ABSTRACT

Since the first wave of Chinese immigration beginning in 1848, more than 2.6 million Chinese immigrants (including over half a million before 1965 and more than 2.1 million since 1965) have arrived in America (see Yang 2011). Chinese immigrants and their descendants have become an integral part of America. How has the settlement orientation of Chinese immigrants in America changed over time? This is an issue that has not been systematically addressed. There is much research on the so-called “sojourner” orientation of early Chinese immigrants (e.g., Lee 1960; Barth 1964; Miller 1969; Sung 1971; Bonacich 1973; Lyman 1974; Glick 1980; Wong 1982), but some of the claims require a reexamination. There are relatively few studies that demonstrate a shifting orientation of contemporary Chinese immigrants to permanent settlement (e.g., Yang 1999; Zhao 2002). Little research has delved into the current settlement orientation of the Chinese immigrant community. No study has examined the settlement orientations from the beginning until now. This article seeks to fill these gaps. A study of the changing settlement orientations of Chinese immigrants will certainly have implications for how Chinese immigrants are perceived and treated.