New Year for Fong Wing by Monfoon Leong
"New Year for Fong Wing" by Monfoon Leong is a poignant narrative set on New Year's Day that explores themes of loss, hope, and the complexities of life through the experiences of Fong Wing, a Chinese immigrant. As the story begins, Fong Wing and his friend Lee Mun leave work at a restaurant, where they contemplate celebrating the New Year. Lee Mun proposes visiting a gambling house, but Fong Wing is hesitant, fearing the repercussions of losing money on his family.
The story delves into Fong Wing's deep sense of loss, as he reflects on the deaths of his three sons during the world wars, leaving him with only one daughter. This contemplation leads him to a somber realization that the New Year does not bring the promise of new beginnings, especially without grandchildren to carry on his name. As Fong Wing navigates the streets marked by remnants of celebrations, he becomes engulfed in memories of his children, culminating in a visit to the gambling house where he encounters a young dealer who symbolizes lost potential.
The narrative ultimately raises questions about legacy and the meaning of family, as Fong Wing grapples with his desire for connection and the harsh realities of his life. This story offers a culturally rich perspective on the immigrant experience, highlighting personal struggles amid broader societal changes.
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New Year for Fong Wing by Monfoon Leong
First published: 1949
Type of plot: Social realism
Time of work: 1946
Locale: San Francisco
Principal Characters:
Fong Wing , a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurantLee Mun , his friend, the restaurant's chefThe gambling house operator , a man who lost both legs in World War II
The Story
It is the early morning of New Year's Day. After they close the restaurant, Fong Wing and Lee Mun collect their pay and leave. Lee Mun wants to go to the House of Ten-Thousand Delights, a gambling house, to celebrate New Year's, but Fong Wing fears that if he loses all of his money, his wife will be mad at him.
On the way to a Chinese grocery store, Fong Wing has a sad feeling. The streets littered with shattered red paper—the remains of thousands of exploded firecrackers—look as empty as his life. He and Lee Mun start to talk about children. Fong Wing had four children, but two sons were killed in France during World War I and the third son was killed during World War II. Now he has only one daughter left, and his friend wonders who will carry Fong Wing's name in the future.
Fong Wing becomes depressed. The fish bellies at the Chinese grocery store remind him of his third son because they were his favorite dish. He suddenly realizes that although it is New Year's Day, he can hope for no new beginning, as no grandchildren bear his own name. He laments that an old man has no tomorrow without sons and decides to go to the gambling house with Lee Mun.
Inside the gambling house, Fong Wing notices that the dealer at the fan tan table is very young; he appears not to be over twenty-five. Fong Wing cannot figure out why such a young man would be content working in a gambling house. In the old days, for such a young man to work in a gambling house was understandable. In those days, Chinese in America could find work only in restaurants, laundries, or gambling houses. Today, however, there is opportunity almost without limit. In disgust, Fong Wing complains to Lee Mun: "My boy died so he can waste life running bean game."
Fong Wing's luck at the table does not last long; he soon loses almost all of his money. His hand trembles as he pulls a five-dollar bill from his wallet. This bill came home with his youngest son's personal belongings.
Before he can place the entire five dollars on number three, he hears a heavy thumping and the splintering of wood: The gambling house is being raided by the police. The young fan tan operator collects all the money on the table and begs Fong Wing to carry him to his hiding place in a closet. It is the first time that Fong Wing notices that the young man has no legs. He lost his legs during the war and army doctors told him that there was "not enough left to fit man-made legs." Fong Wing tells the dealer that his wife and he need a son, but the young man replies: "half a son is worse than none."
In the closet, Fong Wing tries to find the young man but cannot. There are too many people, and it is too dark. On the way home, he imagines what it would be like to have a son, even "half a son—."