Angi Ma Wong (February 7, 1947 – July 12, 2015) was an American businesswoman, publisher, teacher, counselor, and author of 27 books.[1][2] She was also co-founder of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California and served time as its president. She was regarded as an expert in feng shui.[3][4] Her historical fiction children's book Night of the Red Moon was nominated for a John and Patricia Beatty Award.[2]

Angi Ma Wong
Born(1947-02-07)February 7, 1947
Nanjing, China
DiedJuly 12, 2015(2015-07-12) (aged 68)
Occupation
  • Author, educator, businessperson, humanitarian
Known forPopularization of the feng shui discipline

Early life edit

Ma Wong was born in Nanjing, China and baptized as an Anglican. Her family then moved to Hong Kong. When Ma Wong was two years old, the family moved again, this time to New Zealand. There, Ma Wong grew up in Wellington. Her family then moved to Taipei. Following that, they ended up in Richfield, New Jersey, by which time Ma Wong was in 8th grade. She was the first and only Asian student there. A year later, the family moved to Washington, D.C., where her father, a diplomat, had been transferred. Subsequently, Ma Wong went off to college in Blacksburg, Virginia, where she attended Virginia Tech. After college, Ma Wong married and moved to Los Angeles with her husband. In 1989, at age 26, she experienced breast cancer—the first of several times she would have it.[5] The illness inspired her to fulfill two dreams she had at the time, one being to write a book, and the other, to own her own business.

Education and marriage edit

Ma Wong attended Virginia Tech. While at Virginia Tech she founded the service sorority Chi Delta Alpha (XDA). She then graduated from USC with BA in English. She then earned her teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach.[6] Ma Wong and her husband, Norman, had four children.[5]

Career edit

Ma Wong founded a feng shui consulting and corporate training service in 1989, a notable early date for the popularization of the discipline in the United States, as it had only taken hold in the U.S. in 1972, after President Richard Nixon visited China. She subsequently founded Pacific Heritage Books in 1992. She co-founded the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California and served as its president, also becoming active in Rotary Club activities that earned her a place in their Hall of Fame for the years 2014–2015. Ma Wong served the Los Angeles Unified School District in a variety of capacities, including teacher and counselor, for 33 years. Ma Wong also served on the board of directors[7] at Los Angeles's historic Banning Museum, designed and used by Civil War general Phineas Banning.

Awards and recognition edit

  • National Association of Women Business Owners Outstanding L.A. Businesswoman of the Year (1995)[8]
  • Southern California Book Publicist of the Year (1997)[9]
  • Rotary District 5280 Hall of Fame inductee (2015)[1]
  • INK Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year Award[10]

Bibliography edit

  • Target: The U.S.-Asian Market: A Practical Guide to Doing Business (1993)[11]
  • Night of the Red Moon (1995)[12]
  • The Wind-Water Wheel : A Feng Shui Tool for Transforming Your Life (1996)[13]
  • Been There, Done That: 16 Secrets of Success for Entrepreneurs (1997)[14]
  • The Baby Boomer's 4-Minute Bible: Enduring Values to Live By (1998)[15]
  • Feng Shui Dos and Taboos: : A Guide to What to Place Where (1999)[16]
  • Feng Shui Dos & Taboos for Love (2002)[17]
  • Who Ate My Socks? (2005)[18]
  • Reggie, the L.A. Gator (2006)[19]
  • A Survivor's Secrets to Health & Happiness (2010)

Television and web edit

Title Year Role
Oprah Winfrey Show Herself
CBS Sunday Morning Herself
CNN Herself
The Learning Channel Herself
It's Rainmaking Time! 2010 Herself

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Rotarian Angi Ma Wong Passes Away". Rotary District 5280.
  2. ^ a b "Archives-Events | Friends of the Chinatown Library". friendsocl.org.
  3. ^ "Feng Shui fun with Angi Wong". January 22, 2009.
  4. ^ "Feng Shui fun with Angi Wong". January 23, 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Angela Wong Obituary – Whittier, CA | Los Angeles Times". Legacy.com.
  6. ^ Perspective, The Broad. "Angi Ma Wong".
  7. ^ "The Banning Museum's Wisteria Gets a "Haircut"" (PDF). Banning & Company. Spring 2013. 23: 3.
  8. ^ Lagatree, Kirsten M. (January 1, 1996). Feng Shui: Arranging Your Home to Change Your Life. Villard. ISBN 9780679765431 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Past IRWIN Award Winners for book publicity campaigns". bookpublicists.org.
  10. ^ "Feng Shui Intercultural Expert Angi Ma Wong". experts.com.
  11. ^ Wong, Angi Ma (January 13, 1999). Target: The U.S. Asian Market : A Practical Guide to Doing Business: Angi Ma Wong: 9780963590695: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN 0963590693.
  12. ^ "Review | Night of the Red Moon". thereadingtub.org.
  13. ^ Wong, Angi Ma (June 1996). The Wind-Water Wheel: A Feng Shui Tool for Transforming Your Life. ISBN 0963590677.
  14. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "Been There, Done That: 16 Secrets of Success for Entrepreneurs|Paperback". Barnes & Noble.
  15. ^ Wong, Angi Ma (1998). The Baby Boomer's 4-minute Bible: Enduring Values to Live by. ISBN 0963590650.
  16. ^ Wong, Angi Ma (2000). Feng Shui Dos & Taboos: Angi Ma Wong: 0037038173086: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN 158017308X.
  17. ^ Wong, Angi Ma (2002). Feng Shui Do's and Taboos for Love (Feng Shui DOs & TABOOs) (9781401900809): Angi Ma Wong: Books. ISBN 1401900801.
  18. ^ "Review | Who Ate My Socks?". thereadingtub.org.
  19. ^ Reggie, the L.A. Gator. 2006. ISBN 1928753116.