Chinese Food: Chinese American Food: Early and Later Chinese Immigrants

As the first Asian group to come to the United States in significant numbers, the Chinese were mostly from the south of their country. By the end of 1852 about twenty thousand male immigrants had come at their own initiation, many needing money, to what they called gum san, or “Golden Mountain.” They gave this name to America because they planned to pan for gold and return home rich. In 1865 more Chinese men came, this time to help build the transcontinental railroad. The Central Pacific Railroad Company initiated their coming, hiring thousands of Chinese men. Prior to these immigrations, perhaps only one hundred or so Chinese lived in the United States.