By love-89.com During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the societal environment in America was not particularly welcoming to Chinese immigrants. Alongside the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which effectively barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States, these immigrants faced oppression on various social and political fronts. They were often viewed as taking jobs from locals and were subjected to stereotypes that characterized their living habits as inferior. However, recent archaeological discoveries led by Chinese scholars suggest that Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles during this historical period employed pig farming as a means to circumvent immigration restrictions. This strategy not only allowed them to achieve economic self-sufficiency but also facilitated resource sharing, enabling them to establish roots in America.
At the forefront of this research is Dr. Jiaojing Wang, a 33-year-old assistant professor of anthropology at Dartmouth College, originally from Hangzhou, China. Her study, published in the journal “American Antiquity,” emerged from an archaeological project on Chinatowns conducted with Laura Ng, a historical archaeologist from Grinnell College, at the California Museum of History. While working there, they stumbled upon a box of pig bones excavated from the site. “My primary research focus has been prehistoric archaeology, particularly the analysis of dental calculus,” Dr. Wang explained. “I knew that we could glean food-related insights from the dental calculus of pigs.”
Dr. Wang elaborated that the food remnants found in the dental calculus can reveal information about the dietary habits of the animals. The analysis of the calculus from pigs seen in Chinatowns indicates that they consumed a significant amount of rice bran. Historical records further confirm that no other groups besides the Chinese used rice bran as pig feed.
During the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act, immigrant laborers faced numerous restrictions. However, those who raised pigs and opened butcher shops were able to secure a merchant title, thereby sidestepping discriminatory policies. Dr. Wang’s research highlights that pig farming provided not only legal support for Chinese immigrants but also contributed to their self-sufficiency. These butcher shops became vital community resources, offering food to fellow immigrants and acting as social hubs, fulfilling roles akin to banks and inns.
Transitioning her focus to the history of Chinese immigration in America over the past 200 years, Dr. Wang discovered a new significance in scientific archaeological methods. She noted that the historical narratives of the Exclusion Era have primarily been written by those in power, leaving the voices and lives of marginalized groups unrecorded. “This research fills a gap in the historical record of Chinese Americans during an era of social inequality,” she emphasized.
Dr. Wang remarked, “In mainstream English-language historical literature, the voices of Chinese people are rarely heard. From this perspective, our research holds significant value. While the Chinese Exclusion Act posed serious challenges, many individuals remained in the U.S. and made substantial contributions to the economy.”
With extensive archaeological experience in both China and the United States, Dr. Wang studied anthropology and art history at Smith College before earning her Ph.D. in archaeology from Stanford University. During her doctoral studies, she led an archaeological project at the Mijia Cliff site in Shaanxi, China, uncovering evidence of winemaking that dated back 5,000 years. This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2016, sparked considerable discussion in both China and the U.S.
As the only Chinese professor in the anthropology department at Dartmouth, Dr. Wang employs a unique approach by examining food through anthropological archaeology. Her research direction has attracted many Asian American students to her classes. One of her courses, focused on food archaeology, includes an assignment where students try their hand at ancient brewing techniques to explore the intricacies of food culture related to archaeology. Dr. Wang hopes to engage and nurture more students interested in Chinese archaeology.