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In 2003,
before Helen Tse and her sisters opened their Manchester restaurant,
Sweet Mandarin, their family took a trip to Hong Kong. For the
British-born Helen and her siblings, this was the first time they
had visited their parent’s home; for their parents, this was the
place they had dreamt about since they left Hong Kong in the 1960s;
for Helen’s grandmother this was a place where she could confront
her demons from the past, the reasons she left for Britain in the
first place, and from the stories that she began to tell was
unlocked a fascinating and tragic family history.
The story
starts, in 1918 with the birth of Lily Kwok in a small village near
Guangzhou, in a semi-feudal state, just seven years after the
emperor ceased to rule the Middle Kingdom and ends nearly a hundred
years later with Helen and her sisters, as British born Chinese,
opening their own restaurant in Manchester. Between the family are
plagued by the social chaos within China, which leads to an unsolved
murder, emigration, family betrayal, foreign service, abandoning of
children, struggle, gambling, debt, gratitude and success as the
Helen Tse’s family find a way through the problems that beset them.
Like Wild
Swans, the book’s central characters are three generations of female
Chinese: all still living, with the grandmother’s story dominating
the book as she made her way from a Guangzhou village to opening a
restaurant near Manchester: back in the days when Cliff Richard
might pop in after a gig.
Food is a
central theme of the book, as it is through food and restaurants
that the women manage to bring themselves up in the world. The
curry that Lily Kwok first made to such popularity on the cruise
from Hong Kong to England, returned to the take-away of her
grandmother and then grandmother, and onto Sweet Mandarin as well.
The author
turns too often to stereotypes of posh ex-pats; hard-working and
honest locals; and friendly northerners – but these are small
blemishes in what is otherwise an interesting and pleasant read.
Interview: Justin Hill talks to Helen Tse
about her family, her restaurant and what turned her from restaurant
owner to writer
You say in your book that you feel both
British and Chinese – which parts of you are which?
My identity depends on where I am in the world. When I am in the UK,
I feel more Chinese than British, but when I am in Hong Kong I feel
more British than Chinese. Hence I usually describe myself as
British Born Chinese (BBC) - an identity almost separate from both.
How has the return of Hong Kong to China
affected the way you feel as a British born Chinese?
My family, as well as many BBCs originate from Hong Kong Chinese
ancestors rather than those from Mainland China. The Hong Kong
Chinese and Mainland Chinese are very different in their language,
outlook on life and expectations. As a british born Chinese, I would
see Hong Kong as the pearl of the orient, even with the handover to
China in 1997 and the media's emphasis on Shanghai as the new pearl.
The handover itself was inevitable and the right thing to do under
the treaties. Hong Kong is rightfully part of China but maintains
the one country two systems ruling and this has largely been
respected by China. It has been blessed though with the fastidious
British rule of law that is adopted, together with the established
financial, tax and political spheres. As a BBC, many speak
Cantonese. Going forward, I see that the main changes and
expecations on us will be to develop a workinig knowledge of
Mandarin; some consider it imperative to do business in Mainland
China.
From your grandmother's perspective, how have
Hong Kong people changed since the 1950s?
Hong Kong people have changed dramatically since the 1950s. This is
not restricted to Hong Kong, but a global change and adaptation to the way
of life of the 21st century. The biggest change is the demographics.
Gone are the British expatriates who would control the Government
departments and Hong Kong firms. The local Hong Kong Chinese are trained, promoted
and lead the firms now. Given these changes in status, the Filippinas have taken over the role of amah (nanny) from the Chinese
women.
The biggest change is the wealth generation that has occured over
the last 60 years.
You mention some favourite dishes of your parents and
Grandmother: have you developed any dishes of your own?
Three precious soup - after my two sisters, Lisa, Janet and me.
Manchurian Fillet of Beef - steak in a black pepper sauce to warm
you up on a cold Manchester's night.
Daughters traditionally left their parent's
home and family and joined their husband's, but books like yours and
Wild Swans it seems families are held together by the
mother-daughter bonds. Is this a change you're noticed through
Chinese and Overseas Chinese society?
The women of the Chinese and Overseas Chinese society are really the
backbone of the family. They tirelessly raise the kids, look after
the business and do all the filler-in jobs that are invisible to
others. This is probably because of the rise of women's liberation.
Women have got rights and can run their own businesses or jointly
with their husbands.
You talk of the Chinese community in Britain
as an 'invisible' minority, and they're largely seen as a
'successful minority'. Immigration is obviously a big issue at the
moment, with 'home-grown terrorism' a current issue with the 7/7
bombings. In your opinion, what's made the Chinese community
invisible and successful in the UK?
The Chinese community are a scattered community i.e. one family per
town/village. This lack of concentration makes Chinese less of a
threat and less visible. Because the majority of Chinese families
are the only Chinese in the town or village, the children integrate
with the local kids at school and in the playground. Therefore, the
barrier to education is less visible. Children will speak what other
children speak i.e. English language - so there is no language
barrier. Coupled with the typical Chinese parents' encouragement to
study hard, the children are more likely than not going to do well
at school. Finally the fear that they will have to work all their
lives in a chip shop or takeaway motivates many to work at school,
find a good job and leave the chippy or takeaway.
The Chinese are also very business orientated and less so on joining
gangs or getting involved in 'home-grown terroism'.
Why did you decide you wanted to turn the stories you heard from
your family should be turned into a book?
I
actually wanted to write a cook book because at our restaurant,
Sweet Mandarin we serve my gran Lily Kwok's curry and my mum,
Mabel's claypot chicken. When I met the publishers, Random House,
they said could we buy the story behind the book. They said there
was an urgency to hear my story because no one had ever told the
Chinese in Britain tale. In writing the story, I became the first
British Born Chinese author - astounding since we are in the 21st
century. Once the contracts were signed, I had to then write my
book.
Have you caught the writing bug, and are you
working on another book?
The publishers have expressed an interest to buy the sequel....watch
this space.
Links
Watch Helen on Youtube:
Talking about
her book,
Helen's Grandmother
Lily Kwok's Curry
Recipe
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