Taiwan
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Overview
Taiwan (Republic of China) was home to the Chan family for 22 years (1968-1990), representing a pivotal transformation period from employee life in Manila to entrepreneurial success and eventual retirement in America. This chapter enabled the children’s elite education and set the trajectory for the family’s move to the United States.
Geographic Information
- Location: East Asia, island off the coast of mainland China
- Capital: Taipei (where the Chan family lived)
- Coordinates: 23.6978° N, 120.9605° E
- Language: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka
- Government: Republic of China (fled mainland 1949)
Family Significance
The Move (1968)
Catalyst: Board split at Eastern Textile Factory in Manila (1967) Decision: Friend invited Jesse to join business ventures in Taiwan Family: Jesse, Betty, and four children (Rose 8, Meg 5, Louis 3, Michelle infant)
Duration
- Arrived: 1968
- Departed: 1990 (after Michelle graduated Whittier College)
- Total: 22 years
- Children’s ages: Rose (8-30), Meg (5-27), Louis (3-25), Michelle (0-22)
Jesse’s Businesses in Taiwan
1. Nightclub/Supper Club (Late 1960s-1970s)
- Restaurant by day, entertainment by night
- Nightly orchestra and shows
- Professional singers, magic acts, MC
- Open until midnight/1 AM
- Jesse closed up every night
2. Real Estate Development (Primary/Longest Business)
- Cherry Hill Development: Three-story buildings, multiple units
- Houses on the Hill: Luxury hillside properties (rented 3 years, then sold)
- Jesse: “Real estate is really simple. You just look at the land and you like it, you just buy it. Then we build a house.”
- Most successful and longest-lasting venture
- Rose loved visiting construction sites
3. Bakery
- Managed by Betty
- Recommended by Uncle Henry
4. Import/Export Business
- Details to be documented
Education Investment
Taipei American School
- All four children attended
- Cost: 30,000/year)
- International education for expatriate families
- Path to US universities
Results - All Four Children Received Scholarships:
- Rose → Stanford (1978) → NYU Law
- Meg → Stanford (1981), Economics
- Louis → University of Houston (1983) → Cranbrook Academy (Architecture Masters)
- Michelle → Whittier College (1986)
Family Life in Taiwan
- Built own house (before Louis born, 1965)
- Children learned Mandarin, maintained English
- Rose remembers construction sites, dog Sugar
- Different from Manila’s multi-generational compound living
- More independence as nuclear family unit
Historical Context (1968-1990)
Political Environment
- Martial Law: 1949-1987 (lifted during Chan family residence)
- Republic of China government: Fled mainland China in 1949
- One-party rule: Kuomintang (KMT) until 1980s democratization
- Anti-Communist stance: Close ties with United States
- Accepting Chinese diaspora: From Philippines, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia
Economic Growth (“Taiwan Miracle”)
- Rapid industrialization: Agriculture → manufacturing → high-tech
- Export-oriented economy: International trade expansion
- Real estate development boom: Urban growth, construction opportunities
- Entrepreneurial opportunities: Favorable for business owners like Jesse
- Rising middle class: International school market growing
Cultural Environment
- Mandarin as official language (Jesse already spoke it from China years)
- Traditional Chinese customs maintained
- International expatriate community in Taipei
- American cultural influence through schools, business
Family Places in Taiwan
| File | type | time_period | significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Hill Development Taiwan | business-location | -10 seconds | One of Jesse’s real estate developments in Taiwan, three-story buildings with multiple units |
| Houses on the Hill Taiwan | business-location | -10 seconds | Jesse’s luxury real estate development - big houses on hillside, rented for 3 years then sold, more upscale than Cherry Hill |
| Jesse Chan Bakery Taiwan | business-location | 1970s-1980s (estimated) | Bakery business managed by Betty Chan, recommended by Uncle Henry, one of Jesse’s multiple Taiwan business ventures |
| Jesse Chan Nightclub Taiwan | business-location | Late 1960s-early 1970s | Jesse’s first business venture in Taiwan after leaving Eastern Textile Factory, combined restaurant with entertainment venue |
| Taipei American School | school | 1968-1986 (Chan family attendance), founded 1949 | All four Chan children attended TAS, receiving American-style education that prepared them for US universities. Jesse and Betty’s extraordinary financial sacrifice ($10,000/year per child in 1970s-1980s) enabled children’s educational success and eventual immigration to United States. |
| Taipei, Taiwan | city | 1968-1990 | Family’s longest residence in one location - Jesse built multiple successful businesses (nightclub, real estate, import/export, bakery), all four children attended Taipei American School and received US university scholarships |
| Taiwan | country | 1968-1990 (Chan family residence) | Where the Chan family spent 22 transformative years (1968-1990). Jesse built multiple successful businesses (nightclub, real estate development, import/export, bakery). All four children attended Taipei American School and received US university scholarships. Pivotal chapter between Manila employee life and American retirement. |
Events in Taiwan
| File | date | type | participants | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 - Relocation Chan Family to Taiwan | 1968 | relocation | The Chan family relocated from Manila to Taipei after board split at Eastern Textile Factory, beginning 22-year chapter in Taiwan | |
| Late 1960s - Jesse Opens Nightclub Taiwan | Late 1960s | business-venture | Jesse opened nightclub/supper club in Taiwan with restaurant during day and entertainment venue at night featuring orchestra, MC, singing, magic shows, open until midnight or 1 AM |
From Manila Employee to Taiwan Entrepreneur
Manila Years (1957-1968)
- Jesse: Purchasing Manager at Eastern Textile Factory (employee)
- Betty: Payroll Supervisor at Eastern Textile Factory (employee)
- Living in compound or factory housing
- Established but not owners
Taiwan Years (1968-1990)
- Jesse: Business owner (nightclub, real estate, import/export)
- Betty: Business manager (bakery)
- Own house, own businesses
- Economic independence and success
- Building wealth for next generation
Legacy and Impact
Economic Mobility
- Sold Eastern Textile shares for capital
- Built multiple businesses
- Invested heavily in children’s education
- All four children to US universities
- Set up next generation for professional success
Educational Achievement
- Worked extremely hard to afford Taipei American School
- All four children received scholarships (remarkable achievement)
- Jesse had sacrificed his own college for brothers
- Broke that cycle for his children
Cultural Bridge
- Chinese identity maintained
- International education exposure
- Business across multiple countries
- Prepared children for American life
Family Values Transmitted
- Education as priority: Investment in expensive schools
- Entrepreneurship: Multiple business ventures
- Hard work: Jesse working until 1 AM at nightclub
- Family cohesion: Nuclear unit but maintained Manila connections
Departure (1990)
Why Leave?
- Michelle graduated Whittier College (1990)
- All four children already in United States for university
- Jesse and Betty semi-retired/retiring
- Move to rejoin children in Los Angeles
What Was Left Behind
- Successful real estate businesses
- Nightclub and other ventures (presumably sold or closed)
- 22 years of community connections
- House and properties
Research Questions
- Exact address where Chan family lived in Taipei
- Names and locations of Jesse’s businesses
- What happened to businesses when family left in 1990?
- Did they own or rent housing in Taiwan?
- How often did they visit Manila family?
- Details of friend who invited Jesse to Taiwan
- Financial details of Eastern Textile share sale
- How much capital for starting businesses?
- Did Jesse have business partners in Taiwan?
- Michelle’s birth date and location (born in Taiwan or Manila?)
Taiwan represents the entrepreneurial transformation chapter of the Chan family story: from Manila factory employees to successful business owners, from compound living to nuclear family independence, from limited education access to elite international schooling that launched the next generation into American professional life.