I am happy to update this one finally. I know I've been quiet but I wanted to make sure everything was done right before a move was made. And I'm glad I did because thanks to a reader we have FINALLY solved the mystery of Anna May Wong's grave...and it turns out its NOT unmarked!Several biographies and documentaries have done done on Anna, and all mention her grave being 'marked only by her mother's name'. Indeed that's what it appears...to those who don't speak Chinese...or have never taken the time to look closely at the headstone. I sadly belong in the first category. A reader named 'Beatnik Kenny' (love the name btw) sent me in this email today:
Back in 1998, I was involved with a lady of Taiwanese-Chinese descent who lived in the Chino Hills area (outside Los Angeles) I lived elsewhere. On one trip to visit her, I asked that we find Anna May's grave in the Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery in Koreatown, as I had already been familiar with her legend. Once there, a lady in the cemetery office pointed us towards the grave. Since my lady friends' first language is Chinese, she read the headstone. She explained that Anna May's name (Wong Liu Tsong) was on the right hand side in Chinese, her sisters' name on the left. Their mothers' name is in the middle in both Chinese and English.
He also sent this picture (which I hope crediting him he does not mind my using):
I still don't speak Chinese, but the characters on the right do look like Anna's Chinese Characters: 黃柳霜. So her grave is not UNMARKED AT ALL. Its just not in English. And as Kenny pointed out this would be extremely in step with the low key cultural traditions of her and her heritage. How no one has caught this before (including biographers who traveled to China to research her) is WAY beyond me.
So thus ends that Honor Project, as I don't feel there is a need to place another marker there. I'd like to thank everyone who helped out, and for the small donations I got for the project I will be using them to go place some flowers on her grave as a mini honor project. I am actually very pleased with how this turned out, as its one more Silent mystery solved. SEVERAL thanks to Beatnik Kenny!
2 comments:
Hello, from my understanding of the grave stone, that is the grave of the mother of Anna May. Not Anna May's grave... In chinese tradition, whomever put up the grave stone usually list their names and also their relationship with the deceased alone the side of the name of the deceased. Therefore this grave is Anna May Wong mother's grave, Anna May and her sister were the two people who were there to bury her, that is why they left their name on the grave along side of their mother's name.
Does anyone know where Anna May's grave is located? I am such a huge fan of her, would really love to visit her grave sometimes. Thanks.
Well not being Chinese, its extremely hard for me to be up on these traditions but if that is the tradition then she just happens to be conviently buried in that spot, as does her sister, both under their names. So yes that is her grave.
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