Ching Wah Lee was born on June 28, 1901 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Good Earth (1937), Flower Drum Song (1961) and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944). Little known to many, Lee was also a scholar. He gave guided tours of San Francisco's Chinatown, showing the sights; giving the history and explaining the Chinese culture, as well as the history of his 1940's movie roles. He also had a private gallery and museum behind an inconspicuous door off a back alley. His art and jade collection was priceless, and he shared it with thousands of school children. For many, the final lesson was using chop sticks before a Chinese meal. He died on January 2, 1980 in San Francisco.