Fox Run Resident Shares Her Culture with the Community

When Elizabeth "Liz" Chiu King and her husband Albert moved to Fox Run, an Erickson Senior Living community in Novi, Mich., she noticed that a variety of groups on campus would often highlight their cultures through presentations and events.

"Many of the presentations were very interesting," says Liz. "I thought, 'It wouldn't hurt to give one on the Chinese New Year.'"

Having been a leader in the Chinese community in Michigan for more than 30 years, Liz is no stranger to speaking about her culture. So, in February 2024, she led a presentation on the Chinese New Year for her Fox Run neighbors in the Performing Arts Center--with nearly every seat taken.

"Because of my involvement with Chinese culture and the Chinese community, I've accrued a lot of information. I gave a talk and a slide show about the Chinese New Year, which was the Year of the Dragon," says Liz, looking back fondly on the experience.

Year of the Dragon

Liz gave lectures and taught classes on Chinese culture at colleges--such as Henry Ford College, where she worked as a librarian for 20 years--and through a Chinese-American cultural center, which later introduced the topic to schools and other groups.

She decided to focus her Fox Run presentation on the Year of the Dragon because it's a particularly special year.

"I spoke about how important the dragon is to Chinese culture and the Chinese people," says Liz. "I analyzed it through the years."

She continues, "I am Christian, and while Christianity regards the dragon as the devil, in China, it's the supreme animal. Emperors would adopt the dragon to represent their home. Only the emperor was allowed to have drawings of him with a dragon with five claws. In the old days, if other people tried to use it, they'd get punished."

Noblemen used dragons with four claws, and common people used dragons with three claws.

"In modern-day China, the dragon is still revered because it stands for a good omen--it's powerful, fiery. And although it has a quick temper, it embodies strength, courage, and all good things," says Liz.

Attendees were attentive and engaged, especially when she distributed her one-page children's story about the Chinese zodiac to attendees. The campus television station broadcast her presentation many times afterward for residents who were unable to attend. 

Chinese New Year

Born in Shanghai, China, Liz remembers how the Chinese New Year used to be celebrated.

"What happened in the old days is that they didn't celebrate birthdays. Everyone celebrated the Chinese New Year, which was like everybody's birthday," Liz explains. "The Chinese New Year is the biggest event in China--even today--and you would get a week or two off to celebrate."

She adds, "Everybody goes home to enjoy their family. So, during Chinese New Year, it's very difficult to travel in China because everywhere is packed."

Partnering with chefs

Liz has also written three cookbooks inspired by Chinese cuisine and a memoir.

As part of Fox Run's celebration of the Chinese New Year, chefs at the community's restaurants prepared three of her recipes so residents could order them at dinners throughout the week.

The chefs prepared Lettuce Rolls from her cookbook The 15-Minute Chinese Gourmet, Beef and Onions in Oyster Sauce from another one of her cookbooks titled A Wok a Week: 52 Lite and Easy Meals, and Baked Salmon with Scallions and Ginger from her memoir The Good Chinese Daughter: Growing Up in China and America.

Liz has spoken with the chefs, and she's already planning to teach them more about authentic Chinese cooking.

"The Chinese have 32 ways of cooking," says Liz. "There's stir-frying, steaming, red cooking, and cold tossing. There are so many ways; these are just a few."

'Want to share'

The feedback from Liz's talk and her recipes was phenomenal.

"Many people came up to me and thanked me for it. They said they were so glad to be there and that they enjoyed it. Others who couldn't come said they caught it on their TV. And many residents told me they really liked the Chinese food," says Liz.

In addition to writing more books about her Chinese culture, Liz hopes to present more talks to her Fox Run neighbors. "Because it's my expertise, I want to share it!" she says.

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