The Legend of Changlai Yishing and Mary Daye€¦ · The Legend of Changlai Yishing and Mary Daye By Lin Chiu Bi(林秋比 )* Translated by Terence Russell** Dr. Brian Yishing Changlai

The Legend of Changlai Yishing and Mary Daye

By Lin Chiu Bi(林秋比)*

Translated by Terence Russell**

Dr. Brian Yishing Changlai is well into his seventies, but he still gets up at four in the morning. After getting himself ready and he is off to the hospital and Nursing homes to do his rounds. He has to see almost one hundred and fifty patients every week, so he is too busy to think about getting old. His specialties are cardiology, geriatrics and general internal medicine. Dr. Changlai is also an associate professor of clinical cardiology at Upstate Medical University in New York.

In the area of Syracuse, New York, famous for its heavy winter snowfalls, there aren’t many migrants from Taiwan, but they all know that Dr. Changlai, who has lived here for almost thirty-five years. He and his wife, Dr. Mary Daye, are both legendary characters.

In 1945, during the late stages of the Second World War, Taiwan was under Allied (American military) attack. For Taiwanese people of the time (who were then under Japanese rule), running for their lives from American air raids was a daily experience. Chang Huang Chuang lived in the Dakeng area of Taichung and was pregnant, but along with her husband, Changlai Yulian, a poet who had written over a thousand poems, they had to hide from the air raids with their eleven children, suffering much hardship in the process. On February first of 1945, amid the turmoil of war, Chang Huang Chuang gave birth to a son. The boy would be their last child and they called him Yishing (benefit from the new).

Yishing’s early years corresponded to the defeat of the Chinese Nationalist Party at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, and the CNP’s subsequent retreat to and occupation of Taiwan. In order to gather material in support of their war efforts the Nationalists took a knife to landowners with the so-called “Three Seven Five Rent Reduction” plan. Changlai Yulian, who had been born into a landowning family, one day woke up to find the agricultural land that had been passed down by his ancestors for him to care for then pass on again, broken up and lost. It was heartbreaking.

It was only natural that Yishing should become a doctor. His grandfather was a famous doctor in Taichung. In 1963 Yishing graduated from Taichung First High School, Central Taiwan’s most famous secondary school. At the time, graduates with the best grades were guaranteed admission to National Taiwan University (hereafter NTU). That year, Taichung First High School sent its

Group picture of some of those attending the roast suckling pig picnic. (Pacific Times archives)

three top-ranked students to Taiwan University Medical School. Yishing was placed number eight, so he had to choose the Department of Chemical Engineering. He considered refusing the guaranteed placing and rewriting the examinations, but he was concerned that he might not pass, so he accepted entry to the Department of Chemical Engineering. Four years later, he graduated from the department. He then joined the wave of students going to study abroad, Yishing was awarded a scholarship to the Graduate School of Chemical Engineering at Clarkson University (at the time known as Clarkson College of Technology) in northern New York State. In 1968, with the scholarship in hand, he went to study at Clarkson. His original plan was to complete his degree in that northern land of ice and snow, and then move on to some other location. How could he have foreseen what the gods of fate had in store for him?

When Yishing arrived at Clarkson in 1968, he discovered that it was situated in a very isolated small community. It was truly cold and lonely, especially during the frigid winters that could last up to four months. That prompted him to devote all his energy to study and doing research in the hope that he could complete his Ph.D. quickly and leave Clarkson.

C hanglai Yishing was a student from Taiwan working towards a doctoral degree in the Graduate School of Chemical Engineering at Clarkson University. One summer during the vacation period, a 3rd year Clarkson undergrad names Mary Daye had a party for her roommate from Taiwan. Yishing and the whole graduate Taiwanese stunt community were invited. That’s how Mary and Yishing met. Mary Daye was from Chittenango, near Syracuse and was of Irish extraction. She was intelligent, straightforward and devoted to her studies; thus her grades were excellent. At the time, she was one of only two female students in mechanical engineering. In her senior year of high school, she took the New York State Regents Examinations and received full marks on the trigonometry examination. When she applied for university, she only considered four engineering schools; Cornell University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY; Rochester Institute of Technology; and Clarkson University. The first three schools replied that they did not accept female students (don’t forget that it was 1966). The Dean of Admissions at Clarkson personally interviewed her for admission and verbally accepted her on the spot. He also told her that the engineering school had been accepting female students for three years. Mary thought that her student number should be 17001 because he told her she was the 1st student accepted into the class of 1971. There would be 15 girls matriculating that year. He also told her that the engineering school had been accepting female students for three years. Mary thought that her student number should be 17001. When she arrived at Clarkson, she found a male student was quicker off the mark and took the number one. Mary had to be content with 17002. Nonetheless, the Dean of Admissions told her that anyone who could get full marks in trigonometry in the Regents Examinations was well qualified for the engineering school.

Mary Daye as a small child.

Photo of Mary Daye in high school

One day, Mary had a party for her roommate from Malaysia and Yishing was invited, too. That is when he got to know Mary. Mary and Yishing began socializing right away, going skiing, and to movies together. They also started going camping in Reid State Park near Bath in the State of Maine. They often went to the local fisherman’s wharf to dine on lobster. Two years later, with two friends as witness, they secretly went to the city hall to fill out the official papers and be married. In America during the 1960s and 70s interracial marriage was still not very common, especially in conservative Upstate New York. In order that racial factors did not come between them they kept their secret for almost a year until Mary revealed it to her family. Yishing waited until his mother came to visit him before he told her.

As Yishing recalls it, he drove from Watertown to JFK International Airport to meet his mother. During the eight-hour return trip he slowly revealed to her that he was married. At first his mother shocked, but by the time they arrived back home in Watertown she was ready to smile and accept it, giving the new couple her blessings.

Yishing’s mother could not speak English, but during the almost one year that the Changlais were in America Mary often travelled from the medical in Syracuse to Watertown to spend time with them. Eventually Mary became very good friends with her mother-in-law. Yishing recalls that although the two women couldn’t speak with each other they still found ways to communicate. He feels that a big reason for that was Mary’s hard work. For example, sometimes she would draw a picture so that she could invite her mother-in-law to go shopping or out to a restaurant.

Mary wasn’t a traditional wife: she didn’t even have her own kitchen utensils. Nor was she a traditional medical school student. She was very frank and said exactly what was on her mind. This was sometimes difficult for people to accept, especially when she expressed her candid opinions about all the irrational rules of the medical school. She just couldn’t get used to the idea that after the second year of medical school a student’s path forward was determined more by whether he/she was well liked rather than on the basic knowledge that they had acquired. Mary also had a unique definition of what made a good doctor. She said that a being a good doctor had nothing to do with being intelligent or well-studied, rather it was about having an unbounded curiosity and the desire to get to the bottom of things no matter what the consequences. Mary tells people that, in her view, a good doctor always pays attention to detail and keeps investigating until the case is solved, “Even if it is an elderly patient and they keep answering ‘yes’ to your questions.” However, her chosen specialty, nephrology, is extremely rigorous and requires deep knowledge.

In her choice of nephrology we can observe Mary’s philosophy of life. She says, “Kidney disease is intimately connected with the body’s complex chemistry. I chose it because it is a specialty with

Yishing’s mother and Mary at Five Island Fisherman’s Wharf in Reid State Park in Maine. They bought lobster, had it cooked on the spot, and ate it right on the wharf. Seen here with the owner of the restaurant, Ms. Tibodeau.

a high degree of difficulty, one that inclines people to respect it while keeping their distance. But since I consider myself to be a dedicated doctor, I am not intimidated by anything, and I set the most difficult challenges for myself. If I do my utmost, in the end I will enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction that comes from hard fought victories.”

The paths that Yishing and Mary took from engineering to medicine were quite different. In 1972 Mary entered Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. She relied on student loans to support herself. In 1973, Yishing received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Clarkson, but it was difficult to find employment in such a small town. The owner of a Chinese restaurant where he used to eat introduced him to the owner of a train brake-lining factory where he got his first job. His salary was only twelve thousand US dollars a year, or one thousand per month.

In the year before Mary received her Doctor of Medicine degree, MD, she began to push the idea that Yishing should study medicine. Yishing’s grades in Taichung First High School had been excellent, and his family all hoped very much that he could study medicine and continue in his grandfather’s vocation. The New York Air Brake company that he worked for in Watertown very generously helped out by granting him “Leave of Absence”

Yishing remembers that in the year that he graduated from Taichung First High School and decided to study chemical engineering at NTU, he had been ranked eight out of his graduating class and was guaranteed entrance to NTU (the first three places were guaranteed entrance to the medical school). In the process of deciding whether to give up guaranteed entrance and retake the entrance examination or go to study chemical engineering his family held several meetings. To be guarantee admission to NTU was, at the time, very prestigious. He should accept. After one year he could see what he thought, so Yishing went and studied chemical engineering. After the first year he was still very interested, and before he knew it, four years passed and he graduated from chemical engineering at NTU. From his grandfather Yishing had inherited a thirst for knowledge and a love of study. When he applied to study in the United States, he received offers of full scholarships from three schools. When he compared the standards of those three schools he decided upon Clarkson.

In those days it was very difficult for a foreigner to gain admission to an American medical school. Mary suggested that he first register at a foreign university, then transfer back to the United States. She had a number of fellow students who had gotten into medical school that way. So, without speaking a word of Spanish, Yishing went off to begin medical school at Tampico University in Mexico. With the help of his landlord and the friends that he made at university, he quickly learned

In March of 1977, Mary drove a VW Beetle

solo from Syracuse in Upstate New York

three thousand miles south to the interior

of Mexico to visit Yishing who was

studying at medical school in Tampico.

Spanish. During the two years that he was in Tampico he returned to the U.S. several times to take classes at American medical schools. Mary also went to Tampico to visit Yishing.

After completing his second year of studies, Yishing passed National Board Part 1 Examination that all second year students at American medical schools must pass. He was then officially accepted into Weill Cornell Medical School. On the day he received his acceptance he officially added his English name, Brian to his original name and became Brian Yishing Changlai.

1973 was the beginning of a two-year separation for Yishing and Mary. He was working at New York Air Brake but aside with having a very poor salary, he was happy. Every Saturday he drove down Highway 81 from Watertown to Syracuse to visit Mary who was studying medicine at Upstate Medical University. Distance made the hearts grow fonder and when the couple weren’t renewing affections, they were giving each other encouragement. During that time students from three universities in the vicinity of Syracuse: Syracuse U., SUNY-Environmental and Forestry School, and Upstate Medical University, along with the local Taiwan Association organized a baseball team. They practiced every Saturday afternoon and Yishing joined the team. Back then they were all poor students. After playing ball there were social activities. They often went to the homes of married team members for dinners where they discussed affairs of the world or criticized the government of the day. In time, the group formed strong bonds. It was those weekend trips south to Syracuse to play baseball with friends and to see his wife that Yishing looked forward to most while he worked in Watertown.

It wasn’t long before a few experienced players joined the Snowtown (Syracuse) team. They had team uniforms made and went as far afield as Toronto, Canada; Baltimore; Washington, DC; Pittsburgh and Detroit to play. They were all young and strong and often had to travel all night to arrive for the games. After the weekend games they went home again. Yishing made many friends while playing baseball, but they all eventually left Syracuse. Yet they all stay in contact with each other even after forty years. In May of 2018, Yishing and Mary hosted their 2nd Summer Pig Roast, and It would be a 40 year anniversary meeting for the Syracuse Taiwanese softball team. The group rented the very baseball field at Onondaga Park where they had played as students and spent one afternoon playing ball. Everyone wore a 1970’s uniform and all former players at the reunion participated in the game.

At the same time, Yishing recalls that every Sunday when he had to return to Watertown and once again be separated from his wife and good friends, he would have a heavy heart. The road home under the setting sun seemed very long.

Members of the Syracuse baseball team of the 1970s and 80s. Yishing is in the back row, third from the left.

All three members of the Changlai family are doctors. Their mission is to help people live out their full allotment of years and to improve the quality of their lives. As for household income, they probably belong among the top ten percent of American families. But the Changlais all feel that “giving back to society” doesn’t stop with attitudes and consciousness, it involves physical action. For many years Yishing and his wife, Mary have provided donations of food and drink for the hungry through the Central New York Rescue Mission. This is particularly so during the holiday seasons and during cold weather. Yishing recalls that when he came to America, he had only one thousand dollars to his name. Yet he obtained his Ph.D. in chemical engineering and studied to become a doctor. His wife and son are also doctors. America, and the area of Syracuse in Central New York State where he has lived most of his life, have given him and his family so much. The good fortune of having three doctors in one family is something that he could not have hoped for in Taiwan. So, it goes without saying that he would want to give back a little.

In 2010, Yishing, his wife, Mary, and his son, Brian Jr. donated $100,000 to Clarkson University for the establishment in perpetuity of an Educational Scholarship Fund. This was to repay the university for giving him the scholarship that allowed him to complete his doctoral degree.

In 2016, Yishing, his wife, Mary, and son, Brian Jr. also donated $100,000 to the Rescue Mission. That was the largest endowed donation that this benevolent association had received from a living individual (or a family) since it was founded in 1887. With respect to this donation, Yishing remarks only that he deeply believes in the importance of giving back to society because all members of society are connected to each other. He also strongly believes in the timely assistance that the Rescue Mission provides to the homeless and the those suffering from hunger.

Yishing’s son often sees his mother using her own time to make a house call on patients who live in remote areas and can’t easily make it to the city to see a doctor. Sometimes she must travel very long distances, returning only after dark. On Thanksgiving, Mary usually prepares a lavish dinner and personally delivers it to Upstate Medical Center where her son was doing his residency. The meal is intended for those doctors who live too far from home and can’t return for Thanksgiving. At the same time, she also personally makes turkey sandwiches for her colleagues who have to spend their holiday on duty.

In 2018 the Syracuse Taiwan baseball team and their

families returned to Syracuse for a reunion. Mary and

Yishing (standing on either side of the suckling pig) held

a roast suckling pig picnic in the backyard of their home.

More than eighty team members and local Taiwanese

residents attended. (Pacific Times archives

Yishing and Mary have a thirty-nine-year-old indoor Fica tree. They bought this tree in 1979 when they were living in the school dormitory while studying at Weill Cornell Medical School. For almost forty years now, no matter where they have moved, they have always placed this tree in a prominent place in their new residence and taken extra special care of it. Whenever Yishing tells people about this tree he never fails to explain that it represents their family of three doctors, their determination to practice medicine at the time they bought it, and the continued growth of their dedication.

After they bought this tree, Yishing graduated from Weill Cornell Medical School, completed his five year residency and his specialty training. He has now practiced medicine for thirty years.

More importantly, this tree is a constant reminder to him that, “if you eat the fruit, you must pay respect to the tree.” So, in 2017, their whole family decided to donate $100,000 for the establishment of a “Brian Y. ChangLai, MD., Ph.D., Mary C. Daye, MD, and Brian A. ChangLai, BS 04, MD. Scholarship.” To Cornell. Yishing says that they have gratefully established this scholarship to help those who may need it in the future.

Yishing is also very concerned about his native country, Taiwan. He is a supporter of the Syracuse Taiwanese Association. In past he was one of the main forces behind the Syracuse baseball team. He is a member of the Upstate FAPA (Formosan Association for Public Affairs) as well as being a lifetime member of the North America Taiwanese Medical Association (NATMA).

In 2017, Mary Daye and Dr. Changlai took part in the NATMA delegation to Taiwan. They returned to Taiwan and met with President Tsai Ing-wen. Mary was especially impressed with President Tsai and praised her highly, saying she is a sterling example for all women. When they returned home, they had the group photograph of their delegation with President Tsai enlarged and placed it in a place of honor in their house. Mary has a strong sense of justice and considers it an honor to be considered a Taiwanese. When she takes part in meetings of the Taiwanese Association, although she cannot speak the language, she still happily participates without the slightest pretense. This is especially so when she and Yishing open their house every year to

This thirty-nine year old indoor Fica tree is old, yet it grows straight and luxuriant to this day.

The Weill Cornell Medical School bulletin reporting on the scholarship donated by Yishing, Mary Daye and family. (March, 2017)

entertain the local members of the Syracuse Taiwanese Association. Recently they have been particularly intent on inviting members of the younger second generation. Mary is also very clear about distinguishing Taiwan from China. There is almost nothing from China to be seen in the decorations in their household.

Husband and wife are both doctors, so their life is extremely busy. Mary studied mechanical engineering and she manages the household according to the principles of “science and industry.” She values efficiency. For example, she attends personally, and meticulously to all the things that go into keeping the house and garden tidy, as well as maintaining the appliances. She cannot stand being idle. If she has a little spare time, she phones around to the local hospitals to ask whether they need a doctor to fill in a shift, especially if it’s the nightshift that nobody wants.

In the late 1960s, Yishing Changlai, a new immigrant student came to America on his own to engage in barehanded combat in a strange land. America gave him a Ph.D., a profession as a doctor, a lifetime better half who is also a doctor, a son who continues in the footsteps of his parents, and over thirty years of often trying experience in medical practice. His American dream is complete. Even if he and his family aren’t as wealthy as Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, their hearts are full of gratitude to the democratic, free, open nation of America that has given them everything, including their legendary lives. （photo’s provided by Dr. Changlai）

*Author :Lin Chiu Bi (林秋比)

Lin Chiu Bi (aka Wencheng Lin 林文政) has been with the Pacific Times (太平洋時報), a

Taiwanese American Weekly based at Rosemead, California, USA, for 23 years. Mr. Lin is the president and chief editor of the Weekly. Currently， he is the secretary of Taiwanese American

Pen Club(TAPC)（台美人筆會）. He served as the president of TAPC from 2012 to 2014.

**Translator: Terence Russell

Terence Russell is Senior Scholar of Chinese in the Asian Studies Centre at the University of Manitoba. He received his B.A. and M.A. in Chinese from the University of British Columbia, and his PhD in classical Chinese from Australian National University. His primary research concerns identity formation in Taiwan, the development of Indigenous literature and Indigenous consciousness, as well as relations between Indigenous peoples and the ethnic Chinese mainstream. Prof. Russell also has an abiding commitment to the task of literary translation and has produced renderings of numerous Indigenous and ethnic Chinese writers, as well as two full-length novels by the Shandong writer Zhang Wei. He is currently co-editor of Taiwan Literature: English

Translation Series.

(Mandarin Chinese version was published @Pacific Times, December 5th, 2018, Rosemead, CA, USA， www.pacific-times.com,台美人)