In Chinatowns across North America, Chinese people play a variation of traditional volleyball called 9-Man, which utilizes 9 players on each side of the court and has its own set of rules. Teams must adhere to the two-thirds rule, where six of the players must be 100% Chinese and the remaining three must be of Asian descent.
In today’s progressive and inclusive culture, the rule feels like a step in the opposite direction. The strictness and enforcement of the rule raises a lot of questions on who qualifies as Asian and whether the rule can be amended.
To better understand the traditions and rules behind 9-Man, we have to go back 175 years to the California gold rush. Of the 300,000 gold rush prospectors, 170,000 of them were Chinese immigrants. After the gold rush and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, anti-Chinese sentiment grew; violence broke out and legislation was passed to drive Chinese people out resulting in their mass migration to the East Coast.
The first Chinese men arrived to Boston in 1870 and Chinatown would be established between Harrison Avenue and Beach Street. No matter where they went, trouble seemed to follow; with the passing of the Chinese exclusion act, the men were isolated from their families and many struggled both physically and mentally.
Overtime, the community grew larger and stronger; the opening of the Wang YMCA and the Kwong Kow Chinese School helped foster education and community for the Chinatown youth.
Conflicts did not seem to slow down for Boston’s Chinatown community. The city of Boston used eminent domain laws to seize key pieces of Chinatown’s infrastructure to build I-90 and I-93. Homes were destroyed and one of the buildings seized served as Chinatown’s main community center. Then came the Parcel C protests with members preventing New England Medical Center, now Tufts Medical Center, from using community land to build a parking lot.
In the face of all this adversity, 9-man volleyball became more than just a sport; it was a lifeline that brought the community together during difficult times.
I’ve had the privilege to experience this community firsthand and build meaningful connections with its members over the past decade. Through volunteering with Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) and by going to school just 10 minutes away from the neighborhood, I have learned so much about Chinatown, her people, and her history.
My family and friends all play 9-man or are involved with it in some capacity. I’ve always heard about the high energy local tournaments and the culminating NACIVT tournament but did not share the same love for the game as my peers. One thing that did pique my interest was its effect on the people around me. I decided to delve deeper into it this past summer.
Here are a few things I noticed and learned:
Watching the community unite at tournaments this summer made me realize how vital 9-man is to their sense of survival. As social beings, we thrive on connection, and for many in this community, the sport serves as a lifeline—without it, much of what binds them together might be lost.
Here are a few of my favorite moments from summer 2024:
9-man embodies the spirit of 20th-century Chinese American culture and played a pivotal role in uniting the Chinese population in Boston. Today, it stands as both a celebration of their history and a tribute to those who paved the way. The tournaments honor the resilience of Chinese ancestors, while players return year after year to keep the traditions alive. Though I am not Chinese, I hold deep respect for their story and history. This experience has not only deepened my understanding of their heritage but has also strengthened my connection to my own community, friends, and family.