Sui Sin Far
Sui Sin Far, born Edith Maude Eaton in 1865 in England, was a pioneering writer of mixed Chinese and English descent. After moving to New York at the age of nine and eventually settling in Montreal, she adopted her pen name, Sui Sin Far, inspired by the narcissus flower. Beginning her writing career in 1888, she contributed to various publications in both Canada and the United States, focusing on the experiences and challenges of Chinese immigrants. In 1912, she published a significant collection of her stories titled *Mrs. Spring Fragrance, and Other Writings*, making her the first fiction author of Asian and European heritage to explore themes of cultural identity. Far's work was characterized by her critique of racism and sexism, particularly in the context of the United States’ socio-political landscape, as she challenged the narratives surrounding race and liberty. Despite her influential writing, she faced limitations in combating the systemic racism of her time, including the Chinese Exclusion Act. Sui Sin Far passed away in 1914, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate in discussions of multiculturalism and identity.
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Subject Terms
Sui Sin Far
Writer
- Born: March 15, 1865
- Birthplace: Macclesfield, England
- Died: April 7, 1914
- Place of death: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Biography
The oldest of sixteen mixed-race children descended from Chinese and English parents, Sui Sin Far was born Edith Maude Eaton in 1865 in Macclesfield, England. When she was nine, she moved with her family to New York but later settled in Montreal, Canada. As a writer she adopted the name Sui Sin Far, after the narcissus. She started writing for The Star in Montreal in 1888, but most of her work was done in the United States. In 1898, at the advice of her doctors, she moved to San Francisco and did secretarial work for the Canadian Pacific Railroad for a couple of years before going to Seattle, where she taught English at a Baptist mission in the Chinese district of the city.
Sui Sin Far was the first person of Asian and European ancestry to author fiction about her cultural identity. She originally wrote stories about the Chinese people for publications like Century, Ladies Home Journal, and Good Housekeeping. In 1912 a collection of her stories were published in Mrs. Spring Fragrance, and Other Writings. Although only half-Chinese, Far devoted herself to her mother and to combating the racism and sexism that were so prevalent in the white-man’s world in which she lived. A deeply ironic and skeptical writer, Far questioned the prevalence truth of liberty in the United States and attacked the insensitive racists who lobbied for the Chinese Exclusion Act. Sui Sin Far died in 1914. She helped to distill some racial stereotypes but was unsuccessful in her attempts to prevent segregationist legislation.