Eat a Bowl of Tea

“Girls born in China are better. They are courteous and modest. Not like these jook sings born in New York. They can tell good from bad.”

The term jook sing is used throughout the book to describe Chinese Americans born in New York and Chinese-born immigrants who have abandoned their Chinese heritage. In this passage, Lee Gong insists that girls born in China, like his daughter Mei Oi, have better morals than American-born girls. He is later disappointed by Mei Oi’s behavior in the US.

“If Ben Loy should not like Lee Gong’s daughter, he could always get another girl and be married. A sense of male superiority came over him, and he almost laughed out loud.”

In the first part of the 20th century, Chinese immigrant communities in the US were often dominated by men, who immigrated before the passing of anti-Chinese immigration laws that made it nearly impossible for their families to join them. This passage suggests that a male-dominated environment led some men, like Wah Gay, to devalue women, whom they saw as interchangeable.

“And the dutiful wife waited and hoped. She faithfully went to the marketplace every Sunday and prayed for her husband’s return, just as she had fervently pleaded for his return home with the idols at the temples prior to her conversion to Christianity.”

Lau Shee has been living in Sun Lung Lay without her husband for 25 years and raised the child they made on his brief visit as a single mother. This passage highlights her patience and hope and suggests that those traits are independent of her faith, which has changed in the decades since her husband left. Before and after her conversion to Christianity, Lau Shee is sympathetic to her husband’s need to be in the US.

“‘Nowadays so many school girls are being married to gimshunhocks.’ She smiled apologetically. ‘We thought that we might send Mei Oi to a school that specializes in English. So that if she had an opportunity to go to the Beautiful Country, she would know a few phrases.’”

The term gimshunhock (“Gold Mountain sojourner”) is used throughout the book to describe Chinese immigrants living in the US. The nickname “Gold Mountain” was applied to the US by Toisan immigrants who traveled to California in the late 19th century. As this passage suggests, marrying a gimshunhock like Ben Loy was seen as a welcome opportunity for Chinese girls.

“Since time immemorial, she explained, the mother-in-law always gave up her own living quarters for the bride and groom when there was no other room in the house.”

Lau Shee’s life in Sun Lung Lay village is guided by tradition and is drastically different from her son’s life in New York. Although she has converted to Christianity, the traditions of her village guide her actions. The reference to time immemorial in this passage shows how deeply ingrained these traditions are in Chinese culture.

“Aside from the physical pleasure she would have derived from the union, it would have indicated to her that her man still loved her. When Ben Loy had turned away, she felt unwanted and useless.”

Mei Oi’s desire for sexual intimacy with her husband is one of her defining characteristics despite her initial characterization as pure and innocent. This passage suggests that her desire for sex is closely connected to her sense of worth as a wife and her confidence in their relationship.

“He proceeded to pin the flowers on Mei Oi’s gown, while the bridegroom stood by awkwardly. […] Wah Gay, his face flushed, and mindful of Ah Song’s reputation with women, was angry at himself for having asked Ah Song to help out.”

Ah Song’s reputation as a womanizer is a source of entertainment and gossip among the older generation of men until it affects their families directly. In this instance, Wah Gay trusts Ah Song enough to employ him at the wedding but is surprised when he leans into his womanizing reputation.

“If all the modern sciences in America could not bring relief to his marital difficulties, how could he expect a herbalist to work miracles for him? On the other hand, there are undoubtedly tested remedies within the herbalist’s realm of knowledge that are good for many ills.”

The tension between modern American and Chinese traditions is an essential theme in the novel. The tension is manifested most clearly in Ben Loy’s attempts to cure his impotence. He initially chooses modern medicine before resorting to traditional herbal cures.

“‘Please don’t…please don’t…’

The bed springs squeaked under their combined weight. The neatly-made bed was quickly disarrayed.

‘I won’t hurt you.’”

The novel features significant profanity in the dialogue of the older generation of Chinese American immigrants, who don’t feel the need to censor themselves in their mostly male community. In this passage, however, Mei Oi’s rape is presented without detail, and the passive voice is used to elide Ah Song’s actions. The lack of details here may reflect a desire to preserve Mei Oi’s dignity, if only briefly.

“Chinatown is a closely knit community where everybody knows almost everybody else. If somebody does not know you, there are others who do; though you may have no idea what a celebrity you are in your other community.”

Mei Oi’s infidelity is gossip-worthy news not because she, in particular, is popular but because she is the daughter-in-law of Wah Gay, a prominent member of the community. Although the closeness of the community is often a benefit, the reference to celebrity suggests that this can also be isolating for individuals.

“She liked even more the attentions that came with them. She enjoyed being sick and eating these liquid foods. And it made her especially happy when Ah Song came with all these things.”

Although Mei Oi’s relationship with Ah Song begins with sexual assault, she comes to enjoy his attention to her. The novel suggests that she also gets the sexual gratification from her relationship with Ah Song that she longs for with Ben Loy.

“I don’t care for myself because I’m here in New York…just feel sorry for the old female rice cooker in the village…she has no place to go…in New York it is different.”

This passage is narrated from the first-person perspective of Wah Gay, whose racing thoughts are indicated by the repeated ellipses. Wah Gay feels persecuted by gossip in New York but acknowledges that his wife will have a harder time in their rural Chinese village, where she is likely to be confronted by gossip from her neighbors.

“‘I got my story from my boy, and he got it from his wife,’ continued Chuck Ting. ‘He came out here and told me about it the other day. Said something about his wife hearing about it in a beauty salon on Mulberry Street last Sunday.”

Gossip appears across the novel, demonstrating the importance of community for Chinese American immigrants. This passage demonstrates how quickly rumors can spread among the tight-knit community. Gossip often occurs in public spaces like the barbershops and beauty salons, where members of different families gather.

“If his wife had to go to bed with another man, why did she have to be discovered? The discovery of an act is even more humiliating than the act itself.”

Ben Loy is willing to ignore his suspicions about Mei Oi’s infidelity to build their family. However, he is humiliated when his father and the community learn of the scandal, and gossip spreads. His reaction highlights the importance of community for Chinese American immigrants.

“Ben Loy was proud of his wife, too, for having cooked such a splendid dinner on such short notice. His ego swelled at the thought that his dutiful wife had just proven herself to be an exceedingly versatile and courteous hostess.”

Traditional Chinese gender roles place strict expectations on Mei Oi, even in her new home of New York City. Although Ben Loy is aware of his wife’s infidelity, he is nevertheless proud that she is able to do what is expected of her and act as a hostess to his friend. Her willingness to fulfill these expectations nearly outweighs her infidelity.

“She had never dreamed that she would ever apply the term lover to herself. Right or wrong, justified or not, she was only human in wanting to be a woman.”

Throughout the second half of the novel, Mei Oi justifies her affair with Ah Song by attributing it to her unfulfilling sex life with her husband. In this passage, she suggests that sexuality is inherent to womanhood and that it is only natural for her to seek sex outside of her sexless marriage.

“Remember when we were young? Do you still remember what we used to do in those days? Remember that chicken house on Cow’s Dung Road? Remember your favorite girl…what was her name?”

In this passage, Wah Gay’s friend Mee Kee reminds him of the times they visited sex workers together while they were roommates in school. His intention is to encourage Wah Gay to forgive his son’s and daughter-in-law’s indiscretions by reminding him that young people make mistakes. However, this passage also serves to demonstrate similarities between Wah Gay and his son and to suggest that mistakes can be repeated across generations.

“When the show-down came, in addition to being on the side of righteousness, Wah Gay would be on the side of numerical superiority too, because the Wangs had many cousins in New York.”

This passage demonstrates the closeness of the Chinese American immigrant community in New York. This passage indicates that Wang Chuck Ting believes the police will allow the community to resolve the dispute internally and that Wah Gay can rely on his family connections to help him escape the charges.

“But Ben Loy was no good as a husband. Ah Song was so tender and understanding. The important thing was that she had become pregnant. She had always wanted to be a mother. Now that the baby was coming, no one could say she was incapable of bearing a child.”

Mei Oi uses her husband’s impotence to justify her sexual relationship with Ah Song. In her mind, the shame of being unable to bear a child outweighs the shame of a child with questionable maternity. Her references to Ah Song’s tenderness and understanding in this passage are at odds with the violence that began their relationship.

“She was puzzled but she did not speak. She felt grave apprehension. Hers was the task of cooking rice for her husband, to darn her socks, to comfort and nurse him in sickness. Not to talk back to him.”

This passage is indicative of the difficulties facing women in male-dominated societies. Although she is sexually aggressive throughout the novel, she has nevertheless internalized her community’s expectations that she be subservient to her husband.

“I now charge Ah Song with breaking up my home as well as the home of my offspring, Ben Loy. Ah Song’s inhuman action has caused me great loss of face. His continued presence in the City of New York will add to this embarrassment.”

This passage comes from the letter written by Chuck Ting and signed at his insistence by Wah Gay. Wah Gay argues that Ah Song is the antagonist in their conflict and that the shame caused by his affair with Mei Oi is his fault. The community ultimately rallies around Wah Gay.

“Then the sly thought entered his mind again: if someone was going to steal his best friend’s wife, why not Chin Yuen?”

This passage is indicative of the novel’s thematic interest in the sexualization of women in male-dominated communities. Despite his long, close relationship with Ben Loy, Chin Yuen is unable to be around Mei Oi without sexualizing her. The passage indicates that Chin Yuen feels ownership over Mei Oi as Ben Loy’s closest friend, suggesting that Mei Oi has no real agency independent of her husband.

“She now felt a sense of belonging, of belonging to Ben Loy. She realized that her husband could have disowned her but he chose to stick by her. In spite of what she had done, Ben Loy still wanted her. It made her feel proud to be wanted.”

Ben Loy’s willingness to forgive Mei Oi for her affair endears him to her and allows her to forgive him for their unsatisfying sex life. The novel suggests that his tenderness in forgiving her replaces the lack of intimacy caused by their sex life. This passage indicates that Mei’s feelings about Ben Loy are influenced by her understanding of his feelings about her.