Gold Mountain

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For the record label, see Gold Mountain Records

Gold Mountain (Chinese: 金山; pinyin: jīn shān; Wade-Giles: chin¹ shan¹) is the name given by the Chinese to California, USA. After gold was first discovered in the state of California in 1848, thousands of Chinese from Toisan in Guangdong (Chinese: 台山; pinyin: tái shān; Wade-Giles: t'ai² shan¹), began to travel to California in search of gold and riches during the California Gold Rush.

The name "Gold Mountain" was initially applied to California. Ships full of immigrants docked in San Francisco to disembark passengers, initially bound for the gold fields, but later to remain in the growing Chinese settlement in San Francisco (see Chinatown, San Francisco). In the latter part of the 19th century, however, British Columbia also came to be referred to as "Gold Mountain" following the discovery of gold in the Fraser Canyon in the 1850's. The term thus broadened to mean "Western North America"

California and British Columbia are still called Gold Mountain by the Chinese today, as evidenced by maps and returned Overseas Chinese. However, because gold was also discovered in Australia (and there was a great sojourning there, too) - California was known as Old Gold Mountain (Chinese: 舊金山; pinyin: jiù jīn shān; Wade-Giles: chiu⁴ chin¹ shan¹). However, the name Old Gold Mountain now specifically refers to San Francisco.

[edit] See also

Chinese migration

[edit] External links

Overview of Chinese immigrants during California Gold Rush
"Gold Mountain" from The Concubine's Children by Denise Chong. Accessed: 2006-04-09.
"Chinese transformed 'Gold Mountain'" by Stephen Magagnini, San Francisco Chronicle, January 18, 1998. Accessed: 2006-04-09.
Chinese and Westward Expansion from The Chinese in California, 1850-1925. University of California, Berkeley/Library of Congress. Accessed: 2006-04-09.