Fang Dachuan

Fang Daqian (1926–1992), of Chinese descent, was an American born in Shanghai. During his childhood, he was unable to receive formal education and relied on self-study. He passed exams to enter the Journalism Department of Chongqing University of Political Science and Law. After graduation, he worked in journalism in Taiwan, serving at the newspaper *Shin Sheng Daily*.

In the 1950s, Fang Daqian moved to the United States. He furthered his studies in the journalism department at the University of California, Berkeley, during which time he worked as a reporter for *The National Daily* and *The Chinese Youth Morning Post*, eventually becoming publisher.

In 1979, he and his wife, Fang Li Bangqin, co-founded *The Asian Weekly*, an English-language newspaper circulated nationwide across America, focusing mainly on news relevant to the Asian-American community. The paper garnered significant attention from Asian readers and the mainstream society. Over the years, the Fang family established a media group consisting of 13 newspapers and magazines, with a circulation of 4 million copies, making it one of the important Chinese-American media organizations in the United States.

Beyond his work in journalism, Fang Daqian began operating the Beauty Palace Restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1983. He was actively involved in encouraging Asian-American political participation and fostering connections between the Chinese community and the U.S. political scene, contributing to intercultural exchanges among diverse ethnic groups. These efforts earned him numerous community awards.

In terms of family, Fang Daqian's son, Fang Yiwei, served as chairman of the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister Cities Committee and former chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District board. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack on August 14, 2020, at the age of 59.

After his passing, the San Francisco City Council passed a resolution naming a street in the city in his honor, commemorating his life and contributions. A scholarship bearing his name was established at San Francisco State University to support students pursuing journalism.