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I Am Not a Tourist

What it means to be British Chinese

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I Am Not a Tourist

By: Daisy J. Hung
Narrated by: Katie Leung
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What does it mean to live in a society that doesn’t truly see you?

Although a UK citizen, Oxford-based diversity practitioner, writer and artist Daisy J. Hung is regularly mistaken for a tourist, asked where she’s really from or greeted with Ni hao on the assumption she speaks Mandarin. These experiences serve as a reminder that, no matter how she moves through the world, she is often seen as an outsider.

I Am Not a Tourist asks what it means to be British Chinese today and live at the intersection of cultures, examining social, historical and political factors that have got us here. Fighting narrow and dehumanising stereotypes, of Chinese people excelling at school, or being devoid of original thought or leadership, or having authoritarian parents, Daisy encourages readers to interrogate their assumptions and interpretations of ‘Chinese’ identity.

In the wake of the upsurge of anti-Asian racism, triggered by the racialisation of the COVID-19 pandemic as the ‘China virus’, ‘China plague’ and ‘Kung flu’, I Am Not a Tourist exposes the ongoing racism and inequalities that British Chinese communities face, and forms an urgent call for change.

Readers are in agreement that I Am Not a Tourist is an incredibly worthwhile read:

‘An important new voice’ DAVID YIP, actor

‘This book sorely needed to be written, uncover[ing] startling and important truths.’ YUAN YANG, MP and author

‘A vital resource’ PEYVAND SADEGHIAN, actor and writer

'If you’re looking to expand your understanding of the community, this book is an essential addition to your reading list’ LORD SONNY LEONG CBE

*Audiobook narrated by Katie Leung (Harry Potter)

©2025 Daisy J. Hung (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers
Colonialism & Post-Colonialism Emigration & Immigration Politics & Government Social Sciences China Social justice
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Critic reviews

‘This book sorely needed to be written. Daisy J. Hung’s book uncovers startling and important truths about the history of Chinese-British migration and puts diasporas on the map’ YUAN YANG MP
‘Pleads with us to look beyond ethnic stereotypes and appreciate our interlocking histories’ ANGELA SAINI, journalist
‘Interrogates the relationship between belonging, community and citizenship. I learned so much from it’ AMÉLIE SKODA, author of Bethnal Green
‘A deeply personal and gripping account that shows how “British Chinese history is British history”' DR TAO LEIGH GOFFE, writer, theorist and interdisciplinary artist
‘An engaging book that will sit with you long after you’ve finished reading’ DR ANNA SULAN MASING, writer, poet and academic
‘A moving combination of heart and analysis’ PREETI DHILLON, author of The Shoulders We Stand On
‘Thank you for giving us a voice and a seat at the table. A brilliant read’ HELEN TSE MBE, author of Sweet Mandarin
‘Lovingly researched, passionately examined and shot through with very real personal reflections’ DANIEL YORK LOH, actor, writer and director
'Brilliantly researched and interwoven with incisive and many moving personal anecdotes, asking what it is to…value one’s heritage while resisting to conform to stereotypes and labels’ JENNIFER WONG, poet
‘An important new voice in our East and Southeast Asian community in Britain’ DAVID YIP, actor
‘Makes the diaspora experience feel like a collective journey – that for all our individuality, we are a rich community of contributors to British life’ CHIPO CHUNG, actor and activist
‘Growing up, I lacked any real nuanced reflections of people like me, of British and East Asian heritage. This book is a much-needed work’ LUCY SHEEN, actor, writer and filmmaker
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