CHINESE HISTORY AND CULTURE COMES ALIVE IN THE BAY AREA
CHINESE CULTURE AND HISTORY COMES ALIVE
BY Gerrye Wong November 17, 2025
Excitement is all around San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area as San Francisco Opera has just presented the world premiere of THE MONKEY KING by composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang on opening night November 14 to rave reviews and wild audience applause. This highly anticipated new work of the opera season will play November 14-30 at the San Francisco Memorial Opera House. The new action-hero opera centers around the mythical Monkey King (Sun Wukong), one of the favorites in Chinese culture for over 400 years. Its popularity has even exploded more now through film, tv, animation and most recently, the 2024 blockbuster video game Black Myth: Wukong which reportedly sold 18 million copies in its first two months. This new adaptation for the opera stage will be performed in English and Mandarin while uniting the disciplines of opera, dance and puppetry as the story follows the ambitious monkey who was born from a stone and now challenges the gods of the seas and heavens in his bid for immortality.
Composer Huang Ruo said, ‘The world is full of superheroes—Superwoman, Spider-Man, Batman – like those we know from American comic books and movies, the Monkey King is every bit an inspirational figure as Asia’s supreme superhero, loved and adored not only by Chinese people throughout the centuries but increasingly by people throughout the world.” In the opera, the Monkey King’s high-octane adventures from the depths of the sea to his epic battle with the gods in heaven are balanced by moments of repose with the goddess Guanyin and a chorus of bodhisattvas reflecting on the Monkey King’s progress through the Buddhist Diamond Sutra. Australian-Chinese tenor Kang Wang makes his Company debut as the cunning and charismatic Monkey King while South Korean tenor Konu Kim will play the Jade Emperor.
San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock said: “I’m so proud that San Francisco Opera is bringing this operatic Monkey King to life, continuing our long tradition of building cultural bridges across the Pacific Ocean. This is a very exciting undertaking, with all departments of the Company and our creative team coming together to build something stunning, beautiful and magical. The music is both energetic and lyrical. It is a privilege to be telling one of the great stories of Chinese literature on the American opera stage, celebrating the piece with audiences who have grown up with Sun Wukong, and introducing him to many new audiences for the first time. We hope that this will become a beloved and lasting opera for the world and are thrilled about how much excitement there already is for this new opera.”
Performed in English and Mandarin with English and Chinese supertitles, the eight performances of The Monkey King are scheduled for November 14 (7:30 p.m.), 16 (2 p.m.), 18 (7:30 p.m.), 20 (7:30 p.m.), 22 (7:30 p.m.), 25 (7:30 p.m.), 28 (7:30 p.m.), and 30 (2 p.m.), 2025. Check website of San Francisco Opera for information and ticket availability. Word has it that public acclaim and interest is very high for this production so rush to get your tickets now.
CHINESE AMERICANS IN WORLD WAR II HONORED IN SAN JOSE
The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project Veterans Day Celebration was titled Honoring Our Heroes and indeed it did at its November 15th presentation. Held at the organization’s proud Chinese American Historical Museum in History San Jose park, visitors were shown 2025 banners and displays on the second floor of Chinese American service people from WWII as well as educational information of what was happening during that time period of the sentiment towards all Asians. Along with a curriculum guide and film, these banners can accompany visits to local schools or libraries interested in showing their audiences information about Asian Americans who served in the military during World War II. Leader Brenda Wong encouraged all to tell their friends about this banner exhibit, and welcomed any interested parties wanting to bring it to their premises to contact CHCP. CHCP’s event was indeed timely the week of Veterans Day when the whole country was remembering those who had served for their country.
CHCP President welcomes Veterans John Chew and Harry Lim Brenda Wong shows CHCP banners
Three Chinese American Veterans were spotlighted at the CHCP event, and their presence made it particularly exciting to hear first hand about their experiences in the war. All admitted to be new high school graduates at 18 years of age when they were drafted into the service. Wing Lai admitted he was born and lived all his young life in San Francisco so he naturally fearful of what life would be out of his comfort zone of San Francisco. Harry Lim had grown up in Oakland, son of Chinese immigrants. John Chew came from San Jose with his parents who grew flowers on their small farm. Questions from many young people in the audience spurred them to remember their lives in the military.
WWII Veteran Wing Lai speaks to audience Air Force Veteran Harry Lim welcomes guests
Both Wing Lai and Harry Lim were eventually sent to the Burma Road area where China was fighting Japanese forces. Their job in the American support forces were to aid in the building of the Burma Road, as well as transporting supplies to the fighting forces . Wing said he worked on the trucks that were instrumental in building of the Burma Road while Harry told of many missions where he flew over the so-called “Hump” to the fighting troops in China. While neither said they were ever in direct danger, they did say they either heard of gun fire conflicts and bombings, or learned from others of the fighting elsewhere they encountered. Wing Lai returned to San Francisco to enter his family’s business, called Ralph & Sons, of selling food items and sundries to small grocery stores that many Chinese Americans ran during the post war years throughout the Greater Bay Area.
Veteran John Chew Wing Lai shows PRC medal World War II Veterans with childrens book author
John Chew spent his war time in the Philippines and on to Cambodia. Since he was in the tanker corps, he never was in direct fighting as tanks were not easily transportable in the Philippines because of the uneven terrain there. In his post war years, he returned to his family’s farm, and spent the remaining years farming crops of flowers which were sent all over the world. He continues the love of gardening in his own home, and proudly showed off photos of his very fertile persimmon trees, which he proudly proclaims he himself still climbs to pick fruit from. Wing Lai and Harry Lim showed the audience a medal they had recently received from the People’s Republic of China Consul General commending them for their service in fighting oppression against the Chinese by Japanese forces during WWII.
Honor Flight members Gary Laine & Calvin Wong , together with Ron Chan and Wing Lai admire CHCP exhibit banners
All three, one hundred years old or thereabouts, remembered well their war time experiences, facing an enemy against the United States, the country of their birth. Although they do admit they returned to a country that was not always welcoming to Chinese with its Exclusion Act, nor appreciative of the time and effort they gave to fight for their country, they were proud of what they did during their time in the Armed Services.
Audience members admire CHCP display of WWII educational banners beside historic Ng Shing Gung Altar at CAHM 2nd floor
They were especially happy at the CAHM to tell the young people of the lives they led during Wartime and how we must always continue to work hard no matter what or where we are. It was a wonderful day for all to acknowledge and thank these men for their service, and the day ended on a very happy note when everyone celebrated Harry Lim’s 101th birthday singing and clapping for his longevity.
CHCP founder Gerrye Wong welcomes author Russell Low CHCP Board members welcome all to Veterans Day program
Thank you to the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project for presenting this session honoring and spotlighting these three veterans of World War II. The afternoon session held at History San Jose’s Firehouse had many descendants of World War II service people speak about their family connection. Among the speakers were Russell Low on his father and uncle’s service experiences, which he also has told in one of his many books he has authored on his family’s history in America. Connie Young Yu spoke of her father’s service in the China/Burma/India war conflict, and David Wong from the San Francisco Chinese American Citizens Alliance spoke of what his organization, founded in 1912, had done in helping fellow Chinese during the hundred years of its existence with many chapters. Ron Chan showed a film of the Oakland VFW chapter and his own father Al Chan’s involvement in it and his own war experiences. Wanda Ching spoke of her mother’s WWII experiences, and author Oliver Chinn spoke of his children’s books on Chinese American history and culture. It was a wonderful opportunity for many others to share their own family’s experiences in the Armed forces, and a truly eye opening time of sharing these stories for the younger audience members to learn about. It was a wonderful time to honor all those Veterans who kept our country safe during the war years.
