2019.038.001 The Family Journey of Mae Yih
Mae Yih, MOCA 2019 Legacy Awards Honoree, is an internationally esteemed and admired legislator who made history 43 years ago when she won a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives as the first Chinese American elected to a state legislature anywhere in the United States. As a revered public official, Ms. Yih served 26 years in the legislature after she had served on the board of two local schools for 13 years, a total of 39 years of outstanding public services. Her many accomplishments in the State of Oregon include introducing and helping to pass legislation that created a sister-state relationship between Oregon and Fujian province in China. She has made a significant impact in the development of U.S.-China relations for more than three decades. Her book, titled East Meets West: A Bridge to Understanding, Friendship, Trust, Peace, and Prosperity Between My Mother and Adopted Countries, shares her experiences and powerful lessons that she learned from life in China, America, and public services. Through her public services path until today, Mae Yih has always followed the words of Millicent Carey McIntosh, a former president of Barnard College: “use your education and be involved in the decision-making process for the benefit of your community.”

0:00 - Introduction, Born in Shanghai (May 1928), Well-to-do family, Hard times (Japanese invasion and occupation, the dictatorship under Chiang Kai-shek, Communist revolution), Atrocities by the Japanese soldiers, Seeing corpses on her way to college, Inequality under the dictatorship of Chiang Kai-shek, Importance of high-quality education. 访谈背景介绍,出生于上海(1928年5月),富裕的家境,艰难时期(日军侵占上海、蒋介石独裁统治、共产革命),日军暴行,大学途中见尸体,蒋介石独裁统治下的贫富不均,高质量教育的重要性

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8:09 - Parents, Father working as an apprentice in the teenage year, Time with father (memorizing the multiplication chart to use an abacus), The story of bringing an abacus to the school board meeting, Father’s quote, Father’s career (starting as a wholesale salesman and later owning a cotton and woolen mill manufacturer plant and Palace Hotel), Mother as an artist specializing in calligraphy. 双亲,父亲青少年时期的学徒时光,与父亲共处的时光(为未来使用算盘之需,背诵九九表),带算盘到学校董事会会议的故事,父亲的箴言,父亲的事业(以批发售货员起家,之后坐拥棉纺制造厂及汇中饭店),母亲是善长书法的艺术家

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15:52 - Her book, East Meets West, Mother’s education philosophy, Tutors, Father expressing love by lecturing children, Mother expressing love by bringing a book back for children, Learning to knit, Father’s knitting company, Mother good at knitting. 邓氏著作《东方遇见西方》,母亲的教育哲学,家教,父亲以教育表达父爱,母亲以赠书表达母爱,学习编织,父亲的针织公司,母亲善编织

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22:24 - Horseback riding with father and brothers, Leaving China, Four households in Dunn family, Living with three brothers, Not expecting a civil war after World War Two. 同父兄骑马,离开中国,邓家的四房,与三个兄弟生活,未预期国共内战随二战而来

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28:17 - Two brothers sent to the US to study textile manufactory, Brothers going to Princeton University, Visiting brothers in the US with mother and aunt, Two-week boat to the US, Applying for Barnard College, Trip to the US (Tokyo, Hawaii, San Francisco), Questioned by an immigration officer, Travelling to New York, Her first impression to New York. 两兄弟赴美学习纺织品制造,兄弟就读于普林斯顿大学,随母及小妾访驻美兄弟,乘船两周抵美,申请巴纳德学院,赴美旅途(途经东京、夏威夷及旧金山),受移民官询问,旅行至纽约,纽约的第一印象

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36:01 - Father asking her to study accounting for family business, Studying economy, Campus life, Demanding for academic performance, The president of Barnard inspired her public service career: “Use your education and be involved in the decision-making process for the benefit of your community,” Started public service career in an elementary school in Albany, Running for the school board. 父亲期望邓氏主修会计以助家族企业,主修经济,校园生活,学业表现高标准,巴纳德学院院长的话启迪邓氏的公共服务事业:「运用你的教育所得并参与决策过程以造福社群」,公共服务事业始于奥尔巴尼的小学董事会,竞选学校董事会

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43:14 - Impacts of 1949, Father being imprisoned, Columbia University offering scholarships to cover Chinese students’ tuition and living expenses, Studying accounting in graduate school, Mother’s life in New York. 1949年的影响,父亲入监,哥伦比亚大学提供奖学金以支付中国学生的学费和生活费,修会计专业研究生,母亲在纽约的生活

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47:27 - Meeting her husband, Stephen Yih, in a tea dance in Barnard, Stephen receiving a degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University, Dating, Graduating from Barnard and going to graduate school (1951), Marrying (1953), Wedding in Riverside Church, Banquet at Hongyun Lou Chinese restaurant, Honeymoon (Pocono Mountains and Washington DC), Stephen’s career. 于巴纳德学院的舞会邂逅未来的丈夫,叶氏取得哥伦比亚大学电机工程的学位,自巴纳德学院毕业续读研究所(1951年),结婚(1953),于河滨教堂举行婚礼,于鸿运楼宴客,蜜月旅行(波科诺山及华盛顿哥伦比亚特区),叶氏的事业

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55:30 - Having their sons (1954 and 1958), Moving to Oregon, Stephen volunteering to research titanium in Boulder City, Nevada, Stephen assigned to research zirconium in Albany, Oregon, Stephen’s background, Stephen quitting. 儿子出生(1954年与1958年),迁至俄勒冈州,叶氏自愿前往内华达州博尔德城研究钛,叶氏被指派驻俄勒冈州奥尔巴尼研究锆,叶氏的背景,叶氏辞职

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65:48 - Stephen’s company benefit Albany industries, From the city to the countryside, Few Chinese living in Orogen, Discrimination. 奧尔巴尼的工业受益于叶氏的公司,从都会迁至乡村,很少华人居于俄勒冈州,歧视

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73:02 - Elementary school board and high school board, Running for the state legislature, Improving the curriculum for registration, Voting against the budget, The chairman of Democratic party asking her to run for the state legislature, Going from door to door, Campaign philosophy from accounting, 小学董事会与高中董事会,竞选州议员,改进注册课程,投反对票给预算案,受民主党主席之邀竞选州议员,逐户拜票,由会计衍伸的竞选哲学

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82:13 - Serving on the school boards as her record of public services, Language as her biggest challenge, Working harder in listening and organizing her speeches, Proud of the Willamette River quality study sponsored by her. 学校董事会经验成为邓氏公共服务的履历之一,语言为最大的挑战,致力于听力与组织演讲,以赞助乌伊拉米特河质量调查案为傲

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90:29 - Introducing legislators to build a sister state relationship with Fujian (1983), The governor visiting Fujian to sign a sister state relationship (1984). Visiting Fujian and Xi'an, New impressions to China, Understanding bringing world peace, Organizing the second visit with senator president (1998), Second visit (2002), US officers loving Maotai, Researching with China, 向议员介绍与福建建立姊妹市(1983年),签署姊妹市关系(1984年),拜访福建与西安,对中国的新印象,相互理解将达到世界和平,筹组与参议院议长的再访(1998年),再访(2002年),美国官员爱茅台酒,与中国共同研究

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97:19 - Arranging an official visit to China, First personal trip back to China, Odor from Huangpu River in Shanghai, Food in Shanghai, Feeling about retirement. 安排对中国的正式访问,第一次到中国的私人行程,黄浦江的臭味,上海的食物,退休后的心境

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103:50 - Scholarships and essay contests in high schools to encourage research in metals and nuclear power, Establishing a high school scholarship in China to improve its environment, Identifying herself as Chinese American, Relationship between her mother country and adopted country, A letter received during her time in the state legislature from a homeless person. 于高中设置奖学金与论文比赛以促进重金属与核能研究,在中国设置高中讲学金以改善他们的环境问题,自认为华裔美国人,母国与移民国的关系,在议员任内收到一封来自无家可归者的信

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