排华时期黄遵宪智取旧金山海关襄助加拿大华人旅客之史实

How Huang Zun-xian Outwitted San Francisco Customs to Help Canadian Chinese Travelers during the Age of Exclusion

19世纪70年代之后,不列颠哥伦比亚省陆续实施了多项排华举措。1882年,黄遵宪抵达旧金山担任总领事之后,主要处理的便是与加拿大华人相关的问题,为华人通过旧金山海关出入不列颠哥伦比亚省维多利亚市提供便利。在他的不懈努力下,旧金山海关终于认可中国领事馆颁发的护照具备合法性,很大程度上解决了华人往来于美国和加拿大经商的困难。对排华时期黄遵宪如何解决加拿大华人通过旧金山海关这一问题的讨论,可展现黄遵宪对加拿大和美国华人所作出的非凡贡献。

This paper begins with a description of a magnificent parallel couplet written by Huang Zun-xian and currently in the possession of the Chinese Benevolent Association in Victoria,British Columbia.This calligraphic work uses language from the Rituals of Zhou to describe the duties of both the Association and Huang Zun-xian while he was serving in San Francisco as Consul-General(1882-1885).After a brief introduction to the difficult history of Chinese in B.C.and an outline of their earlier contacts with Chinese diplomats in the United States and England,Huang's arrival in San Francisco shortly before the signing of the Chinese Exclusion Act is described.Soon afterward Huang began assisting Canadian Chinese merchants who were traveling between Canada and the United States to overcome difficulties that they encountered in San Francisco Customs.His first legal victory in this battle was the Panama Merchants Case,which forced Customs officials to allow Chinese merchants to enter the U.S.without passports,a decision which greatly facilitated their movements.Unfortunately,many Customs officials were strong racists and frequently made use of ambiguities in the law and Customs regulations to refuse Chinese Canadians entry.By a careful study of U.S.law and a detailed knowledge of the rules governing Customs officers,Huang was soon able to defeat many of their attempts at causing trouble for Canadian Chinese travelers.The paper concludes with a discussion of a letter that Huang sent to his friends in Victoria shortly before returning to China.expressing his gratitude for gifts they sent him and his regrets that he had not been able to do more for them.In fact,he had done a good deal for them,and for many years his couplet had the status of an icon for Victoria Chinese.