Chinese Islanders: A History of the Chinese in Prince Edward Island by Hung-Min Chiang

From tenuous beginnings in the closing days of the 19th century, through difficult periods of struggle for survival in the first half of the 20th, all the way to the development of a new Chinese community in the 21st, Chinese Islanders tells the story of one of Prince Edward Island's smallest immigrant communities. The book shows how immigrant demography has undergone a change in response to world events and revisions in immigration laws, including the infamous Head Tax that Canada levied on Chinese immigrants from 1885 to 1923. Included are family histories of some of the early Chinese settlers, illustrating the trials and tribulations of the Chinese community in bygone years, and how their descendants have largely adapted to and succeeded in mainstream Island society. Dr. Chiang brings these immigrants' stories to life with the same compassion and attention to detail as he brings to painting, growing his orchids, and tending his garden.

Originally from the island of Taiwan, in 1967 Dr. Hung-Min Chiang and his family arrived on the shores of Prince Edward Island. Dr. Chiang had come to teach Psychology at Prince of Wales College and later the newly created University of Prince Edward Island. He went on to become one of the university's most popular professors until his retirement in 1991.