The Eighth Promise

The Eighth Promise is a dual memoir that alternates between William Poy Lee's experiences growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown and his mother Poy Jen's story of life in rural China and immigration to America. The narrative spans from the 1920s through the 1970s, capturing both perspectives through distinct voices. Lee recounts his childhood in working-class Chinatown during the social upheavals of the 1960s and 70s, including the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War era. His story documents the Chinese American experience during this transformative period in San Francisco's history. Poy Jen's narrative begins in the farming villages of Toisan, Guangdong Province, where she made eight sacred promises to her mother before departing for America in 1950. Her oral history, shared in her native Toisanese dialect and translated by her son, provides insights into Chinese village life and the immigrant journey. The memoir examines how cultural values and traditions pass between generations, particularly through the lens of the eight promises that become guideposts for both mother and son. At its core, the book explores the complex bonds between parent and child, old world and new, and the enduring influence of inherited wisdom.

Readers praise the dual perspectives between mother and son, with many noting how effectively it captures both Chinese immigrant and American-born experiences. The detailed descriptions of San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1960s-70s resonated with Chinese-American readers who saw their own family dynamics reflected. Readers liked: - Rich cultural details about Toisan customs and food - Complex mother-son relationship exploration - Historical context of Chinese immigration Readers disliked: - Pacing issues in middle sections - Some found the writing style uneven - Cultural references occasionally need more explanation Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (224 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) One reader noted: "The scenes between mother and son capture the exact tension between old world and new that I experienced with my own parents." Another mentioned: "The food descriptions alone make this worth reading." Several reviewers called out the authenticity of the family dynamics and appreciated how the book avoided stereotypes.

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🔸 The book's title refers to eight traditional promises passed down through generations of Chinese women, with the eighth being "to live with compassion toward all" - a core principle in Chinese Buddhist philosophy. 🔸 Author William Poy Lee was born and raised in San Francisco's Chinatown during the Civil Rights era, and later became a corporate attorney before dedicating himself to writing and activism. 🔸 Toisan (台山), where the author's mother originated, was historically known as the "Village of Overseas Chinese" because it was the source of nearly all early Chinese immigration to America during the 19th century. 🔸 The memoir captures the unique perspective of San Francisco's Chinatown during the Vietnam War period, when many Chinese American youth were caught between traditional values and the counterculture movement. 🔸 The author's mother, Poy Jen, learned all her traditional healing practices and herbal medicine knowledge from her own mother in China, continuing these practices in America despite the prevalence of Western medicine.