Rosemary Gong - Good Luck Life: The Essential Guide to Chinese American Celebrations and Culture

A fter attaching my final chapter of Good Luck Life to an e-mail to HarperCollins, I clicked the send button and held my breath in anticipation of the words Files done. It took a community of family, friends, business associates, and social acquaintances to reach that moment, and Im indebted to them for their generosity of time, information, and advice.

Im grateful to Edwin Tan, editor extraordinaire, of HarperCollins. Highly intuitive and partly clairvoyant, Edwin envisioned Good Luck Life in print before I did. With his unwavering enthusiasm and culturally evolved eye, he gently probed and prodded. Edwin made my publication process effortless. And as a bonus, I received a Straits-style recipe for a new twist on joong . Im also indebted to Jessica Chin, production editor at HarperCollins, for her wonderful eagle eye.

It was my great fortune to be blessed with an inspired and generous foreword by master chef Martin Yan. His tireless devotion and commitment to Chinese food and culture sets an example for us all.

As a first-time author, I was shown the ropes by my literary agent, Diane Gedymin. She laid the groundwork and spoke the truth. When Diane transitioned back to publishing, she lovingly surrendered me into the prodigious hands of Michael Carlisle.

Paola Gianturco has continued to mentor me beyond my days at Saatchi & Saatchi Corporate Communications Group. I never thought that I would follow her into the world of publishing. But when Good Luck Life was just a wisp of an idea, it was Paola who told me that I could do it and gave me the map that showed me how.

Through Chinese experts Aubrey Kuan of the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Lillian Hwang Peiper of Crane HouseThe Asia Institute, Inc., and Sally Yu Leung, San Francisco Asian Art Commissioner, I learned about the details and nuances of the Chinese ways with regional overtones among east and west, north and south, Taiwanese and overseas Chinese. They patiently reviewed, critiqued, and edited my chapters and provided me with a depth of knowledge that could not be found in any book.

The support and diligence of my writing group, the Random Writers, consisting of Sara Bir, Kirk Citron, Leslie Van Dyke, and Chun Yu, kept me focused and steady. Thanks for the DBs, SMs, WCs, and LOLs in colored ink. Sara Bir also contributed her culinary talents by meticulously testing and refining the old village recipes in her own kitchen.

Wylie Wong, Jeannie Young, and Jane Huie Lang bestowed their magic. They granted wishes at pivotal times when I couldnt manifest them on my own. My personal editor, Jennifer Tansey Greenwood, was my guardian angel. During the writing process, she kept me focused with the buoyancy of a life jacket.

I was fortunate to meet the San Francisco Bowlers, an informal sorority of Chinese American mothers who have been bowling together since 1965 and who happened to rear two generations of Chinese Americans between strikes. My thanks to Ella Chan, Fannie Chinn, Jessie Eng, Irene Gee, Betty Hum, Bernice Louie, Helen Lum, and Hattie Wong, with a special thanks to Betty Leong Louie, who provided her personal collection of books and clippings. Other wise uncles and aunties who contributed their knowledge were Cain and Yvonne Chan, Lola Chan, Helen Lang, David Lowe, Frank Mah, Suzanne Pan, Ruby Pao, and May Young. The Chinese aunties who provided their celebratory family recipes were Linda Chan, Peggy Chu, Mary Gong, Susie Huie, Lynn Lowe, and Ruby Young.

It was Linda Cheu and Hans Wu of the California Dragon Boat Association who taught me about the sport and competition of dragon boat racing. Ida and Willard Lee, former owners of the Great Eastern Bakery, provided insights on the variations of moon cakes and bridal cookies. Doreen Chin explained Shanghai cuisine and specialties. David Wong of Imperial Tea Court provided his tutelage on Chinese tea and assisted me with the Chinese languages. Stephan Chan of San Franciscos Empress of China Restaurant graciously offered the traditional brides sweet lotus seed soup recipe that appears in the wedding chapter.

For information and instructions on the Chinese funeral, Im indebted to Bill Steiner and Samson Law of San Franciscos Green Street Mortuary and Clifford Yee of Cypress Lawn Memorial Park. Robert Wong of Chi Sin Temple explained the Ghost Festival, Yulan, temple ceremony, and Wayman Dea of All Seasons Flowers provided a primer on Chinese flower arrangements.

I am honored that John Way, an elegant, highly schooled master calligrapher, felt that Good Luck Life was worthy of his calligraphy for the chapter headings. I owe a debt of gratitude to Bob Pimm for his legal eye and Maurice Chuck for his advice and expertise on the glossary.

Many thanks to Elsie Wong, branch manager, and the reference desk librarians at the San Francisco Public Librarys Chinatown branch, who helped identify resources to answer my mountain of questions. They verified facts, helped with Chinese words and translations, and cheered me on. The staff and resources at the Chinese Historical Society and Chinese Culture Center were also invaluable.

My teachers who provided their insights on the writing craft and publishing were John Darling, Constance Hale, Leslie Keenan, Cathy Luchetti, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, Stephanie Moore, and Peggy Vincent. I cannot say enough good things about the Left Coast Writers Literary Salon and the community of writers and teachers at Marin Countys Book Passage. My single word of advice for any budding writer in the Bay Area is go .

To the Asian American writers who encouraged me to pursue Good Luck Life with their personal words of wisdomEllen Blonder, Tess Uriza Holthe, Maxine Hong Kingston, Ruthanne Lum McCunn, and Gail Tsukiyamathank you for your inspiration.

Valerie Wong of Wong and the Design Office was always ready and willing to give a designers graphical perspective as Good Luck Life developed. For this, I also thank Greg Chew, Carin Christensen Fleming, Scott Giusti, Perry Lucina, Dave Sanchez, and Han Vu. Im grateful to Mitzi Ngim for my Website at www.goodlucklife.com.

Seismicom is my professional family. I consider the encouragement, freedom, and security that Seismicom showed me exceptional. They allowed me to explore something new and minimized my risk by offering me a place to which I could return. Thanks to partners Bill Carmody, David Flaherty, and Kathy Mitchell, and the Seismicom staff, who honored me with my very own Chinese tea party.

Joyce Yokomizo provided humor, friendship, and my authors photowith Keiko Itos digital assistance. Im indebted to Kenny Watanabe and Meredith Linamen for high-resolution photography scans. Ainslee Faust gave me her encouragement and support, as did the Last Thursday Writers Group that included Daniel Chouinard, Philip Cohen, Rochelle Frey, Kia Jewels, Charli Ornett, Emily Mitchell, Alex Momtchiloff, Rafael Olivas, Mark Richardson, Vanessa Richardson, and Bill Schroeder.

My aunt Sherli took it upon herself to pick me up and dust me off. Thank you for the strong black coffee and chorizo scrambles. Thanks also to Rosebud, the blazing energy that hangs on my wall, by my friend, painter Susan Nettelbeck.

It was my siblings, Becky, Tommy, and Lori, who indulged my varied mood swings. My sister-in-law Sherry showed me the importance of reading and writing Chinese. Thanks to my two brothers-in-lawTerry, who could have written this book, and Brian, wholl learn from itfor loving my sisters. To my four nephews who are the family jewels, Brandon, Ryan, Derek, and Darin, thank you for making me smile.

During the months that I devoted my full energies to Good Luck Life, my family had a seventieth birthday, a new baby boy, a wedding, and a funeral. At that wedding, as I looked out across the sea of banquet tables at my extended familythe Chins, Chus, Laus, Lowes, Gongs, Kwocks, and YoungsI had to pinch myself because I felt so lucky. Good Luck Life is because of them.