Ep. 123 | The History of the Chinese in Mexico
After the longest delay in between CHP episodes ever, we resume our Chinese history voyage. This time we look at a topic that isn’t particularly well-known but offers a glimpse of one sliver of the Chinese diaspora that began once the Qing Dynasty began to fall on hard times.
The story of the Chinese Mexicans is typical in some respects. They came to Mexico either because they wanted to and saw it as a land of opportunity or they came because it was the next best thing to emigrating to the United States. Many stayed in Mexico despite great hardships and the usual racism directed against them. But most either moved on to try their luck in the US or they were forced out by racist and nationalistic anti-Chinese immigration policies.
If you’re interested in learning more about the subject, I strongly encourage you to check out the books linked in the Resources section.
Listen On Your Favorite Podcast Player
Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Alvaro Obregon | - | 39th president of Mexico |
| Baja | - | Refers to Baja California, the northern of the two states that make up the Baja Peninsula. Baja California Sur is the southern state |
| Benito Juarez | - | 26th president of Mexico |
| Chihuahua | - | Northern Mexican state. Borders New Mexico and West Texas |
| Chin Pinoy | - | Six Companies agent in Cuba |
| Coahuila | - | Northern Mexican state that borders Texas |
| Comité Directivo de Antichinismo Nacional | - | One of many organizations dedicated to expelling the Chinese from Mexico |
| Compañia de Colonización Asiatica | - | The company given the exclusive right to import Chinese labor |
| Da Lusong | 大吕宋 | Big Lusong, what the Chinese called Mexico |
| Durango | - | Northwest Mexican state |
| El Barrio Chino | - | The Chinatown of Mexico City |
| El Presidente | - | The president |
| Estados Unidos Mexicanos | 墨西哥 | Official name of Mexico, the United States of Mexico |
| Francisco Madero | - | Mexican statesman and revolutionary, assassinated in 1913 |
| Francisco S. Elias | - | Governor of Sonora 1929-1931 |
| fronterizos | - | The Mexican Chinese who toughed it out in the northern states |
| Guanxi | 关系 | Personal relationships and a whole lot more |
| Guaymas | - | Coastal city in Sonora |
| Hermosillo | - | Capital of Sonora State |
| José Mária Arana | - | The champion for the cause of expelling all Chinese from Mexico. A leader of the anti-Chinese movement |
| La Chinesca | - | The Chinatown of Mexicali |
| La Liga Nacional Obrera Antichina | - | Another organization dedicated to expelling the Chinese from Mexico |
| La Migra | - | The slang word used to call the US Immigration and Customs Service |
| Lázaro Cárdenas | - | 44th president of Mexico 1934-1940 |
| Magdalena | - | City in Sonora |
| Matias Romero | - | Mexican politician and government official, lobbied hard for the passing of the Treaty of Amity & Commerce |
| Movimento Anti-Chino | - | The Anti-Chinese Movement (in Mexico) |
| Nogales | - | Major city in Sonora located on the border with Arizona |
| Obregon | - | City on Sonora |
| Partido Revolucionario Institucional | - | The PRI, Mexico’s dominant political party for over 70 years |
| Porfirio Díaz | - | Long serving 29th president of Mexico, ushered in a period of modernization and economic growth |
| Revolución Mexicana | - | The Mexican Revolution |
| Rodolfo Elias Calles | - | Governor of Sonora 1931-1935 |
| Sonora | - | Northern State in Mexico |
| Tlaxcala | - | Very small state in Mexico located in the east-central part of the country |
| Torreón | - | Located in the western part of Coahuila State |
| Xiao Lusong | 小吕宋 | Small Lusong, what the Chinese called the Philippines |
| Zhonghua Huiguan | 中华会馆 | The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association |
Resources
Books
