Mui tsai facts for kids
Mui tsai (Chinese: 妹仔; Cantonese Yale: mūi jái) is a Cantonese term that means "little sister." It was used to describe young Chinese girls who worked as domestic helpers in China. They also worked in wealthy Chinese homes in other places. These girls usually came from very poor families. They were often sold at a young age. The idea was that they would be set free through marriage when they grew older.
Many people saw these arrangements as a kind of charity or adoption. They believed that mui tsai girls would have a better life than if they stayed with their own families. Some experts say that many of these girls later became concubines. Others believe their position was higher than a concubine's.
In traditional Chinese culture, families hoped to have a son. Very poor parents sometimes found it difficult to support many children. Because of extreme poverty, selling unwanted girls was sometimes seen as an accepted choice. This was a way for families to try and ensure their daughters had a chance to survive.
The practice of mui tsai was also common before World War II. This was true in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and parts of Southeast Asia.
Mui Tsai in Macau
In the 1500s, it was common in Macau for poor families to sell their daughters. These girls would work as domestic helpers for many years.
Mui Tsai in Hong Kong
In the mid-1800s, Britain passed laws to end slavery. These were the Slavery Abolition Act and the Slave Trade Act. However, the Hong Kong government did not stop the transfer of girls as mui tsai before 1923. They saw it as a family matter or a traditional custom. Kathleen Simon, Viscountess Simon spent many years fighting to free the remaining mui tsai girls.
In 1922, there were many news stories in Britain about the mui tsai system. Members of the British Parliament, like John Ward, also spoke out. Winston Churchill, who was in charge of the colonies, promised to end the mui tsai system in Hong Kong within a year.
Because of pressure from the British Parliament, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed a new law the next year. This law, called the Female Domestic Service Bill, stopped new mui tsai from being brought in or transferred. However, the rule to register all existing mui tsai was put off. The new law was not strictly followed at first.
In 1926, Britain signed the International Slavery Convention. This was an agreement under the League of Nations. The mui tsai issue then gained international attention. Facing strong political pressure, the Hong Kong government passed the Female Domestic Service Ordinance in 1923. This law required all mui tsai to be registered by May 31, 1930. After that date, no new registrations or sales were allowed. Inspectors were also appointed. They visited the mui tsai girls to make sure they were treated well and paid their wages.
A case was reported as recently as 2005. Chinese parents received money for their daughter. She had been sent to Hong Kong to work. She worked very long hours. After being mistreated, she had to go to the hospital.
Mui Tsai in the United States
In the 1800s, many Chinese workers moved to the United States. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 made it hard for Chinese working men to bring their wives from China. It also stopped them from marrying non-Chinese women in some states. Because of this, many Chinese girls and young women came to the U.S. with fake documents. These papers often said they were wives or daughters of wealthy people.
Most of them arrived at Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay. These girls were often sold to work as household servants. Mui tsai became a focus for Protestant reformers in San Francisco. The Presbyterian Mission House in San Francisco's Chinatown helped rescue Chinese girls and women from difficult situations.
Even with the efforts of reformers in the United States, the mui tsai system continued into the early 1900s.
