I met my lucky stars in Hong Kong, a turning point of my life - 6 Decade in a Glimpse (Pius Lee Autobiography 1)

Preface: When I was 14 years old, I followed my father and left our home in Chen Sang Village, County of Zhu Hai in southern China and illegally landed in Macau, and from there to Hong Kong, where I moved to the United States as a refugee immigrant.

After 60 years of hard work, I have been fortunate that I grabbed the opportunity, created my company California Realty & Land Inc., and live the American Dream, becoming part of the mainstream. I got involved in politics and I had been appointed by two Governors of California and 5 Mayors of San Francisco to different important positions.

As a way of giving back to the Chinese community, I created the non-profit Chinatown Neighborhood Association, took part in community affairs and have done my best to fight for the Chinese community's interest. I want to share with those who are interested in investing in real estate my 54 years of experience in this field.

Although the United States constitution guarantees the rights of citizens for more than a century, its history of anti-immigrants targeting Asians, especially Chinese, has continued.

For example, in 2010, the State of California banned the sale of frogs and turtles for human consumption. In July 2011, California passed a law that banned human consumption of shark fins but eating shark meat is legal. Frogs, and shark fins are traditional mainstays of Chinese food. How can you save the shark if you allow people to eat shark meat but not shark fins?

This was a discriminatory legislation specially targeted the Chinese. Since the COVID pandemic, the anti-Asian sentiment has risen while violent attacks have occurred unabated. Some politicians and former President Trump have repeatedly tried to do away with the 1965 immigration policy through family unification. So, we must bravely stand up, be actively involved in politics and protect our rights with real actions.

I was born in 1937 to a small family in Tin Sam Village of Doumen City in Zhongshan County of Guangdong Province. We relocated to Zhu Hai next to Zhongshan. My father was a teacher. When I was 14 years old, I followed my father and led by fellow compatriots, swam to Macau illegally and subsequently went to Hong Kong. In 1963, I immigrated to the United States as a refugee. At the time I had a few hundred U.S. dollars in my pocket.

Chapter 1: Escape to Macau in the dark, embraced a new chapter of my life

I was born in 1937 to a stable family in Tin Sam Village of Doumen City at the Zhongshan County. I had an older brother and two older sisters. I was the youngest child. After my mother died, my father remarried, giving me three younger brothers. My grandfather had a farming career in Fresno, California. After 30 years, he decided to come home and bought 40 acres of farmland to lease out. My father was a teacher in Zhu Hai near Macau.

In 1949, China was liberated. Our family was labelled as a small landlord by the government. So my father started asking around as to how we could go to Macau from Zhu Hai County. My father had a trustworthy relationship with one of the student fathers, who was willing to serve as our guide to take an illegal trip to Macau.

I clearly remember that it was late 9pm one summer night in 1951. My father and I, led by our guide, reached the Kwan Chap Village near the border. We avoided border patrol, trekked through mud and thick bushes in the field and after more than an hour, we reached an embankment, which was about 400 feet river across from Macau.

We did not look back and jumped into the water. My father did not know how to swim so our guide was helping him to cross the river. About 15 minutes later we reached the other shore on the Macau side. The guide swam back to the Chinese side.

All these years, I have always thought about how I could locate the children of this gracious man, who must have passed away, to express my appreciation. Because of his help, he brought us an opportunity for a new life.

Chapter 2: I met my lucky stars in Hong Kong, a turning point of my life

Three days after I escaped to Macau, I moved to Hong Kong. We were fortunate that we were taken care of by our compatriot Mr. Hung Chap Man and his brother. At day time I was an apprentice at his machinery company. He provided lodging, too. At night I took English classes. After nine years, I received a high school diploma.

In 1960 after I graduated, I was lucky to learn that the Education Department of Hong Kong had a job offer for me as an English teacher at Tai O Village in Lantau Island, where I had the opportunity to know the most well-known barrister in Hong Kong Mr. Brook Bernacchi, American Consular in Hong Kong Mr. Lou Goelz, and buddhism priest DowLan. This is where the famous Po Lin Monastery is located.

The government ran a primary school in the village. As the school did not have English classes, I told Mr. Bernacchi that I could volunteer my service as an English teacher every Saturday. He often invited me to have lunch on Sunday, where I was able to get to know important people such as politicians, industrialists, businessmen, including an American Consular.

In 1961, Mr. Bernacchi and other business leaders in Hong Kong opened a drug rehabilitation center in Shek Kwu Chau Island, helping those who were willing to cut off from their addiction and became completely self-reliant. In an environment without any distraction or temptation, one would be able to stay focused and get rid of their drug addiction, while learning different skills. He invited me to help him to set things up. I quitted the teaching position at Tai O Village and became involved in putting up the rehab center plan and served as a secretary in Kong Kong.

At lunch in his tea farm, Mr. Goelz, the American Consular, asked if I would be interested in working as an interpreter at the American consulate. I gladly accepted such an offer that I could not refuse.

In less than a year, he invited me to his office and mentioned the late President Kennedy had an immigration program that allowed 50,000 refugees to the United States per year. He asked if I wanted to move to the United States. I said I did not have any relatives in the United States who could be my sponsor. He said I was qualified as a refugee because I escaped from China to Macau. He offered to be my sponsor.

He said that if I had a girlfriend that I wanted to bring along, I had better marry her immediately.

In the case of my older sister, he said I had to prove to the consulate that she would live with me. I moved quickly and prepared all the required paperwork and documentation. I realized I was on my way to the United States.

Very soon I realized my wife, my sister, and I were about to start a new life.

( To be continued in Wind Newspaper Issue 187 )

Editor's Note: Community leader Pius Lee retires in 2024 after advocating for the community in many ways for 60 years. He has recently released his autobiography book, 6 Decades in a Glimpse, as his personal memoirs for his friends and families, not for sale. Mr. Lee shares his book with community members to be reprinted in Wind Newspaper's weekly issues starting #186 in April 2024.