Play unlocks hidden stories of Chinese railroad laborers

Yu Guoliang, an engineer in California who immigrated from Siyi, portrays a Chinese railroad laborer in The Silent Spikes, a six-scene play set to debut on Saturday in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Siyi is a collective name for four counties in South China's Guangdong province that supplied more than 80 percent of Chinese immigrants to the United States before the mid-20th century.

"The role resonates deeply with me," Yu said, adding that Chinese laborers' anecdotes were part of his bedtime stories when he was young."I feel a strong connection to my ancestors. I imagine their arduous journeys and suffering more than 150 years ago, when they left their hometowns for a foreign land to help build the first Transcontinental Railroad."

After nearly two years of research, script development and revision, Zeng Chunhui, director of the play, said the team is "finally ready" to present a production that brings to life "a history built with the flesh and blood of Chinese workers".

Between 1863 and 1869, Chinese laborers formed the backbone of the workforce that built the western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad, primarily for the Central Pacific Railroad.

At its peak, an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Chinese workers risked their lives across California and Nevada to accelerate construction. Making up roughly 80 to 90 percent of the Central Pacific's labor force, they blasted tunnels through solid granite at high elevation through mountains of the Sierra range, laid tracks across arid deserts, and set a record by completing more than 10 miles of track in a single day.

The working and living conditions of Chinese laborers were deplorable. According to the Truckee-Donner Historical Society, at least 1,200 Chinese railroad workers died from work-related accidents, avalanches and explosions while toiling through the Sierra range.

Despite performing some of the most dangerous and essential work, Chinese laborers faced pervasive discrimination. They were paid less than their Irish counterparts and were frequently subjected to verbal and physical abuse. Most notably, when the "golden spike" was driven on May 10, 1869, to mark the completion of the 1,907-mile first Transcontinental Railroad, Chinese workers were excluded from the widely publicized ceremony and celebration.

Chen Jianping, the producer and curator at Hua Yi Performing Arts Center, is one of the production's most outspoken advocates. "We knew so little about Chinese workers, even though they made up the majority of the workforce and helped create the economic lifeline linking the Pacific West Coast with the Atlantic East Coast for the first time in US history.

'Restore the truth'

"It's time to restore the truth, reclaim a vital chapter of American history, and, most importantly, to give our ancestral Chinese laborers a voice on stage," she said. "My plan is to produce a play, in the Chinese language, with our own visual, musical and emotional rhythms, to offer a distinct way of seeing history."

The production's commitment to historical accuracy goes well beyond conventional research. Gordon Chang, a history professor at Stanford University and a leading expert on the history of Chinese railroad workers, also attended rehearsals.

For many involved, performing in The Silent Spikes represents a collective effort to highlight the contributions Chinese immigrants made to the United States.

Liu Xingjiu, the lead actor who portrays the character known as the "master", said he was struck by the depth and complexity of the role.

"He is a symbol of Chinese culture and heritage: he is knowledgeable, reliable and trustworthy," Liu said. "He cherishes brotherhood. He practices traditional feng shui, is well-versed in classical literature and performs rituals. He's a tough character to embody."

For Wang Zijin, a Gen Z actress who plays the gently built, introverted yet resilient wife of a Chinese laborer, the role is fueled by restrained anger and unyielding resolve.

"I've also invited six American friends to attend our premiere on Feb 7," Wang said. "This is my way of helping raise public awareness of the history of Chinese railroad workers."

Joseph G. Rios, the only Caucasian actor in the cast, portrays then-California governor and business leader Leland Stanford, who was president of the Central Pacific Railroad. He told China Daily that the production has been a genuine cross-cultural learning experience.

"What struck me most is how quietly this history has lived — not deliberately erased, but largely left unspoken," Rios said. "This play feels long overdue. It restores presence, dignity and voice to an essential part of the story."

junechang@chinadailyusa.com