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The Chamber 108 Club is a group of Southern California’s leaders, innovators and pioneers in the Chinese American community.  They represent a diverse group of individuals across industries in business and commerce, politics, education and the arts – to name only a few.  What they all have in common is that while they have exceeded the bar in every regard in their personal and business accomplishments, they desire to give back to the next generation of Chinese American leaders through their mentorship and sponsorship.   Through their generous contributions, we are able to establish the 100 Years Foundation Scholarship, which makes grants across four key areas important to the Chamber: higher education, healthcare, business and entrepreneurship, and government and social justice.  These 108 members are also investors and partners in the Chamber – they have joined forces together to help the Chamber's mission: Re-build Los Angeles Chinatown from Poor Door to Rich Door.

The Chamber 108 Club is aptly named after the 108 leaders from the famous Chinese classical novel titled, Shui Hu Zhuan (水滸傳) (translated as Water Margin or Outlaws of the Marsh) by Shi Nai’an.  The story is a tale of loyalty and righteousness, and has captivated audiences since its creation in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), to the present day where it has inspired many films and television series across the Hong Kong and Chinese entertainment landscape.  The novel is one of the Four Unique Classical Novels (四大奇書) of Chinese Literature along with “Journey to the West” (西遊記), “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” (三國演義) and “The Plum in the Golden Vase” (金瓶梅).

The story celebrates the lives of these 108 individuals who collectively came together under Song Jiang, a sophisticated and charismatic man that rose to power through the messages he preached on justice and empathy for people and community.  This group accomplished great things together, but came from all walks of life in society, ranging from scholarly gentry to businessmen, army officers and government officials.  Their tales depict heroes who were the perfect combination of visionary leadership, an exemplary set of capabilities, a high standard of integrity, and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of those they served.

These are the same beliefs that the Chamber 108 Club carry and represent in the Chinese American Community today. Together, they define the future of what we stand for and what we want the next generation of Chinese Americans to aspire to.