The Chinese Mission had its beginning in 1885 when San Diego's Chinese population numbered several hundred, almost entirely male and huddled together in Chinatown, a part of the Stingaree or red light district. Alien Chinese kept strictly to themselves, seldom mixing with Caucasians. Since they were ineligible for citizenship, they had little incentive to become Americanized, either in thought or way of life. Most had every intention of returning to China and the families they had left behind as soon as they had made their fortune.

The Chinese Mission School offered them an opportunity to learn the English language, a necessity if they were to work or carry on business with the Americans. The dedicated Caucasian teachers at the Mission were the first to extend the hand of friendship to the lonely and isolated Chinese. For 75 years the Mission would be a place where Chinese could live, learn English, receive religious instruction and enjoy social activities among themselves and with their Caucasian friends.

The extent of the Mission's influence in the Americanization of the Chinese in San Diego can be seen by the fact that today the first American born Chinese and their descendants have merged into San Diego's various communities so that a Chinatown has long since ceased to exist.

The Chinese began coming to San Diego in numbers in the 1870's, especially after the anti-Chinese riots broke out in the north.

Many were fishermen who lived in shanties along the waterfront and sold their product house to house from baskets slung over their shoulders. When the Exclusion Act of 1882 stopped the Chinese from fishing outside of United States waters—or run the risk of being refused readmittance to the country—they were forced to confine their fishing to areas close to shore and many turned to farming in Mission Valley and in the Sweetwater area. Some of the Chinese opened laundries and small shops in Chinatown. Others worked in homes of the well-to-do as houseboys and cooks. There were few Chinese women and almost no families with children. It was inevitable that some Chinese would gravitate into the underworld of the Stingaree, in gambling and opium selling.

By 1881 there were about I50 Chinese living in San Diego.1 In that year a great many began arriving from the north to work on the California Southern Railroad then being built from National City.2 One of those who arrived was Ah Quin who supervised large groups of Chinese laborers on the railroad. In November of 1881 he married Miss Ah Sue of San Francisco,3 and his large family would be one of the first Chinese families in San Diego. He later became a wealthy restaurant owner and businessman and was known as the "Mayor of Chinatown" until his death in 1914.

San Diego's Chinatown grew rapidly in the 1880's because of the railroad boom when as many as 800 Chinese were working on the railroad.4 In 1885 San Diego had its own anti-Chinese movement. In December an Anti-Chinese Club was formed to protest the hiring of Chinese as long as a white man was out of work.5 The club was successful in persuading the San Diego Water Company to discharge all the Chinese in its employ and to employ white men in their place.6 Nevertheless, in 1887 a number of Chinese were recruited in San Francisco to work for the Coronado Beach Company on the building of the hotel.7 When work on the railroad and hotel was completed many left San Diego. In 1894, when the Geary law required the registration of Chinese aliens, 561 registered in San Diego County.8

Immigration of Chinese into California had been great from the 1850's through the 1870's. In 1860 one of every ten persons in California was a Chinese.9 Mostly laborers, they flocked to the gold fields of northern California and later to work for the Central Pacific and other railroads. Some established small businesses, restaurants and laundries. Employers sought them out because they worked hard for low wages and were sober, drunkenness being almost unknown among them. They worked so well and were so conscientious that the Caucasians who would not work so hard or for so little money fiercely resented them. The antagonism against the Chinese swelled into rioting in the mid seventies when the slogan was "The Chinese Must Go." Chinese were cruelly persecuted, even murdered, for no reason other than because of their industriousness and different appearance.10

As a result of the racial turmoil in California and the West, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Between 1882 and 1924 other exclusion acts were enacted, effectively cutting off practically all entry of Chinese into the United States. The Chinese were the only people specifically named in the legislation.11

By a treaty with China in 1868 the United States had allowed Chinese to come into the country but denied them the right of citizenship.12 Since they could not hope to become American citizens, most fully intended to return to China as soon as they had saved some money. Immigrants were mostly male, with only an occasional family. The men were faithful in sending money back to their families in China from whom they were often separated for years. After 1882 wives or family could come in oonly under a quota system which effectively reduced immigration to a trickle.

In 1882, the last year before the first exclusion act went into effect, 39,579 Chinese entered the United States. Five years later, in 1887, only 10 came in legally, and in 1900 only 1247 were admitted.13

After the exclusion acts became law, Chinese were smuggled illegally into California, many crossing the border from Mexico into San Diego. The Coast Guard often searched vessels coming north from Mexican waters that were suspected of having contraband Chinese aboard. When a ship was found to be carrying illegal Chinese it was seized and later offered for sale at public auction. If Chinese were found, they were ordered deported. However, some Chinese were able to escape detection and melted into the Chinese communities.14

The Chinese could not leave the country and then expect to return unless they had a re-entry permit which was issued only to "business men" and not to laborers. In 1895 Immigration officers in San Diego discovered a Chinese vegetable man had reentered on a merchant's certificate, after having returned on a visit to China. Investigation disclosed that Hung Far & Co. had been carrying on a profitable business of providing merchant certificates to laborers.15 One young Chinese, Lee Yung, a servant of U.S. Grant, Jr., made the mistake of crossing the border to Tijuana for a sulphur bath only to be arrested upon his return. Judge W. A. Sloane was employed by the Grant family to defend him and he was released.16