Lolo Interview - Jesse Chan
Interviewer: Rose Chan Loui (daughter) Subject: Jesse Chan (“Lolo”) Also Present: Betty Chan (“Lola”), Warren Loui, Michelle Chan Ng, Nicholas Loui Location: Los Angeles, California (their residence) Duration: Approximately 1 hour 17 minutes Format: Video interview with audio recording
Summary
This is a comprehensive oral history interview with Jesse Chan, conducted by his daughter Rose Loui. The interview covers Jesse’s entire life story, from his birth in the Philippines through his childhood displacement during WWII in China, his remarkable survival story befriending a Japanese colonel, his return to Philippines as a teenager, courtship and marriage to Betty Chan, business career in Manila and Taiwan, and retirement in Los Angeles.
The interview provides invaluable firsthand documentation of:
- Filipino-Chinese family life in early 20th century
- Japanese occupation of China from civilian perspective
- Chinese diaspora experiences
- Post-war return to Philippines
- Filipino-Chinese business community in Manila
- Taiwan business environment (1968-1990)
- Multi-generational family dynamics
Key Topics Covered
Early Life and WWII (1930s-1945)
- Born in Philippines to Chinese import/export businessman
- Father died when Jesse was 3 years old
- Mother (Cantonese-speaking, from Hong Kong) moved family to Hong Kong
- Fled to Fujian province (Yong Qin area) when Japanese attacked
- Lived in ancestral village for 3 years during occupation
- Befriended Japanese colonel who gave him food and special pass
- Colonel wanted to take Jesse to Japan (mother prevented this)
- Hiding in caves during air raids (sometimes 10 times per day)
- Mother tied hard-boiled eggs around his waist for emergency food
Post-War Years (1945-1950s)
- Moved to Shanghai after Japanese surrender
- Wanted to be Navy pilot but too young
- Finished elementary and high school in China
- Family kept moving: Shanghai, other cities, ancestral village
- Uncle controlled family money after father’s death
- Sacrificed college so his brothers could attend (only sibling who didn’t go to college)
- Worked on family genealogy book during summer vacations (would hide in hotel to avoid it)
Six Siblings from Jesse’s Mother (Amma)
- Oldest brother - stayed in China
- Brother #2 - college, moved to Hong Kong
- Brother #3 - college
- Brother #4 - gave up college, worked in Hong Kong
- Youngest brother - finished college, sent by government to Xiamen to help build city
- Older sister - moved to Hong Kong, went blind (family visited her)
- Sister #2 - stayed in China
Two-Three Children from Father’s First Wife
- First wife had nervous breakdown (couldn’t bear son, would throw things at people)
- Family moved her back to ancestral area
- Two girls from first wife
- One boy (adopted) - father of “Tony/Cognac”
Return to Philippines (Late 1940s/Early 1950s)
- Mother and uncle decided to send Jesse back to Philippines
- Returned after finishing high school
- Worked daytime in shop, attended night school 6-9 PM to study English
- Had to relearn Tagalog (left Philippines at age 3)
- Learned total of 7 languages: Cantonese, Hokkien, Shanghainese, Mandarin, Tagalog, English, plus other Chinese dialects
Meeting and Courting Betty
- Member of “Happy Dreamers” social club with Betty’s brothers (Uncle George, Uncle Henry) and Patrick
- Visited Betty’s house regularly but Betty never talked to him
- Betty would “stay upstairs and study” (very shy)
- Betty’s house was the “party house” where group gathered
- Betty not allowed to mingle with boys until age 21
- Betty finished college at age 16 (high school at 12 - no junior high in Philippines)
- When Betty turned 21, could go out with Jesse but only with two brothers as chaperones
- Dating activities: dancing (Jesse was excellent dancer), eating out, Spanish music venues
- Jesse learned to dance in Shanghai from friend’s sister
- Married 1957 with traditional Chinese engagement ceremony
Career in Philippines (1950s-1967)
Eastern Textile Factory:
- Purchasing Manager - bought all supplies for 2,000-worker factory
- Board of Directors member
- Betty was Payroll Supervisor at same factory
- Owner/manager of factory basketball team - hired workers and professional players
- Brave incident: Worker with knife came to gate, Jesse talked him down and got the knife
- Board split 1967 - Jesse’s faction sold shares at par value plus 20%
Santa Mesa Compound (1957-1967):
- 60 people lived in compound when Jesse and Betty married
- Four generations: great-grandma, grandma, parents, children
- Multiple buildings/apartment units
- This is where Rose was born (1960)
Life in Taiwan (1968-1990, 22 years)
Move:
- 1968: Friend enticed them to join business in Taiwan
- Moved with four children: Rose (8), Meg (5), Louis (3), Michelle (infant/born there)
Multiple Business Ventures:
-
Nightclub/Supper Club (late 1960s-early 1970s)
- Restaurant during day, nightclub at night
- Orchestra every night, MC, singing performances, magic shows
- Open until midnight or 1 AM
- Jesse would close up every night
-
Real Estate Development (longest/biggest business)
- Cherry Hill: Three-story buildings, multiple units
- Houses on the Hill: Big hillside houses, rented for 3 years then sold
- Jesse: “Real estate is really simple. You look at the land, you like it, you just buy it. Then we build a house.”
- Rose loved going to construction sites with Jesse
- Dog named Sugar stayed at construction property as guard
- Different business model: buy land on installments as building progresses
-
Import/Export Business
-
Bakery (Betty managed, Uncle Henry recommended)
Education Investment:
- Worked very hard to afford children’s expensive education
- Taipei American School: $10,000/year by 1986
- All four children received scholarships for US universities
Friendships:
- Uncle Henry (good friend from Manila)
- Uncle George (long-time friend but “always fight” - Jesse would argue with him)
Life in Los Angeles (1990s-present)
Retirement:
- Organized parties with Betty
- Betty played keyboard
- Maintained Filipino-Chinese community connections
- Present at Betty’s 80th birthday (2015)
Heroic Rescue of Granddaughter Kaitlyn:
- Kaitlyn went in pool trying to swim to Sammy
- Rose froze and couldn’t move
- Jesse saw from playhouse, ran and jumped in fully clothed
- Pulled Kaitlyn out and saved her
- Kaitlyn became excellent swimmer
Hong Kong Incidents:
-
CJ Robbery: Jesse told CJ to deposit money at bank (don’t bring to house), CJ didn’t listen, two boys with knives stole the money (meant for house deposit)
-
Bus Thief: Jesse on Hong Kong bus, saw thief steal from lady passenger, Jesse shouted alert, jumped off bus, ran and jumped on another bus, caught thief, returned money to lady. Jesse: “I’m really tough. I see those things, I don’t like it.” Betty: “You’re brave, not bad.”
Character Traits Documented
Bravery and Righteousness
- Confronted armed worker at factory gate
- Saved granddaughter from drowning
- Chased thieves in Hong Kong multiple times
- Stood up to injustice
- Betty: “Over brave” (perhaps took too many risks)
Entrepreneurial Spirit
- Multiple business ventures: employee → nightclub owner → real estate developer → import/export → bakery
- Not afraid to try new things
- Real estate most successful
Social and Cultural
- Excellent dancer - people would stop to watch him
- Good singer (Betty praised his voice)
- Good swimmer
- Loved Spanish music
- Member of “Happy Dreamers” social club
- Played basketball in Shanghai (Far Eastern team)
Educational Values
- Sacrificed his own college education for brothers
- Worked hard to send all four children to expensive schools
- All children received US university scholarships
- Pattern of educational investment across generations
”The General”
- Betty’s nickname for him
- Ultimate family authority and decision-maker
- Traditional Chinese patriarchal role
- Betty was “tyrant mother” who managed day-to-day, but Jesse had final say
Work Ethic
- Worked day, studied night school (as young man)
- Worked until 1 AM at nightclub
- Multiple businesses simultaneously
- Provided for family through various ventures
Multilingual Ability
Spoke 7 languages through necessity of displacement:
- Cantonese (first language)
- Hokkien/Fujian dialect
- Shanghainese
- Mandarin
- Tagalog (relearned as adult)
- English (night school)
- Other Chinese regional dialects
Historical Significance
WWII Documentation
- Firsthand civilian account of Japanese occupation of China
- Documented Japanese military behavior toward civilians
- Chinese survival strategies during occupation
- Complex moral situation: befriending enemy to survive
- Special pass from Japanese colonel showing privileged status
- Constant danger: hiding in caves, running from air raids
Chinese Diaspora Experience
- Father’s generation: Import/export across Asia
- Jesse’s generation: Displaced by war, scattered across countries
- Children’s generation: Educated in Taiwan, moved to US
- Grandchildren’s generation: American-born
- Family scattered across Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, USA
Filipino-Chinese Community
- Established Chinese business community in Manila
- Traditional Chinese customs (engagement, compound living, genealogy book)
- Integration with Filipino culture (Tagalog, Happy Dreamers club)
- Maintained Chinese identity while living in Philippines
Taiwan Business Environment (1968-1990)
- Real estate development practices
- Nightclub/entertainment business
- Import/export operations
- Different business models than US
Family Genealogy Book
- Chan family genealogy compiled by Jesse’s uncle
- Jesse worked on it every summer vacation at ancestral village
- Published in Taiwan
- Now in 12+ libraries worldwide (Michigan, Germany, Australia, etc.)
- Written in Chinese
- Traditional: only boys included, girls added after marriage/accomplishments
- Rose added after graduating Stanford (late 1970s/early 1980s)
Family Connections
Parents:
- Father: Died when Jesse was 3, ran import/export business between Philippines, China, Hong Kong, America
- Mother (“Amma”): Cantonese-speaking, from Hong Kong, moved family after husband died, left Shanghai 1959 to move to Hong Kong
Wife:
- Betty Chan - married 1957, 58+ years together (as of 2015)
Children:
- Rose Chan Loui (1960) - Attorney, interviewer
- Meg Chan Feitelberg (1963) - Economics/Business
- John Louis Chan (1965) - Architect
- Michelle Chan Ng (1968) - Born in Taiwan
Grandchildren mentioned:
- Nicholas Loui
- Ryan Loui
- Samantha Loui
- Kaitlyn (rescued from drowning)
- 5 more through other children (names to be documented)
Places Jesse Lived
- Philippines (birth - age 3)
- Hong Kong (age 3 - childhood)
- Yong Qin, Fujian (3 years during Japanese occupation) - ancestral village area
- Shanghai (after Japanese surrender)
- Ancestral village (various periods)
- Philippines/Manila (teenager - 1968, ~15 years)
- Santa Mesa compound
- Taiwan (1968-1990, 22 years)
- Los Angeles (1990s-present)
Favorite Places:
- Suzhou - “It’s the prettiest”
- West Lake (Hangzhou) - Beautiful
- Shanghai - “nice but too noisy, too crowded”
Interviewer Notes
Interview Style:
- Rose (daughter) conducting interview
- Betty (wife) present, providing corrections and clarifications
- Warren (son-in-law) holding microphone
- Michelle (daughter) managing sound
- Nicholas (grandson) present
- Family atmosphere, comfortable setting
- Some difficulty with Jesse’s hearing
- Betty would translate or clarify when needed
- Jesse sometimes struggled to remember specific details or names
- Interview conducted in mix of English and some Chinese
Technical Notes:
- Video interview with audio recording
- Battery concerns mentioned
- Break taken partway through
- About 1 hour 17 minutes total
- Rose mentioned wanting Jesse to tell more stories spontaneously rather than just Q&A
Research Follow-up Needed
Based on interview, further documentation needed for:
- Full Chinese names for Jesse and family members
- Exact birth dates and years
- Father’s full business details
- Mother’s (Amma’s) full background
- Complete sibling names and current status
- Japanese colonel’s name
- Specific dates for each location
- Nightclub name and location in Taiwan
- Cherry Hill and hill properties specifics
- When family moved to Los Angeles
- Jesse’s current status (living/deceased as of 2024)
- Names of other 5 grandchildren
- Family members who stayed in China - what happened to them
- More details about ancestral village and Chan family home in Yong Qin
- Decision-making process for Taiwan move
- Uncle’s name who controlled family money and compiled genealogy book
Cross-References
This interview provides complementary perspective to:
- Betty-Chan-My-Story - Betty’s WWII experience in Philippines
- Betty-Chan-Lolas-Story-80th-Birthday - Betty’s life story
- Holiday-Card-Collection-1994-2021 - Documents family life during Los Angeles years
Together, Jesse and Betty’s accounts document both:
- WWII in China (Jesse’s experience under Japanese occupation)
- WWII in Philippines (Betty’s experience fleeing Japanese)
- Post-war Chinese and Filipino-Chinese diaspora
- Building successful family across three countries
- Investment in children’s education
- Maintaining cultural identity across displacement