Preface
No love, no friendship, can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.
— Francois Mauriac
I’m in a happy place. This book is about how I got here. It’s about my journey as a Chinese-American boy raised on the streets of New York, who went to war in Vietnam, reached the senior ranks of the CIA, and became a martial arts teacher and Chinese medicine practitioner. It’s not an autobiography. To keep the book from being too long, I’ve left out many events, places, and individuals that are meaningful to me but may be less so to the average reader.
Names of people and places in the stories have been changed where necessary to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. I’ve arranged these stories thematically rather than strictly chronologically, so I apologize for any confusion the reader may have as a result. Included are episodes I hope will entertain as well as honor those who have enriched my life, inspired me, and sustained my journey.
There are several reasons I decided to write this book. First and foremost, it’s meant as a valentine to all the people (whether mentioned in this book or not), whose paths have intersected mine—and delivered with unconditional love, a touch of humor, and profound gratitude.
Second, I hope this book can contribute, in some small way, to the “New York Chinatown Oral History Project” led by Dr. Jean Lau Chin, a project “to capture the valuable memories and stories of survival and success for our children, ourselves, and for history. Despite many oral histories of Chinese in America, there have been few of those from NYC Chinatown.”
Last, but far from least, I want to answer questions that I often get, even from people I’ve known for years. Questions like: “How could you go from being a combat Marine to a qigong teacher, and from being a clandestine operations officer to an acupuncturist? How did you switch roles, and what’s one got to do with the other?”
“Hon, I can’t believe you were a Marine; you just don’t fit the image,” my qigong student once remarked. “You say you worked undercover for the CIA? And now you practice Chinese medicine. How’d you go from being a ‘trained killer’ to preaching love, kindness, and forgiveness?” she asked, only half-jokingly.
I hope this memoir will answer those questions by tying together these seemingly paradoxical paths and showing that they’re interconnected and mutually supportive. The starting point is New York’s Chinatown where I, growing up as a scrawny kid, and yearning to be like the kung fu heroes I saw at Sun Sing Theater on East Broadway, took up the martial arts. Forever trying to prove myself, I joined the Marines to show I had what it took to wear the eagle, globe, and anchor. Military service whetted my appetite for overseas travel, foreign cultures, and new experiences.
The CIA offered a logical progression after active duty, opening the door to a life of challenge, excitement, and adventure, while enabling me to explore my Asian heritage. And who could resist playing James Bond? While living and traveling throughout Asia, whenever I wasn’t working, I took every opportunity to befriend experts in what would become my life’s greatest passions: Chinese martial arts and Chinese medicine. These life paths sometimes crossed, often converged, but ultimately led back to my cultural roots. Along the way I discovered my life purpose.
Paths Less Travelled on Amazon US
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