About the book
Editor's Note
Inspired from a true story happened in the history. A shared memory of a group of
overseas Chinese. Same type of fiction with The Gold Mountain Blues by Zhang Ling.
Ms. Liu’s simple and beautiful storytelling is inspired by the events of more than a
hundred years ago. The rich and, at times, tragic life of one man and his family, and of the
Xinning Railroad that he built, are replete with forbidden love, struggles, and the
inexorable march of history. In a time of global pandemic and conflict, this is a work that
enlightens and inspires. How do we survive the unfairness and helplessness of this world?
By the earnestness of true love, the warmth of humanity, the irrepressible spirit of an
entrepreneur and the unstoppable courage of a builder.
Synopsis
As Imperial China faced domestic and foreign turmoil, Chen, a country boy from Xinning in Guangdong Province in Southern China, made the perilous cross-Pacific voyage to the American West in search of a better life. Persevering through discrimination and prejudice and balancing the values of two different cultures, Chen grew to be a self-taught engineer and a visionary builder of rail and city sections. With his own unshaking determination and the support of a group of enlightened Seattle city leaders, Chen stood out as the undisputed leader of the Chinese community during the anti-Chinese riots and managed to protect the lives and dignity of the Chinese people there.
When he turned sixty, Chen returned to China, bringing with him the pioneering spirit of the American West and a dream of building his hometown into a modern city. He fought fearlessly against the barriers of a corrupt political system, a superstitious and conservative society, and the insidious designs of old and new enemies. Chen’s persistence paid off, as he eventually built the first private railroad entirely funded, designed and built by Chinese, leaving a remarkable imprint of “Intelligently Made in China” in the annals of international rail building.
About the Author
Huaiyu Liu is a writer and partner & board member of a VC company in Los Angeles. She is graduated from Department of English & American Literature, Peking University with a bachelor’s degree, a linguistic master and computer science master in UCLA. She once worked as a software development manager in Oracle. Ms Liu began writing in 2003. Since then she has published novels, prose and essays in many places.
Ziyi Liu (1932-2015), aka Bing Liu, father of Huaiyu Liu, is a native of Foshan Guangdong, a famous poet and reportage writer in Chongqing from 1950s to 1980s. He immigrated to the United States in 1990. He worked as the founding editor of Meihua Magazine and trustee of CLAA for over fifteen years.
