the case of "American-born Chinese," the first demographic word refers to the subject's citizenship at birth (or at present) and the second word to ethnicity.
Who is the only Chinese American?
The term was used in the 2006 comic book by Gene Luen Yang, entitled American Born Chinese. It draws together the stories of three seemingly unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves into a new school and neighborhood to find he is the only Chinese American; the Monkey King of the Chinese fable Journey to the West; and Danny, whose annual visits by his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, ruin his life.
Is it "American born Chinese" or "American born Chinese"?
It has also been observed that, in practice, the term American-born Chinese includes hundreds of thousands of Americans of Chinese descent who were, technically speaking, not born in America, but rather, were brought over by their parents at a young age. This indicates that the term may be a misnomer .
Is the term "Chinese Americans" a subcategory?
It is therefore a sub-category of the term Chinese Americans, the latter of which also includes those who were born in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan but naturalized as U.S. citizens.
What is the story of American Born Chinese?
A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the
What is the main lesson of American Born Chinese?
American Born Chinese explores themes around identity, stereotypes, friendship, and self-acceptance through these three (ultimately intertwined) story threads.
Who does Chin-Kee pretend to be?
Nope—it’s not only Chin-Kee who’s fake (because he’s actually Monkey); it’s Danny, who’s actually the very Chinese Jin. But the only way we can get to this revelation of who Chin-Kee really is in relation to Danny is for the two to confront each other, which they do in an epic kung-fu battle (9.6-9.41).
Can American-Born Chinese speak Chinese?
In some households, ABCs may be able to speak the Chinese dialect of their parents, but may not know how to read or write Chinese. The majority of American-born Chinese are native English speakers, with some bilingual to varying degrees in Chinese. Usually, only the children of immigrants speak Chinese daily at home.
Can Chinese Americans speak Mandarin?
Originally Answered: How many American-born Chinese speak Mandarin? Most of the ABCs or folks around my age that spent most of their development years in the U.S. are able to speak some form of Chinese (usually Mandarin, or up north or in the “old” Chinatowns, Cantonese).
What can be learned from the Monkey King and American-Born Chinese?
The two stories intertwine when we realize that the Monkey King is Chin-kee in disguise and his son is Wei-Chen Sun. The important quotes about identity show how it is important and, in a way, liberating to find your true identity and that you should never forsake it.
When was American Born Chinese published?
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. Released in 2006 by First Second Books, it was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Awards in the category of Young People’s Literature. It won the 2007 Michael L.
Overview
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. Released in 2006 by First Second Books, it was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Awards in the category of Young People's Literature. It won the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award, the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, the Publishers Weekly Comics Week Best Comic of the Year, the San Francisco Chronicle Best Book …
Synopsis
The story of American Born Chinese consists of three seemingly separate tales, which are tied together at the end of the book.
The first story line is Yang's contemporary rendition of the Chinese story of a Kung Fu practicing Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, The Monkey King, a character from the classic 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West. Yang replaces the Buddha from the original story wit…
Character list
• The Monkey King: A monkey who has lived for thousands of years and mastered all the heavenly disciplines. He yearns to join the ranks of gods, and after being rejected, goes on a rampage. He managed to defeat many gods and goddesses, but was buried under a mountain by Tze-Yo-Tzuh for five hundred years. He was later released by Wong Lai-Tsao and accompanies him on his journey.
Themes
According to Min Hyoung Song, American Born Chinese possesses strong themes of racial stereotypes, particularly American stereotypes of the Chinese and other East Asian ethnicities. The primary example of these stereotypes is Chin-Kee, who is the embodiment of the term "coolie," a nineteenth-century racial slur for unskilled Chinese workers. According to Chaney, he is "an incarnation of the 'Yellow Peril' era of racism" which Song defines as "slant-eyes, short stature, …
Use in schools
Gnomes states that American Born Chinese is a great resource to help academically struggling students (particularly struggling readers) and students with social-cognitive disabilities to find motivation to learn, to relate a piece of text to their lives, and to use the graphics to help them understand/relate to the words.
Television adaptation
In 2021, Disney+ ordered a television adaptation of the graphic novel. It will be produced by Disney's 20th Television with Kelvin Yu and Charles Yu as writers and executive producers, Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan as executive producers, and Destin Daniel Cretton as director and executive producer. In February 2022, it was announced that Ben Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Chin Han, Yeo Yann Yann, Daniel Wu, Ke Huy Quan, Jim Liu and Sydney Taylor were cast in the starring roles.
Further reading
• Chen, Shih-wen Sue (2018-08-28). "Sight, Blindness and Identity in Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese and Boxers & Saints". In Stratman, Jacob (ed.). Teens and the New Religious Landscape: Essays on Contemporary Young Adult Fiction. McFarland & Company. pp. 218-. ISBN 9781476630991.
External links
• First Second - Creators - Gene Yang - Blog, essay on the book by author Gene Yang