Ah Sahm

"You all know me. You all know Young Jun. We weren't stealing. Every dollar is accounted for. We did what we did to save the Tong. Because if we keep doing things his way the Long Zii and the Fung Hai will own us within a year."

—Ah Sahm to the tong^[src]

Ah Sahm is a martial arts prodigy who comes to America in search of his long-lost sister, Xiaojing. However, upon his arrival, he unintentionally joins the Hop Wei tong and discovers that his sister, who is known around Chinatown as Mai Ling, is the wife of the leader of the rival tong, Long Zii. After Mai Ling took over the Long Zii and schemes to cause chaos in Chinatown to dispose all the tongs and reign supreme over the opium trade, the siblings become mortal enemies.

Biography

Early life

Ah Sahm's maternal grandfather was an American sea captain. He sailed the trade routes for a tea company. One year he got sick and couldn't make the trip back home to America. The Chinese merchants put him up with a young nurse who cared for him through the winter. They fell in love and moved to a small farm. Ah Sahm's grandmother died when he was a baby, but his grandfather lived on the farm with him and his sister until he passed when Ah Sahm was 13 years old. Before he died, he taught English, he taught Ah Sahm and Xiaojing English and filled their heads with stories about America.^[1]

Ah Sahm was born and raised in Fo Shan on a farm with his elder sister, Xiaojing and their father.^[2] During his teenage years, after his grandfather died, Ah Sahm would often get into fights, many of which he would lose until he began training with Sifu Li Qiang. For a time, he left home but promised his sister to visit her every month.^[3]

More than five years ago, Ah Sahm challenged the son of a warlord to a fight. However, Ah Sahm accidentally killed him during the battle. The dead boy's warlord father, Sun Yang, threatened to kill Ah Sahm and take his father's farm. However, his sister, Xiaojing, offered to marry him instead.^[4] However, Sun Yang killed their father after Mai Ling fled to America.^[2]

Arriving in Chinatown

1878, Ah Sahm arrives in San Francisco in search of his sister, Xiaojing. Instead, he is recruited into the Hop Wei tong, where he is welcomed in by Young Jun and continues his mission to find his sister by asking Ah Toy and her girls if they had heard of her. Although, they claim they haven't, this ultimately results in the Long Zii coming after him. After defeating the hatchet men, Ah Sahm accuses Ah Toy of selling him out, but she insists that it wasn't her and that he brought this on himself by speaking his business to a room full of whores. Moving forward, he's going to need someone he can trust outside of the tong, and Ah Toy believes that could be her.

After being branded into the Hop Wei, Ah Sahm tracked some of the Long Zii back to their den, where he comes face-to-face with Li Yong. The two trade blows before being interrupted by Ah Sahm's sister, who is alive and well, but now goes by the name of Mai Ling. He explains that he came to save her and bring her home now that her ex-husband, Sun Yang, is dead, but she insists that she no longer needs his saving and tells him to leave.^[2]

Arrested for murder

While making their rounds, Ah Sahm and Young Jun have a brief confrontation with Penny Blake, who accosts them for hassling business owners. When Penny leaves, she forgets her glove behind and Ah Sahm tracks her down to return it, but he finds her and her manservant, Jacob, being attacked by a couple Irishmen and come to their defense. Unfortunately for Ah Sahm, all Sergeant O'Hara sees is a Chinese man beating up a couple of Irishmen, and for this, Ah Sahm is taken into custody.

Ah Sahm is booked under the name "John Chinaman" and hosed down before being placed in a cell. Surprisingly, he receives a visit from Penny, who thanks him for coming to her rescue. To her, Ah Sahm reveals that he can speak English due to his American grandfather, but it won't make much of a difference, as he's guilt as far as everyone else is concerned. Not only of beating up on a couple drunks, but also killing two Irish thugs outside of the Banshee.^[5]

Ah Sahm remains in a cell, waiting for his day in court, when Sergeant O'Hara sneaks a few thugs into his cell to kill him. However, Ah Sahm is highly trained and manages to disarm and defeat his attackers. When Bill finally returns, Ah Sahm reveals that he can speak English and confronts him for not only this recent attack but for also arresting him simply for being Chinese.

The following morning, Ah Sahm is brought in for trial. The State vs John Chinamen. However, when the alleged victims, Paul and Seamus O'Shea, fail to show up for court, the charges are dismissed against Ah Sahm, who sneaks out the backdoor to avoid the crowd, where Chao awaits. When the witnesses didn't show, he figured the Hop Wei were behind it, but in actuality, it was Mai Ling, who Ah Sahm denies knowing, but Chao isn't convinced, especially since Mai Ling also asked him to deliver a message, telling Ah Sahm to get out of San Francisco.

Ah Sahm arrives at Ah Toy's brothel, where he is welcomed back by the Hop Wei. They celebrate, but not before Father Jun properly skins him in and punishes him for his arrest with a wooden paddle. Though Ah Sahm is hurt, the party continues, and it is Ah Toy who tends to his wounds and plants the seeds of a potential revolution.

Before the night's end, Ah Sahm follows Jacob to Penny's estate, where he tells her that he doesn't need her money and that he did what he did because he wanted her to know that he wasn't a coward.^[6]

Pursing a relationship with Penny

Ah Sahm meets with Penny at her apartment, where they discuss his upbringing, how his American grandfather was a sea captain who got sick during one of his trip and was tended to by a young Chinese nurse. Ah Sahm's grandmother died when he was a baby, but his grandfather lived on the farm with them until he died when Ah Sahm was 13. He taught both Ah Sahm and his sister English and filled their heads with stories about America. He and Penny then proceed to have sex. Afterward, he tells her how he came to Chinatown in search of his sister and that joining the Hop Wei was his best chances of doing that.

Ah Sahm exits Penny's home to find Mai Ling waiting in a carriage. She recalls telling him to leave and hands him a ticket home via steamboat, but Ah Sahm refuses to leave without her. Ah Sahm admits that she was right. He never should've let her marry Sun Yang, and he's never going to make that mistake again, ripping up the ticket as he exits the carriage.^[1]

Stranded in Sierra Nevada

Ah Sahm and Young Jun are riding a stagecoach with the corpse of a dead relative through Nevada with a few other passengers, but the stagecoach makes an unexpected stop in the middle of nowhere, and the passengers seek refuge in a nearby saloon for the night, where they are hassled by a racist cowboy named Mason. However, they also make the acquaintance of Lu, a fellow Chinese man from Yubei, who owns the bar, which he built with his own two hands.

As if being stuck in the desert wasn't bad enough, they are robbed by Harlan French and his crew of bandits. Everyone hands over their valuables easy enough, but when Harlan demands that Ah Sahm and Young Jun bring the coffin outside, they refuse, killing several of his men and chasing Harlan out. Curious as to why Harlan would want the coffin, Ah Sahm cuts the corpse open and finds a bag of gold, which neither he nor Young Jun were aware of. They contemplate making a run for it with the gold, but that would leave everyone else vulnerable, and so, Ah Sahm decides to stay and fight for when Harlan inevitably returns.

When he does in fact return, Ah Sahm kills Harlan and a shootout commences between what remains of his crew and those trapped inside the saloon. By morning, Harlan's crew is dead and Ah Sahm and Young Jun prepare to make their way home on horseback.^[7]

Ah Sahm skips the Chinatown parade to hook up with Penny, during which he tells her the story of how his sister saved his life. Five years ago, Ah Sahm challenged a kid to a fight, but in the middle of it, Ah Sahm hit him, he lost his balance, and hit his head on the ground. And as it turned out, his father was Sun Yang, a local warlord. Sun Yang threatened to kill Ah Sahm and take his father's farm, but Mai Ling offered to marry him instead.

After Father Jun is nearly killed by an explosion seemingly orchestrated by the Fung Hai, Ah Sahm, Young Jun, and Bolo infiltrate their gambling den and slaughter the opposing tong despite being vastly outnumbered.^[4]

Saving Mai Ling

After discovering that the Fung Hai have allied with the Long Zii and that they were acting on Mai Ling's command when they set off the explosion at the parade, Father Jun commissioned an attack on Long Zii, headed by Bolo, who tracked both him and Mai Ling to a safe house. With help from Ah Toy, Ah Sahm also learns the location of the safe house and attempts to get there before Bolo can kill Mai Ling. He arrives as Bolo is strangling the life from her. Ah Sahm intervenes and challenges Bolo, refusing to allow him to kill Mai Ling. A fight ensues, and Ah Sahm manages to get the upper hand and defeat Bolo, who in then killed by Mai Ling.^[8]

Fighting in the tournament

After breaking up with Penny, Ah Sahm returns to the Hop Wei den, where he is attacked by several warriors in blue masks, who he defeats with ease. As it turns out, it was just a test by Father Jun. With Bolo gone, it would seem that Ah Sahm is their new top fighter and will be fighting for the Hop Wei in the duel against the Long Zii.

After a drunken mishap with one of her customers and few words from Ah Toy, Ah Sahm stumbles out of the brothel, where Mai Ling tells him that he can't fight for the Hop Wei, as Li Yong will kill him. Ah Sahm argues that Mai Ling's only real concern is that if she loses, her power play is over. When she denies this, he accuses her of killing Long Zii in order to lead the tong herself.^[9]

Ah Sahm faces off against Li Yong in the tournament to determine if the Long Zii will be allowed to distribute molasses in Chinatown. The fight begins and the two combatants exchange blows. The fight turns in Ah Sahm's favor when he lands a blow to Li Yong's chest and proceeds to knock him unconscious, but before he can take Li Yong's sash from around his waist and claim victory, Li Yong awakens and somehow manages to regain control of the fight. Li Yong delivers a heavy blow, breaking Ah Sahm's nose. Barely anything left in him, Li Yong prepares to snap his neck when Mai Ling gives the signal. However, Penny screams out, and Sergeant O'Hara shoots into the sky, bringing the fight to an end and scaring off the crowd, but not before Li Yong takes the sash from around Ah Sahm's waist.

Ah Sahm has been abandoned by the Hop Wei, but Ah Toy remains a loyal friend and brings him home, where she tends to his severe injuries and tells him that Li Yong won not because he was a better fighter, but because he was actually fighting for something he believed in. Ah Sahm is delirious and has a vision of his sister in their earlier years, such as when he would get into fights and when she first introduced him to Sifu Li Qiang, who taught Ah Sahm how to fight. Throughout his time at Ah Toy's, during recovery, he is visited by Penny and Young Jun, who informs him that he's been kicked out of the tong and that if he goes to work for another tong, there will be a price on his head.^[3]

Becoming a coolie

After recovering from his loss and being banned by the Hop Wei, Ah Sahm is now working as a coolie. It's a tiresome job that leaves him weak and sore. Ah Sahm returns from his shift to find that his bed mate, Po, is sick. He seems to be suffering from some kind of infection after getting hurt a few days ago.

One day, Ah Sahm is approached by Chao, who can't believe that a guy with his intelligence and skill is working as a coolie. Chao informs Ah Sahm that they're starting to staff a big job with decent conditions. He'll make sure Ah Sahm gets picked if he shows up tomorrow, but he hopes Ah Sahm won't be.

The following day, Young Jun comes looking for Ah Sahm, looking to welcome him back to the Hop Wei, as the Long Zii and Fung Hai are getting too close for comfort, and it's only a matter of time before they make a move, but Ah Sahm turns down his offer, claiming that being a coolie is honest work, whereas he fought for the Hop Wei only for them to toss him out like garbage. Young Jun explains that they were simply following the rules, but he's come to right the wrong. However, Ah Sahm still isn't interested and reconvenes with Chao for the job he previously mentioned.

As it turns out, the job is at Mercer Steel, which is owned by Penny's father. She approaches him and asks if this is really what he's going to do. With his English, he could get a better job, like translating for the foreman and become invaluable to the managers, but Ah Sahm is content with the position he has. Ah Sahm returns the following day after the death of Po to discover the workingmen attacking coolies. After single-handedly taking down all of Leary's men, Ah Sahm and Leary come face to face. They exchange blows but disperse when the police arrive.

Following this latest encounter, Ah Sahm has a change a heart and heads back to the brothel, where he not only thanks Ah Toy for helping him, but also he has brought two Irish thugs who were breaking the hands of coolies with a hammer. And so, they intend to return the favor. Ah Sahm doesn't necessarily know what happens from here, but he figured Ah Toy could use some help now and then, fighting back. Ah Sahm is done working as a coolie and is ready to make a change. Part of that change is rejoining Young Jun and the Hop Wei.^[10]

Searching for a molasses source

Ah Sahm has joined a fight club in a bar on the Barbary Coast, in which he has not taken a single loss. Vega watches from above as he takes a bit of a beaten, but ultimately gains yet another victory, for which she pays him. She questions why he comes when he clearly doesn't need money. Ah Sahm claims that he's just staying sharp.

Ah Sahm returns to Ah Toy's brothel, where, as she applies ointment, he reveals that he saw a group of guys at the fight who wore cut-off queues on their jacket. They call themselves Teddy Boys. Those queues they wear are part of their initiation. A Chinese scalp is the only way into their gang. Ah Sahm wants to pay them a visit.

Ah Sahm finds Mai Ling paying her respects to their parents. She tries to explain that she did everything she could to keep him out of the tournament, but all Ah Sahm is concerned about is the fact that she ordered his death. She suggests that he join her, as Father Jun won't live forever and Young Jun is no leader, but Ah Sahm has no intentions on working for her. Before leaving, he tells Mai Ling that she's going to wish she had killed him.

Ah Sahm, Ah Toy, and Lai track the Teddy Boys to their hideout and kill them just in time to stop them from hanging a helpless Chinese man. Armed with swords, the trio strike fast and hard, killing every Teddy Boy in sight.

Upon discovering that the Long Zii are paying less for their molasses, as it's not from China, Ah Sahm suggests that Young Jun go behind Father Jun's back and set up a local source. For this, Ah Sahm goes to Chao, who is reluctant to help Ah Sahm, as it has political ramifications. And so, after being turned down by Chao, Ah Sahm goes back to the Barbary Coast, where he asks Vega for help.^[11]

Vega arranges for Ah Sahm and Young Jun to meet with a molasses source, Happy Jack. He is reluctant to work with anyone from the tongs, but Ah Sahm is willing to pay for a dozen crates and storage for it.

After turning down Penny's offer to hire the Hop Wei as bodyguards for her coolies following her father's death, Ah Sahm and Young Jun reconvene with Happy Jack, who no longer intends to store their opium, despite their initial agreement, and when they won't refund them, Ah Sahm and Young Jun simply take it back, killing several of Happy Jack's men until Jack draws his gun on Young Jun, bringing the fight to an end. He explains that the cops have been cracking down and raided two shops in the area already, which is why he can no longer store their product.

Under the guise that he's reconsidered her offer to guard Mercer Steel and it's workers, Ah Sahm goes to Penny to accept her offer. But in reality, he simply needs a place to store his opium.^[12]

Ah Sahm wins yet another round in the fight pit at the Barbary Coast. If it's money that Ah Sahm's after, Vega knows of a place where the price is much higher. Not to mention the best fighters from all over the country will be there, so if Ah Sahm's looking to prove something to himself, there's no better place, but Ah Sahm declines her offer. Chao arrives, and he's well aware of Ah Sahm's partnership with Happy Jack, which he doesn't see ending well. All in the goal to destroy Mai Ling, despite the fact that she paid Chao to secure Ah Sahm's passage home when he was arrested a few months ago. It got him thinking, what is their relationship. All Chao knows for certain is that when Ah Sahm and Mai Ling's secret war is said and done, they're all going to suffer for it.

Ah Sahm and Young Jun, albeit reluctantly, take in one of the new Hop Wei recruits, Hong. Young Jun is worried. They start making moves behind China's back, and suddenly they start sending over a bunch of soldiers, but Ah Sahm reminds him that it was Father Jun who sent for them, not the other way around. Still, he wants to call it quits, but Ah Sahm pushes him to follow through with the plan. They then take Hong, who is eager to help, to a Fung Hai den, where he takes out three hatchet men.^[13]

Losing their opium

Ah Sahm returns to Mercer Steel to discover that the building was blown up, likely by Leary, overnight, and their opium along with it, which Penny is not happy about. Ah Sahm apologizes, explaining that he didn't have a choice, but she blames herself for trusting him.

Ah Sahm and Young Jun contemplate their next move after losing all their opium. Even if they had the money to make a new order to China, it would never make it in time, and they're going to start missing deliveries in a week. And so, they go to Happy Jack as a last resort, but that fails.

After winning yet another fight at the fight pit, Ah Sahm is approached by Mai Ling, who simply wants her brother back. Ah Sahm replies that her brother died the night she ordered Li Yong to kill him, which was only just a few days after he had saved her life. Admittedly, Mai Ling made a terrible mistake and hasn't slept a night since. She's been angry for so long that she lost herself in it, and now she wants to fix things between them, but Ah Sahm isn't interested in repairing what they had. Ah Sahm is on a mission to destroy the Long Zii and everything Mai Ling cares about, and then leave her alive to watch it burn. After she leaves, Ah Sahm asks Vega about the tournament she previously mentioned and if she still needs a fighter.^[14]

Competing at Rooker's Mill

Ah Sahm, Young Jun, Hong, and Vega travel to Rooker's Mill, a border town near Mexico, to fight in a tournament hosted by Elijah Rooker for $2,500. Ah Sahm and Vega spend some time getting to know each other and bond over the fact that they're both strangers to this land, seeking family and a home. The next day, Ah Sahm is scheduled to fight against Dolph in the tournament. Ah Sahm enters the pit with Dolph Jagger and the fight between the two commences. Dolph charges at Ah Sahm, who defeats him with a single kick. From there, the battles continue and Ah Sahm advances in the tournament with each passing fight, gaining victory after victory. After his final fight for the day, Ah Sahm is approached by Smits, who works for Mr. Rooker and has invited both Ah Sahm and Vega to join him and his wife for lunch at the main house.

Ah Sahm walks Vega to her room. He intends to leave, but she invites him inside and they have sex. Afterward, they discuss what he intends to do with the prize money when he wins, as he could go anywhere, but Ah Sahm is loyal to the tong. The following day, the two of them have lunch with Rooker as planned. Rooker could use a man of Ah Sahm's skills to stay with him and teach some of his men. While Ah Sahm appreciates the offer, he isn't interested. Vega then points out the very interesting and unique pistol that Rooker carries. He allows her to hold it, and with the gun in hand, Vega reveals that she saw a gun just like that one. It was used by the man who killed her father and stole their land. Ah Sahm quickly comes to realize what Vega has planned and restrains Smits whilst Vega takes the bullet she's wearing around her neck, loads the gun, and shoots Rooker in the head.

Ah Sahm and Vega to escape along with Young Jun and Hong but are arrested and place in a cell headed for Sacramento. However, this was all part of Vega's plan. Rooker's wife, Marisol, is her sister, and together, they staged all this to reclaim their family's land. Marisol also hands Ah Sahm the promised prize money. Unfortunately, Smits has tracked them down and shoots Vega, killing her. After laying her to rest, Ah Sahm, Young Jun, and Hong return to Chinatown, where Father Jun and the tong await after learning the truth.^[15]

Dethroning Father Jun

Father Jun has rallied the Hop Wei and accuses Ah Sahm, Young Jun, and Hong of going against the tong. He burns Young Jun out by removing his brand and then orders for Ah Sahm to be killed, but he throws the money they won from the tournament on the table and insists that they weren't stealing, rather trying to save the tong, because Father Jun's way will be the death of it. Ultimately, they side with Ah Sahm and Young Jun, who takes leadership from his father and forces him into retirement.

Ah Sahm gives Chao a full order of hatchets as they prepare for war, and in exchange, he gives Ah Sahm some advice and warns Ah Sahm that taking the seat is far easier than keeping it. More importantly, they still have the Fung Hai to worry about. They're leaderless, but not for long, because Mai Ling will step in to absorb them. Chao's knows better than to bet against the Hop Wei, but he wouldn't bet his fortune on them either.^[16]

The hero of Chinatown

After Jacob is hanged for accidentally killing Mayor Blake, Chinatown is attacked by Irish thugs, forcing the Hop Wei and Long Zii to come together to defend it. Ah Sahm finds himself defending the helpless with nothing more than his skills and a pair of nunchucks. He takes on half a dozen attacking Irishmen with little to no effect as onlookers watch from above on their balconies in amazement.

After the riot is said and done, Ah Sahm, Young Jun, and Hong make their way to the Banshee, where they are met by Sergeant and what remains of the mob who attacked them. Ah Sahm explains that they've simply come to take Jacob's body, which still hangs until they lower him down and cut the noose from around his neck.^[17]

The following day, Ah Sahm discovers a mural that's been painted of him defending Chinatown. Ah Toy sees this as an opportunity; Ah Sahm's a symbol to the people, meaning they will follow him. Chinatown needs a hero, someone to remind them who they are or who they could be. Ah Toy believes it is time for Ah Sahm to be the hero painted on the wall.

Ah Sahm and Young Jun meet with Mai Ling and Li Yong, who've come in person to congratulate Young Jun for taking the chair. Mai Ling is hoping Young Jun will give her the chance to prove that they can all make more money if they work together. Admittedly, the Fung Hai was a mistake that she made while acting impulsively. When Young Jun turns down her gesture of alliance, Mai Ling remarks that she doesn't want to be at war with her own brother anymore, revealing to Young Jun that she and Ah Sahm are siblings, in an attempt to cause friction. After hearing Ah Sahm's story, Young Jun comes to the conclusion that he is being truthful and that Mai Ling coming into their home the way she did to blow his cover was a last resort, hoping that would be the end of Ah Sahm. They've been through too much for Young Jun to believe that Ah Sahm has any loyalty to her, but when the time comes for him to choose between her and Young Jun, he wonders if Ah Sahm will make the right choice. He then requests some time to think it over.

Ah Sahm makes his way over to the Banshee and challenges Leary to a fight. They head out back, where they are surrounded by a large crowd of Irishmen. Ah Sahm and Leary trade blows, but it is Ah Sahm who hits the ground first, though he quickly recovers and goes on the offensive, knocking Leary to the ground with a spinning kick. Leary eventually makes it back to his feet and the fight continues. Unfortunately, Ah Sahm takes a few too many punches and finds himself back on the ground. But he manages to pull himself back to his feet and regain the upper hand, hitting Leary with a combination of punches before kneeing him in the face. Leary then charges at Ah Sahm, but is stopped in his tracks when Ah Sahm delivers a heavy blow to Leary's chest, momentarily stopping his heart before finishing him off with a drop-kick. On his way out, Ah Sahm warns them to stay out of Chinatown.^[18]

Printing counterfeit chop

With the new city ordinances crippling Chinatown and its Chinese owned businesses, Ah Sahm finds himself and the Hop Wei in desperate need for money. Fortunately, through Chao, he learns of a cash grab job on the docks. After taking out Greer's men, rather than money, Ah Sahm, Young Jun, Hong, and Chao discover a printing press and plates, all the ingredients to make counterfeit cash.^[19] However, when they're unable to properly operate the printing machine themselves, they enlist in outside help, with Ah Sahm recruiting Yan Mi, the daughter of a local print shop owner.^[20]

With Yan Mi helping to get their counterfeit operation up and running, the Hop Wei are able to use the fake chop to pay off Happy Jack for more product. Tasked with the responsibility of watching over Yan Mi, the two begin to develop a relationship of sorts.^[21]

Skills and abilities

For much of his youth, Ah Sahm had no conscious knowledge of combat, often getting beaten by other boys despite often picking fights with them. However, after training under Sifu Li Qiang, his latent potential became apparent, proving to be quite a proficient student as a boy. As he grew up in China, he would regularly train and have sparring matches with others, sharpening and improving his skills and techniques to even more impressive degrees.

Ah Sahm is recognized as the top combatant of the Hop Wei, as well as one of the greatest fighters within Chinatown. His skills has earned him the praise and admiration from many, including Li Yong, who is a formidable fighter himself. After coming to America, Ah Sahm's skills made him something of a standout, proving to be more than a match for Fung Hai gangsters and typical enforcers of the Hop Wei and the Long Zii.

When he fought Bolo, a formidable fighter of the Hop Wei, he did have some difficulty due to his opponent's greater strength and brutality. But in the end, Ah Sahm bested him with his superior technique and speed.

When fighting Li Yong during the tournament, Ah Sahm proved to be formidable and knocked down Li Yong a number of times, but was ultimately overpowered and defeated by Li Yong due to his lack of drive and purpose, with this being the first time he had lost since he was a child.

Relative to those outside of Chinatown, Ah Sahm has proven to be one of the best, with some even comparing him to a "demon". Ever since he arrived in San Francisco, he has easily bested three immigration officers and quickly dispatched most of the Irishmen he fought, such as the O'Sheas, three prisoners (while locked in a tight cell with them), and around two dozen masked workingmen at Mercer Steel; the latter being even more impressive given that he had not trained since he lost to Li Yong.

Immediately after defeating the workingmen at the factory, Ah Sahm had a brief skirmish with Dylan Leary, a Civil War veteran and seasoned street fighter, and drew blood after a few punches. When fighting Leary for a second, much longer time, Ah Sahm struggled momentarily, being repeatedly knocked down, but ultimately defeated the Irish Mob leader with a combination of well-executed strikes.

Ah Sahm seems to be well-versed in the philosophies and teachings of Confucius and Sun Tzu, as he has corrected both Ah Toy and Wang Chao on their supposed interpretations.

Ah Sahm can also speak English with perfect clarity and fluency, which has shocked and even impressed many given his predominant Chinese heritage.

Significant kills

• Harlan French - The notorious leader of a band of outlaws, who attempted to rob Ah Sahm, Young Jun, and some other patrons of their valuables in Nevada. Ah Sahm kills him by ripping his throat out with his bare hand.
• The Teddy Boys — after crossing paths with them during one of his fights on the Barbary Coast, Ah Sahm, Lai, and Ah Toy kill several members of this local gang after learning that they wore cut‐off queues on their jackets and that a Chinese scalp was part of initiation.^[11]

Appearances

Season 1

• The Itchy Onion
• There's No China in the Bible
• John Chinaman
• The White Mountain
• The Blood and the Sh*t
• Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Stepped On
• The Tiger and the Fox
• They Don't Pay Us Enough to Think
• Chinese Boxing
• If You're Going to Bow, Bow Low

Season 2

• Learn to Endure, or Hire a Bodyguard
• The Chinese Connection
• Not How We Do Business
• If You Don't See Blood, You Didn't Come to Play
• Not for a Drink, a F*ck, or a G**damn Prayer
• To a Man with a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail
• If You Wait by the River Long Enough
• All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic
• Enter the Dragon
• Man on the Wall

Season 3

• Exactly the Wrong Time to Get Proud
• Anything Short of a Blow to the Head
• No Time for F*cking Chemistry
• In Chinatown, No One Thinks About Forever
• Whiskey and Sticky and All the Rest Can Wait
• A Soft Heart Won't Do You No Favors
• Gotta Be Crooked to Get Along in a Crooked World
• You Know When You're Losing a Fight
• All of Death Is a Going Home
• A Window of F*cking Opportunity

Behind the scenes

• Ah Sahm is portrayed by Andrew Koji.

Gallery

References