Mel Yip | Before it was a Museum: Stories from the Wing Sang Building
12/21/23 • 27 min
Though museums typically house pieces of history, rarely are museums themselves housed within historic buildings. The Chinese Canadian Museum is a unique exception to this with its location inside the Wing Sang Building, the oldest brick building in Vancouver Chinatown and a heritage building listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. On this episode, join host Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee as she chats with Mel Yip— grandson of the man who established the Wing Sang Building and resided in the building with his extensive family, Yip Sang — and reminisce on his own memories of growing up surrounded by floors of family members in what he calls “a community within a community” to learn about some of the traditions held by this unique Chinese Canadian family.
Want to learn more about the historic Wing Sang Building? The Chinese Canadian Museum offers special guided tours every month that give participants exclusive access to additional spaces inside and outside the building. For more information, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/programs/wing-sang-building-tour.
To learn more about the Chinese Canadian Museum and book tickets, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/.
Though museums typically house pieces of history, rarely are museums themselves housed within historic buildings. The Chinese Canadian Museum is a unique exception to this with its location inside the Wing Sang Building, the oldest brick building in Vancouver Chinatown and a heritage building listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. On this episode, join host Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee as she chats with Mel Yip— grandson of the man who established the Wing Sang Building and resided in the building with his extensive family, Yip Sang — and reminisce on his own memories of growing up surrounded by floors of family members in what he calls “a community within a community” to learn about some of the traditions held by this unique Chinese Canadian family.
Want to learn more about the historic Wing Sang Building? The Chinese Canadian Museum offers special guided tours every month that give participants exclusive access to additional spaces inside and outside the building. For more information, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/programs/wing-sang-building-tour.
To learn more about the Chinese Canadian Museum and book tickets, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/.
Previous Episode
Rick Wong | War Tales: Force 136 and a Clandestine Love Story
During World War II, thirteen Chinese Canadian men were hand-picked to serve as the first recruits of Force 136, a British Special Operations Executive unit whose mission was to blend in and infiltrate enemy lines in Japanese-occupied Southeast Asia. On this Remembrance Day special episode, host Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee is joined by Rick Wong, whose father, Henry "Hank" Wong, was one of the original members of Force 136, and mother, Myrtle Wong, was one of the few Chinese allowed to enter Canada while the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923 was in effect.
To learn more about the Chinese Canadian Museum and book tickets, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/.
Next Episode
Julie Eng | Magical Legacies: The Life of Tony Eng
Chinese Canadian magician Tony Eng (1946-2008) was a beloved fixture in the Victoria, B.C. bar, restaurant, and entertainment scene for more than thirty years. His long list of accomplishments include running his own magic shop that was frequented by locals and tourists alike, establishing his unique magic show that drew inspiration from his Chinese heritage, and mentoring successive generations of up-and-coming magicians. On this episode, host Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee sits down with one of Tony’s mentees – Julie Eng, daughter of Tony and professional magician herself – to discuss the life and legacy of the man behind the magic.
The Magic of Tony Eng is on view now at the Chinese Canadian Museum’s Fan Tan Alley location in Victoria, B.C. To learn more about the Chinese Canadian Museum and book tickets, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/
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