Father Jun

"What I am is the boss of the most powerful tong in Chinatown. What you are is 1 in 25,000 broke Chinese f*cking nationals I just bought for the price of a sh*tty bottle of wine. I tell you this, at the risk of stating the obvious, to remind you that you are a f*cking onion! And before a f*cking onion turns away from me, he'd better f*cking bow."

—Father Jun to Ah Sahm^[src]

Father Jun was the leader of the Hop Wei and Young Jun's father. He was overthrown by Young Jun and Ah Sahm, who assumed leadership over the tong.

Biography

Early life

Father Jun crossed the salt to America as a young man, as did Long Zii.^[1] Father Jun has led the Hop Wei for years. During that time, he had a son, Young Jun, who Father Jun personally skinned into the Hop Wei. In doing so, he broke two bones in his hand as not to show favoritism towards his son. Around this same time, Father Jun recruited Bolo into the Hop Wei after getting word of a "Yellow Demon" fighting on the Transcontinental.^[2]

Welcoming Ah Sahm into the tong

Father Jun is introduced to the newest Hop Wei recruit, Ah Sahm, and inquires further about the newcomer's upbringing, before warning him that war is brewing among the tongs. When Ah Sahm forgets to bow, Father Jun reminds him that he's nothing more than an "onion" and that it would be in his best interest to bow before ever turning away from him. He later brands Ah Sahm into the Hop Wei.^[3]

Ah Sahm's arrest and release

Father Jun learns from Chao that Ah Sahm was arrested for fighting with a couple Irishmen in the pond. With two "ducks" having been killed last night, the very same two who killed a couple coolies a few nights ago, Father Jun believes they could use Ah Sahm's arrest to get the heat off Chinatown and simply let him take the blame for the killings.^[4]

After Ah Sahm is released due to his case being dismissed, Father Jun punishes him, pulling out a wooden paddle to beat Ah Sahm and teach him the rules of the tong. He partially blames himself for not skinning Ah Sahm in to begin with. Ah Sahm takes multiple hits to the abdomen, to the point where he can barely stand. Though, after accepting is punishment, Father Jun honors Ah Sahm.^[5]

Bombed by the Fung Hai

SE1-E06-Chewed-Up-Spit-Out-and-Stepped-On-01-Bolo-Father-Jun

While attending a parade in Chinatown, Father Jun is nearly assassinated by the Fung Hai, fortunately, Young Jun and Bolo manage to save him. Realizing that the Long Zii was behind this attempt on his life, Father Jun arranges a meeting with Long Zii, who is hoping that Father Jun is willing to renew the truce, with penalties of course. Father Jun has no desire for war, but there can be no peace until the Fung Hai are dealt with. These are Father Jun's terms. However, he has no intention of actually honoring the deal and intends to kill Long Zii.^[1]

Father Jun sends Bolo on a mission to kill Long Zii and Mai Ling, but they find him strung up in the middle of Chinatown for all to see. The Hop Wei cut him down and bring him to Father Jun, reporting that his mission was not without success, as he did at least manage to kill Long Zii. With Bolo's death, Father Jun is prepared for war.^[6]

A fight for territory

With Mai Ling now leading the Long Zii, Father Jun agrees to meet with her and end the war, but only if the opium treaty is upheld. When Mai Ling refuses, Father Jun is willing to work out a supply deal for Long Zii territory, but for now, he wants her word to honor the treaty and not receive any more opium shipments. He also asks for an apology. Lao Ting doesn't like the increased police presence and believes that the best option is for both tongs to select their best fighter for a duel. If the Hop Wei win, the treaty stands for five more years. If the Long Zii win, they carve out an area in which they can distribute molasses independently. Father Jun agrees and selects Ah Sahm as their fighter.^[7]

Father Jun attends the fight between Ah Sahm and Li Yong to determine if the Long Zii will be allowed to distribute molasses independently. Unfortunately, Ah Sahm loses the fight and is nearly killed until the ducks intervene. Young Jun partially blames his father for their loss, for ever agreeing to the duel to begin with. Still, for now, they'll keep their word and allow the Long Zii into the molasses trade. As for Ah Sahm, who Young Jun vouches for, he's of no use to them as far as Father Jun is concerned.^[8]

As per their agreement, Father Jun has marked off a zone that corresponds to Long Zii territory, where they will be allowed to sell opium. Father Jun warns Mai Ling that if she even takes a single step out of line, he won't stop until he has her head on his table.^[9]

Holding out for war

Young Jun is worried that the tong looks weak with how Mai Ling and the Long Zii have moved closer towards their territory. However, Father Jun isn't as concerned with public perception. He's more concerned about what is true, like the Long Zii's unstable alliance with the Fung Hai. And when they fail to uphold the treaty, the Hop Wei can strike with the full force of the Six Companies. When Young Jun disrespects Father Jun for his lax behavior, he strikes his son.

Father Jun approaches Ah Sahm, who has rejoined the tong. He admires Ah Sahm's focus and wishes Young Jun was more like him, as he's too easily riled up. Father Jun has been trying to teach him patience for years. He and Ah Sahm haven't really had a chance to talk since he's been back, but Ah Sahm knows it wasn't Father Jun's idea to bring him back. That said, Ah Sahm insists there's no bad blood. Father Jun is pleased to hear this and asks Ah Sahm to keep an eye on Young Jun, who is known to get a bit too itchy for his own good.^[10]

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Father Jun tells Young Jun about how he cried from the moment he was born. He kept his mother awake days at a time. She couldn't handle Young Jun, so at four months old, she left him, seeing his stubbornness as a curse, but what Father Jun saw was a born fighter. But the stiffest tree cracks easiest. Mai Ling will learn that the hard way, while they will survive by bending the wind, Father Jun explains. All he needs from Young Jun is to trust him. They will uphold their end of the treaty until he says otherwise.^[11]

Bringing in new recruits

Father Jun has brought in a shipment of new recruits into the Hop Wei, as it's his way of showing the Six Companies they've got control. However, Young Jun is also upset that he's not being shown the respect he deserves, not from his father or the council. Young Jun remembers his father saying he was the only one he could trust, to which Father Jun replies that trust goes both ways and that Young Jun isn't smart enough to know what he doesn't know.^[12]

Dethroned

Father Jun confronts Young Jun and Ah Sahm for going against the tong when they return from Mexico. Father Jun refers to Young Jun as the son of a common whore, who he's prepared to burn out of the Hop Wei. Father Jun then takes a hot sword and holds it over his son's Hop Wei brand. While Ah Sahm may have lost the fight, he argues that it's Father Jun who is bending over for Mai Ling. And now the Long Zii are paying half of what they pay for opium because Father Jun insists on importing it from China. Ah Sahm then 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. Father Jun then gives the command to kill Ah Sahm, but the hatchet men side with Ah Sahm and Young Jun, who takes leadership from his father and forces him into retirement.

Father Jun questions how long Young Jun has been planning his take-over, but he assures his father that he wasn't planning it at all. Father Jun accuses Ah Sahm of manipulating Young Jun, but he disagrees. Regardless, Young Jun took power and now he has to seal it by killing his father, but Young Jun doesn't believe his father's death is necessary. He'd rather keep his father around to use his wisdom and experience, but Father Jun sees it as a weakness.^[13]

Young Jun grabs a drink with Father Jun to celebrate them taking out the Fung Hai without breaking the treaty, but Father Jun wonders how many men they lost in the process. He agrees that the Fung Hai need to go, but there was a smarter way to go about it. Young Jun has always been impulsive, by his father's account.^[14]

Leaving Chinatown

When Chinatown is attacked by an Irish mob, Father Jun assists in defending it, even coming to Young Jun's rescue as he is facing death.^[15]

Father Jun consoles Young Jun after the vicious attack on Chinatown. It's easier when another tong attacks, but they can't fight an entire city or country for that matter. Father Jun advises his son that the battles he chooses not to fight are every bit as important as the ones he does. Young Jun apologizes to his father about everything. Maybe it was the fight they both needed, Father Jun replies. Young Jun wishes to welcome his father back, but it's his burden to bear by leading the tong now, as Father Jun leaves the Hop Wei and Chinatown behind him, though he makes sure to ask Chao to keep an eye on Young Jun.^[16]