Yang's American Born Chinese

[Faithless]

It seems that a Chinese American teacher name Gene Yang is in the running for a National Book Award (http://books.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1210506.php/Graphic_novel_one_of_20_up_for_National_Book_Award ).

His book is a graphic novel, of all things, called "American Born Chinese" (http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/abc.html).

Unfortunately, his graphic novel doesn't come without controversy (http://www.crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/MPerkins/?adate=10/11/2006) with the controversy being that he has "'Christianized' a Buddhist tale" known as the Monkey King. The novel is not solely about the Monkey King.

It's something that he felt needed a response in his blog (http://firstsecondbooks.typepad.com/mainblog/2006/08/gene_yang_origi.html) (which, in part, reads).

At its heart, The Journey to the West is a Buddhist morality tale. In the original, the Monkey King raises havoc among the gods of all other traditional Chinese religions, and it is only the Buddha that is finally able to put him in his place. In American Born Chinese, I’ve replaced the story’s Buddhist underpinnings with Christian ones, drawing from my own faith.

Christianity, you see, lies at the very center of my identity as an Asian-American. I would even go so far as to say that Christianity is a vital part of “The” Asian-American experience. For proof, simply visit a Christian student group on any university campus. More likely than not, you’ll find a sea of Asian faces. By adopting this ancient Western religion that is both a part of and at odds with contemporary Western culture, we attempt to make sense of ourselves.

But is it okay for me to take an age-old Chinese folk tale and rip out its Buddhist heart? Derek Kirk Kim, one of my best friends and a decidedly non-Christian Asian-American, questioned me on this after an enthusiastic reading of my script. “How would you feel if someone took one of your stories and made it Taoist or Muslim or atheist?” he asked.

*** *** ***

It's an interesting controversy that has apparently been around for a few months.

He did an interview (http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6366449.html?nid=2789) in August where he discussed his book.

He explains of his three part novel:

The first revolves around a legendary and beloved Chinese folk hero, the Monkey King. The second follows Jin Wang, an alienated Chinese-American kid growing up in an almost all-white neighborhood. And the third story chronicles the exploits of Chin-kee, a no-holds-barred compilation of racist Asian caricatures, complete with buck teeth, pigtail and slurred l's and r's, who delights in ruining his cousin Danny's high school experience.

In the interview, he explains the christian part to his version of the Monkey King:

PWCW: You've said in the past that you wanted the Monkey King to reflect your Christian faith. What elements of that are in the story?

GY: I look at my comics and I think I like using reconciliation as the climactic point of the story or the end result, as opposed to good triumphing over evil, or two people falling in love and consummating a relationship.

PWCW: What do you mean by reconciliation?

GY: Like a broken relationship being mended. I think that was an unconscious thing that I’ve become conscious of. That’s one thing, and the other is that I put Jesus in the book. And I replaced Buddha with the Christian God in the Monkey King story, because I think that Christianity is a vital part of the Asian-American experience. When I was in college, almost every Christian group on campus was completely Asian, and a lot of my Asian-American friends became Christian while they were in college. And I think there's something to that. I don't think that Asianness and the fact that they're attracted to Christianity is disconnected.

I would say props to him for being nominated. And I sit on the fence on this one.

Can a person dishonor the story of the Monkey King by changing its buddhist theme, if it really exists, into a christian one? And can that harm the basic character?

[Noiseman433]

I'd read a recent review of Yang's graphic novel (I guess I can't post links yet), and it sort of intrigued me a bit.


Can a person dishonor the story of the Monkey King by changing its buddhist theme, if it really exists, into a christian one? And can that harm the basic character?


The Christianization issue is interesting and I think it can both harm and help the original (whatever "original" means) story. It's kinda difficult to get away from Christianization if you're living in the states. I think of this everytime I write down the year "2006"--or any calendrical year markings here since by default that references the time that deals with Christ (I'm Thai, so I like to say I'm living in the 26th century, since the Thai Calendar is a Buddhist era Calendar referencing the Buddha rather than Christ :biggrin: ).

Obviously I don't agree with Yang's comment abut Christianity being a vital part of being Asian-American. I have a number of Indian-Americans friends in Indianapolis who now have their own Hindu Temple that might also disagree. "America" maybe be primarily a Christian nation, but not everyone in it is Christian after all.

[eos]

christianity was never part of my "asian-american experience". my early taste of catholicism has completely turned me off to any kind of organized religion.
even so, i'm a little offended that he would replace the buddhist religion with christianity. they're not interchangeable lego pieces.

[Noiseman433]

they're not interchangeable lego pieces.
haha--that comment just made me laugh. :biggrin:

[nameless]

props for the nomination, although i don't think i'd read it. adapting the christian elements to a classic chinese story just doesn't seem right to me, even if it is a part of this guy's asian american experience. like a hollywood remake of an asian movie or something...

they're not interchangeable lego pieces.

oh yeah? (http://www.thebricktestament.com/) :tongue:

[Noiseman433]

adapting the christian elements to a classic chinese story just doesn't seem right to me, even if it is a part of this guy's asian american experience. like a hollywood remake of an asian movie or something...

Well, if nothing else, maybe someone will be interested in the original and look it up???

Maybe too much to hope for, eh?

[Faithless]

props for the nomination, although i don't think i'd read it. adapting the christian elements to a classic chinese story just doesn't seem right to me, even if it is a part of this guy's asian american experience. like a hollywood remake of an asian movie or something...

oh yeah? (http://www.thebricktestament.com/) :tongue:
I think you're imagination needs a little sharpening. jEsus, just imagine Gordon Liu redefining Moses:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/chottomatte/gliu_kb2_00.jpg

[Noiseman433]

I think you're imagination needs a little sharpening. jEsus, just imagine Gordon Liu redefining Moses:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/chottomatte/gliu_kb2_00.jpg


bleh--Liu was playing a classical jingju Wu Lao Sheng role there.

[returntosender]

blah. everyone knows the character of moses was based on kenny rogers.

[Noiseman433]

blah. everyone knows the character of moses was based on kenny rogers.

hahahha!!!

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I'm an AA Christian and I think even as I grew up in church my entire life I never once associated Christianity with Asian Americans. It was only after I actually accepted the faith that I noticed AA Christian groups on campus or elsewhere. Still, it's a bit of a stretch for Yang to say that Christianity should be included as an inevitable aspect or source of influence for what it means to be Asian American.

[eos]

^i'm anti-religion. is that why you won't talk to me anymore, hubert? :frown: j/k

or is it cuz i'm just generally a bad person? i need to know cuz i can change one of those things....but not both.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Fear not, Hubert does what Jesus does and loves even the anti-religious, especially the cute ones.

[friedfishribs]

I'm an athiest, and I believe that Christianity has been principally involved with the physical colonization of much of the non-Western world, as well as the mental colonization. If anyone has any doubts on the potency of cultural imperialism, they only need to look as far as Christianity. As far as Christianity being integral to the Asian-American experience... that's only true in the sense that Christianity was the foundation of white man's burden and thus justified hundreds of years of racism, xenophobia, and imperial conquest. That kind of history always leaves an impression.

That being said, I've read this comic book and I thought it was pretty good. I don't know the "original" Monkey God story, so I don't want to comment on whatever Christianization it was subject to. For what it's worth, however, I didn't notice any overtly Christian elements. If there were specific examples, they were easily generalized to the point that I don't remember them. I liked the characters and I felt that their struggles with self-identity reflected many of my own conflicts (being an ABC myself).

The main downfall of the book is its intentional simplicity. The author wants to generalize to the populace so much that he fails to develop any of the characters as being individuals in their own right. Throughout the book, I felt myself projecting my own perspective onto the characters, rather then letting them speak for themselves. This is good in the sense that I'm emotionally involved, but also renders the book disappointingly unmemorable.

Some situations ring very true though. Like the infatuation with a childhood "toy" that symbolizes your own identity confusion (videogames for me!) and a complete rejection of ethnic identity in the form of avoiding ethnically similar peers.

[CBC guy]

This book sounds kinda interesting. I wouldn't mind reading it to see what the fuss is about.

I'm Chinese and Christian BTW

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I don't think I need to read a book to see that Christianity has been used to subjugate and fuck over various peoples of the world. I only have a problem with it when people use this as merely ammo to attack the faith itself or religion in general. Like all systems or groups of organized ideologies and tenets (although they are much more than just groups of ideas or rules to the believer), they can be used to brainwash and oppress.

[SunWuKong]

http://www.amazon.com/American-Chinese-Gene-Luen-Yang/dp/1596431520

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1596431520.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V65627521_.jpg

has anyone read this? i bought it but haven't read it. if it's good, i plan on getting my sister this for Christmas.

[bluemonq]

dupe:
http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=31498

[SunWuKong]

dupe:
http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=31498

oops. i merged the threads.

[SunWuKong]

Christianity, you see, lies at the very center of my identity as an Asian-American. I would even go so far as to say that Christianity is a vital part of “The” Asian-American experience. For proof, simply visit a Christian student group on any university campus. More likely than not, you’ll find a sea of Asian faces. By adopting this ancient Western religion that is both a part of and at odds with contemporary Western culture, we attempt to make sense of ourselves.

that's the first time i've heard that Christianity is a "vital part" of the Asian American experience.

as for modifying Monkey King's story - Journey to the West is essentially a story about redemption, specifically, Monkey King's redemption. i doubt you'll have to do too much to add Christian elements into it.

i don't really care too much that the Monkey King's story was changed. it's been done many many times by different authors, most of them Chinese. i would say that the only time i really disliked a modified version of Monkey King's story was Sci Fi Channel's adaptation. they basically gave it Disney's Fa Mulan treatment - that is, they twisted the story to portray an almost opposite point from the point of the original story. in Disney's Mulan, the movie became one about girl power, when the original Fa Mulan story was more about filiality. in Sci Fi Channel's Monkey King adaptation, somehow, "Chinese values" is to do what you yourself think is right, when the original point of the story was to find redemption through obedience.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Is this available at the local Barnes&Noble/Borders bookstore-cafe type places?

[SunWuKong]

Is this available at the local Barnes&Noble/Borders bookstore-cafe type places?

that's where i bought it.

[yoMAMA]

I'm an AA Christian and I think even as I grew up in church my entire life I never once associated Christianity with Asian Americans. It was only after I actually accepted the faith that I noticed AA Christian groups on campus or elsewhere. Still, it's a bit of a stretch for Yang to say that Christianity should be included as an inevitable aspect or source of influence for what it means to be Asian American.

I've been to one of those campus christian things....

fair to say it was my first and last time attending such event.

[yoMAMA]

that's the first time i've heard that Christianity is a "vital part" of the Asian American experience.



It's probably safe to say christianity is a central part of the korean american experience.

but yeah it's quite a stretch to say that about the pan asian pacific american community.

[bluemonq]

It's probably safe to say christianity is a central part of the korean american experience.

but yeah it's quite a stretch to say that about the pan asian pacific american community.
Well, most of my chinese friends who were born in the US are Christian. I'm not, but then again I wasn't born in the US.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I skimmed and read through a great deal of it tonight at the local Barnes & Noble...it was mildly interesting and definitely worth a glance, although there's nothing in there that's really new or inspiring to most of us. Perhaps the whole point is that at the very least what many AA's have been experiencing all along is one step closer to being out there in the open now on shelves and in the public eye.

[SunWuKong]

I skimmed and read through a great deal of it tonight at the local Barnes & Noble...it was mildly interesting and definitely worth a glance, although there's nothing in there that's really new or inspiring to most of us. Perhaps the whole point is that at the very least what many AA's have been experiencing all along is one step closer to being out there in the open now on shelves and in the public eye.


i thought the book is significant just for the fact that there're not too many comic strips or graphic novels about Asian Americans. i think there are a number of fictional works now about identity conflicts and being bi-cultural, but not many graphic novels.

[MD2020]

I'll have to disagree with the whole "Christianity is a vital part of 'The' Asian-American experience' statement." The Asian-American community is too broad and diverse for that to be true. It wasn't part of my or my family's experience. I guess we're just Godless heathen idol worshippers, but I'm happy with that.

I skimmed through the comic though and it was ok. Doesn't really break any new ground, but it has a neat (albeit predictable) Fight Club like twist.

[tripostrophe]

I guess we're just Godless heathen idol worshippers, but I'm happy with that.

Wow, please don't ever do that again -_- Just because you're not Christian doesn't mean that Christians are going to start assuming all these negative things about you. Speaking of which, I'm sick and tired of people stereotyping Christians, especially when they don't treat race in the same manner.

[MD2020]

Wow, please don't ever do that again -_- Just because you're not Christian doesn't mean that Christians are going to start assuming all these negative things about you. Speaking of which, I'm sick and tired of people stereotyping Christians, especially when they don't treat race in the same manner.

That was a sarcastic response to his arrogant statement that Christianity is "THE" defining experience of MY life. Also, if I am Buddhist, I am literally a Godless idol worshipping heathen by definition. There's nothing wrong with that except vis a vis Christians.

[tripostrophe]

That was a sarcastic response to his arrogant statement that Christianity is "THE" defining experience of MY life. Also, if I am Buddhist, I am literally a Godless idol worshipping heathen by definition. There's nothing wrong with that except vis a vis Christians.

Please don't play around here MD, it's obvious that you meant it as a derogatory/sarcastic comment, and I don't care what the terms mean themselves, but rather your intent. Yea?

[BigLew]

I'm sick and tired of people stereotyping Christians, especially when they don't treat race in the same manner.

But the bible itself teaches to separate and treat differently by race.

[tripostrophe]

But the bible itself teaches to separate and treat differently by race.

Where? Did Jesus teach this? Are you talking about first for the Jew, then for the Gentile? Please back up what you're saying with lines/quotes. And if you're simply doing this to try with the intent to get into some petty argument, I'd appreciate if you just dropped it now. Otherwise...

[eos]

smackdown time.

please commence.

[tripostrophe]

Sighhh.

[eos]

hey just saying there are lots of thread lately that have come down to "word war" and "look i used big words!"

that's all.

[tripostrophe]

Oh, am I doing that? Sorry if I am, it's just that when I get mad, I tend to like...try and express myself in as rational a manner as I can, and then I slip into these long (sometimes nonsensical) posts with too many big words yeah -_-

[haplesshobo]

I guess I don't really understand the uproar over it since, as SWK has mentioned, the Monkey King epic has been adapted before. The Japanese manga and anime series, Dragon Ball, is also loosely based on Monkey King, and the stuff about going west for the legendary buddhist scriptures was changed into a search for dragon balls.

[SunWuKong]

I guess I don't really understand the uproar over it since, as SWK has mentioned, the Monkey King epic has been adapted before. The Japanese manga and anime series, Dragon Ball, is also loosely based on Monkey King, and the stuff about going west for the legendary buddhist scriptures was changed into a search for dragon balls.

yeah and then aliens came... i think only the character was adapted from the Monkey King, and not so much the story itself.

[MD2020]

Please don't play around here MD, it's obvious that you meant it as a derogatory/sarcastic comment, and I don't care what the terms mean themselves, but rather your intent. Yea?

I'll say what I please as long as I don't break the board rules thank you. You're being oversensitive that it's some sort of "Attack" on Christianity. It was a response to one particular Christian's warped world view that the world revolves around his beliefs.

[SunWuKong]

MD2020 - just to move the discussion along and avoid any confusion, i think it may be helpful if you tell us what your general view is on Christianity.

[BigLew]

Where? Did Jesus teach this? Are you talking about first for the Jew, then for the Gentile? Please back up what you're saying with lines/quotes. And if you're simply doing this to try with the intent to get into some petty argument, I'd appreciate if you just dropped it now. Otherwise...

I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24).

And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. (Mark 7:24-29)

Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly (Leviticus 25:44-46)

If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave. (Leviticus 25:39)

If a man is caught kidnapping one of his brother Israelites and treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 24:7)

That's enough for now, later on we can get further into slavery, genocide and other forms of intolerance happily toted in the good book.

[kimpossible]

^Ah yes. Now I remember. Your parents were/are pastors? Sorry if I fudged their title there, Lew.

[BigLew]

^Ah yes. Now I remember. Your parents were/are pastors? Sorry if I fudged their title there, Lew.

My dad is a Lutheran Priest, not a pastor anymore he's too sick to run a parish.

[MD2020]

MD2020 - just to move the discussion along and avoid any confusion, i think it may be helpful if you tell us what your general view is on Christianity.

I don't believe in Christianity, but I don't care that other people believe in it. I think the comic book author's statement is pretty arrogant, but I'm not losing any sleep over it. I thought my comment was a little hostile but pretty tame - listen to George Carlin - some people are thin-skinned.

Anyway, what I am sorry for is helping to turn this into another pro/anti Christian thread (at least have that discussion related to the comic).

[tripostrophe]

Oh crap.

Originally Posted by tripostrophe View Post
I'm sick and tired of people stereotyping Christians, especially when they don't treat race in the same manner.

Okay, my original statement was horribly misworded...I did not mean at all that Christians are not racist, etc. etc. -- everyone knows about racist WASPs, etc. I was referring more to the liberal who proclaims himself open-minded (and may be, when it comes to race), but at the same time, bashes on religion, yet does not see the hypocrisy in doing this. Does that clear things up?

[tripostrophe]

And re: your verses -- well, for me, the two OT quotes don't apply -- I follow Jesus' teachings more than anything -- but I do know that the quote re: dogs and scraps is from Jesus himself. I'll try and get back to you on this once I find something on it, but for now that's a good point.

But does everything make sense now? I'm annoyed by people acting religionist when these same people would (usually) be totally intolerant of anything racist.

[BigLew]

I don't believe in Christianity, but I don't care that other people believe in it. I think the comic book author's statement is pretty arrogant, but I'm not losing any sleep over it. I thought my comment was a little hostile but pretty tame - listen to George Carlin - some people are thin-skinned.

Anyway, what I am sorry for is helping to turn this into another pro/anti Christian thread (at least have that discussion related to the comic).

We discuss the issues that the comic brings up, otherwise this thread would have died after a couple of "OOOH that's cool" posts.

[BigLew]

Oh crap.

Originally Posted by tripostrophe View Post
I'm sick and tired of people stereotyping Christians, especially when they don't treat race in the same manner.

Okay, my original statement was horribly misworded...I did not mean at all that Christians are not racist, etc. etc. -- everyone knows about racist WASPs, etc. I was referring more to the liberal who proclaims himself open-minded (and may be, when it comes to race), but at the same time, bashes on religion, yet does not see the hypocrisy in doing this. Does that clear things up?

I can see from many of your posts that back-peddling is one of your favorite past times.

[haplesshobo]

I finally read it at Barnes, and I think it was suprisingly good. When I was reading it, at first, I didn't understand how the three stories were connected. And, it was strange to see that racist cariacture of chinese to be a cousin of some white guy. But, the ending tied it all together beautifully and I think the story worked.

I don't like the way the writer is justifying the usage of christian religion seeping into the monkey king story, but I give him a pass because this is obviously a very personal story, probably autiobiographical, and in this writer's personal story, it makes more sense for him to reference his own personal christianity than buddihism. Plus, it wasn't like the christian motifs were shoved down our throats, where it distracted from the story.

One thing I'd like to have seen explored more was the chinese guy's infatuation with that all-american girl. Was his infatuation with her because he wanted to be white? In the story, she doesn't come off as a catch- she's got dandruff, not really that beautiful, etc..

[bigwong235]

i went to go see the author at a book signing/discussion at a barnes in san mateo the other day. he didn't mention anything about the controversy regarding the christianity aspect of his book. i didn't know it was an issue till i saw this thread.

i didn't notice anything overtly christian in the book, but i did find it odd how the "god" character's tranlated name was "i am who am." i don't actually know the original story of the monkey king, and the only exposure i have to the story is from a cartoon i saw when i was a little kid. maybe i'm just not reading critically enough, but i didn't see a concrete connection between his adaptation of the story and christianity.

also, i don't really know many people that know the actual original story of the monkey king that aren't study abroad students, or children of first generation immigrants. most of my peer group seem to recognize that yes, there is a story of a monkey king in chinese, and yes, it's supposed to be popular, but beyond that, no one can tell me anything else about the story. i think the only thing that stands out is the fact that he can make clones of himself using his hair. so the adaptation being different from the original story really doesn't effect me, nor would i think it would affect the people i know it the same way.

overall, i thought it was a good read, but short (only took 45 min), and i did identify w/some of the situations/characters in the book, which i think is what the message of the book is. i personally don't feel like this controversy over an adaptation of the monkey king tale should overshadow the message of the novel. i also don't think it should turn anyone off to reading it.

[bigwong235]

One thing I'd like to have seen explored more was the chinese guy's infatuation with that all-american girl. Was his infatuation with her because he wanted to be white? In the story, she doesn't come off as a catch- she's got dandruff, not really that beautiful, etc..

sorry for the double post.

in regards to that aspect of the story, there may be some parts of him that wanted to be white (when taken in context w/the rest of the story), but i don't know that that was his motivation specifically for liking that girl.

if you look at the people in the protagonist's classes, there aren't any other asian people. the school is predominantly white. just playing the odds, if he's going to like a girl at the school, she's probably going to be white. there's an asian girl at the school, but she's already taken, so she's out. i think that part of the story is just dealing with him liking a girl and going through that whole awkward middle/high school dating phase. ethnicity does become a factor, but it's from an outside source, not the girl or the protagonist.

[tripostrophe]

I can see from many of your posts that back-peddling is one of your favorite past times.

hey what? eat a big one.

[haplesshobo]

maybe i'm just not reading critically enough, but i didn't see a concrete connection between his adaptation of the story and christianity.


I think we see him reference Christainity because there's a frame involving Baby Jesus Christ. Other than that, I don't think there was that much Christainity. That ominpitent god could have been any religious omnipitent god. In fact, the weird thing about the story, if he's really weaving christainity into it, is that it also includes all those minor Chinese gods. So, in a christian context, would all those minor chinese gods be angels?

[Faithless]

Got this for the kids, because they were selling it at Eastwind books in Berkeley, which has a couple of cute clerks (if anybody is interested). The kids like it. I won't burst their bubble.

[tripostrophe]

I've seen this book before on the bookshelf at the store nearby, looked thru it briefly once and wasn't interested. But a friend recommended it, gave me her copy, and I read through it in full. Loved it so much I ended up going back to the store to buy it. Recommended

[hooligan]

I bought this book for my brother for his birthday gift.

[raacluse]

Slide show about “American born Chinese”

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s244/raacluse/abc.jpg (http://media.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/bpp_slideshows/yang/index.html)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18328964&ps=bb1


“Graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang has created a groundbreaking read in American Born Chinese. It's the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award…”


Somehow I just don’t find this stuff to be that groundbreaking… maybe I’m just too jaded…

[Fireblade]

Very good book. Maybe not as groundbreaking as Adrian Tomine's books. Shortcomings by the way is friggin' perfect. Derek Kim Kim is also a good graphic novelist.

[SunWuKong]

threads have been merged.