Raymond Douglas Chong

Raymond Douglas Chong (Zhang Weiming), a Senior Roadway Manager with the Oregon Department of Transportation oversees preliminary engineering of transportation improvement projects in the Portland metro region.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Raymond is 6th generation Chinese-American with family roots from the California Gold Rush (1849—1855), First Transcontinental Railroad (1865—1869), Boston Chinatown (1891—1926), Cambridge Imperial Restaurant (1923—1936), and Kubla Khan Theater Restaurant (1946—1950).

As President of Generations, LLC, Raymond creates stories, poems, lyrics, and films. His recent works include: PEONY AMOUR—Sultry Ecstasy and Frosty Agony (poetry), Chop Suey and Sushi from Sea to Shining Sea (book), “Canto Cutie” (poems), “VILLAGE OF DRAGON HILL—A Mystical Journey in Passion” (album), and MY ODYSSEY – Between Two Worlds (film). He has written for AsAmNews and about Chinese-American experiences for the Chinese Historical Society of America and the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California.  

Updated November 2022

community en

Bill Watanabe - From Manzanar to Little Tokyo

  • By Raymond Douglas Chong
  • 4 Nov 2022
Hundreds of families and individuals sleep in safe, clean, affordable homes in neighborhoods around Little Tokyo of Los Angeles. Hundreds of economically insecure families and seniors receive assistance from a non-profit social service agency in Little Tokyo. And hundreds of Asian youths from the greater Los Angeles area participate in sports in a newly built sports and activity center on Los Angeles Street in Little Tokyo.  They all can thank “The Worst Boss in the World.” The worst boss set a meandering path for a pious man to discover his passion and placed him in a posit…

Read more

community en

Far East Café Reunion – Memories and Nostalgia - Part 2 of 2

  • By Raymond Douglas Chong
  • 24 Oct 2008
>> Part 1As part of the Far East Café Reunion, I gladly shared with the guests the story of the colorful life of Gim Suey Chong (1922-1979), my father. He had a humble beginning in Yung Lew Gong Village in Hoyping County of China. At nine years old, he took an epic sojourn from the Port of Hong Kong to the Port of Vancouver, across continental Canada aboard the Canadian Pacific Railway, to arrive at the Port of Boston in 26 days. He lived at his father’s Imperial Restaurant in Central Square in Cambridge. Gim Suey Chong lived with his father, Moi Chung, at Yet Quong Low Ch…

Read more

community en

Far East Café Reunion – Memories and Nostalgia - Part 1 of 2

  • By Raymond Douglas Chong
  • 17 Oct 2008
Michael, my brother, and I hosted the “Far East Café Reunion – Memories and Nostalgia.” Our purpose was to celebrate the life of Gim Suey Chong and the legacy of famous Far East Café with relatives and new friends. On Saturday, June 7, 2008, we gathered at the mezzanine of the Chop Suey Café in the landmark Far East Café Building for the program and lunch, the room of countless parties, in two rows of tables. During the program, we shared memorable and nostalgic stories. We feasted on the delicious China meshi (Cantonese) dishes. We first met…

Read more

migration en

A Nikkei Pioneer in the City of Roses: Hanhichi Wakiji - Part 2

  • By Raymond Douglas Chong
  • 20 Mar 2008
>> Part 1Together, Hanhichi and Taeno raised six children, the Nisei generation (second generation). They were: Masa (born October 26, 1912), James Hajime (born July 11, 1914), Kaoru (born July 31, 1916), Takeko (born July 20, 1919), Mari (born March 22, 1922), and George Minoru (born January 26, 1929). The Wakiji Family lived at 1485 East Orange Grove Avenue near Nippon Nursery. They were one of the three Japanese families living east of Lake Avenue. In the early 1900’s, a Japan Town of Pasadena was rising in the Central Business District (Old Town) on the westside. Japanese A…

Read more

migration en

A Nikkei Pioneer in the City of Roses: Hanhichi Wakiji - Part 1

  • By Raymond Douglas Chong
  • 19 Mar 2008
Forward Ancestors of the Wakijis by Noboru Wakiji In 1185 the Heike Clan (AKA Taira Clan) was defeated by the Genji Clan (AKA Minamoto Clan) during the great Genpei War in late Heian period. Our ancestor (unknown name), a samurai, fled from Yashima, on the coast of Seto Inland Sea on Shikoku Island to the southern part. Our ancestor, together with fellow samurai of the Heike Clan settled in a coastal village named “Wakiji.” Since they gave up the warrior’s class, they became yeomen who lived as farmers as well as fishermen to keep their lives. It is difficult to know when…

Read more