Chinese Americans remained in unequal social status before America abolished the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943.Influenced by racial discrimination,living environment and educational factors,The American born Chinese demonstrated an apparent"dual cultural identity,"which originated from the 1920s and 1930s.During this period,the American born Chinese were influenced by a multitude of overlapping factors,such as the"Postfigurative Culture"transmitted by elderly immigrants,the transmission of a"Configurative Culture"by contemporary Chinese American society,and a"Prefigurative Culture"coming from mainstream American society.They also showed a dynamic evolution in their cultural identity along with their own personal growth.At a deeper level,the enormous differences between the Chinese and American cultures may be the root cause,while the distinct difference in educational styles between the ethnic Chinese and mainstream Americans may serve as a direct motivation.Ultimately,racial discrimination from the mainstream society could be the factor that lead the American born Chinese to transform their cultural identity from one-dimensional to twodimensional.Thus,"selective assimilation"became the path for them to build a new identity of"Chinese Americans".