Super Short Summary

China Men by Maxine Hong Kingston narrates the lives of four generations of Chinese-American men from the 1850s to the present, blending their memoirs with myths and cultural beliefs. The novel begins with Tang Ao's search for "Gold Mountain," details Bak Goong's experiences on Hawaiian sugar plantations and Baba's migration to the U.S. and work in New York, and includes anecdotes of Kingston's childhood and her brother's draft during the Vietnam War, ending with reflections on the past and Chinese men’s global quest for gold. The book addresses historical anti-Asian legislation, mental illness, and loss during wartime.