The Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association holds a "Historical and Cultural Tour"

The Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association holds a "Historical and Cultural Tour" The Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association holds a "Historical and Cultural Tour" (Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association Newsletter) February 11th...

The Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association held a "Historical and Cultural Tour" The Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association held a "Historical and Cultural Tour" (Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association Newsletter) On February 11, the Alberta Chinese Restaurant Association held a "Historical and Cultural Tour". Nearly forty members and friends participated in this event. On this trip, we first went to the south of Tucson to visit the Mission San Xavier Del Bac Catholic Church (a five-star attraction) known as the "White Dove of the Desert". After the visit, we headed to Tombstone, a town with rich cultural history, to explore the most famous cowboy town in western Arizona, as well as the legend of "Chinese Mary", a wonder among the early Chinese ancestors of Arizona. The story of "Chinese Mary" became famous across the United States, with many reports in newspapers and magazines, and even a special episode on Phoenix TV. This time the Chinese Restaurant Association organized a group trip, which made everyone feel particularly happy! The first place I stopped in Tombstone was a courthouse in the town. On the top of the court building is the inscription "1882". 1882 was the year the United States passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. From 1882 to 1943, Chinese people in the United States suffered from racial discrimination. Chinese people could not come to the United States, and Chinese people who returned to China from the United States could not return to the United States. As a result, the number of Chinese people in the United States has continued to decrease over the past 60 years. This is the main reason why the number of Chinese people in the United States today accounts for less than 2% of the total population. In the 1880s, it was the prosperous period of Tombstone. Because of the discovery of silver mines, various people from all directions poured into this town. At that time, there were 5,000 people in the town, including hundreds of Chinese. Tombstone has a history of more than 130 years since its establishment. The famous gun battle took place at the Old Kindersley Stables (O.K. Corral) here. Known as the "Terminator", this is a famous cowboy town in the United States. Dozens of Hollywood movies have been filmed here. There is an endless stream of people traveling here every year. Another legend in Tombstone is the strange Chinese woman who was called "China Mary" in the town. No one knows her real name, only that she is from Zhongshan, Guangdong. "Chinese Mary" appears in Tombstone Town as "Aaron's wife". She is plump and muscular. She often wears Tang suits with elaborate embroidery patterns and mostly silk brocades. She is gorgeous and outstanding, and wears many unique and rare jewelry. "China Mary" had a neat way of doing things. At that time, she handled all walks of life in Chinatown. Identity, contract, job search, salary, and shipping fare were all reviewed, introduced and approved by her. Without "China Mary" to contact and connect, it would be difficult for Chinese people to find jobs. She has a good and close relationship with the Six Chinese Associations in San Francisco (translated into Six Companie). At that time, most Chinese people lived in the area of ​​Third Street and Fifth Street in Tombstone. In addition to running their own "Can-Can Restaurant" (Can-Can Restaurant), "China Mary" and her husband Aaron also run a gift shop, an employment agency, a wholesale trading business, and also run the business rights of opium dens and red light districts. The couple's property is very considerable. In the eyes of white people, "China Mary" is like a queen, taking care of everything in Chinatown. She was the "eldest sister" in power in Chinatown at that time. To this day, her deeds are still talked about. In the town, members of the Chinese restaurant club and visiting friends enjoyed the various cultural features of the town, watched the famous Cowboy Town shootout show, and even visited the original home of "China Mary" and took group photos. Before leaving Tombstone, everyone also went to Shoe Hill Cemetery, which was built in the 1870s. This memorial cemetery is famous for the fact that many cowboys who died in gun battles were buried wearing high-top leather shoes. In this cemetery, there are the tombs of some Chinese ancestors. Some of the tombstones have the names of the tombstones with the names of shops and restaurants. For example, the "Foo KEE" memorial book states: "He owned a grocery store and died from ptomaine poisoning", and there is also a tombstone called "Quong KEE". In addition, there are about 200 graves of people of other ethnic groups. Many of the tombstones simply read "unkong". There are not many tombstones with names on them, but the tombstones of "Chinese Mary" and her husband "Alon" (AH LNM) were found, and the inscriptions on the tombstones are also very clear. "Chinese Mary" was erected in the name of "Mrs. AH LNM", who died at the age of 67. Let's bow together to pay tribute to this man who "will never return home until he is dead"! This "Historical and Cultural Tour" organized by the Chinese Restaurant Association of Alberta is the first time in Phoenix that Chinese people have gone to Tombstone as a group to explore the history of Chinese ancestors in Alberta. It is a very meaningful event. (Reported by Zhang Zhaohong)