Emma Ming Fuller’s Journey: Adoption, Identity, and Belonging

China’s one-child policy significantly impacted families for 36 years. Though dissolved in 2015, the effects linger, evident in recorded cases of abandonment and adoption. Emma Ming Fuller exemplifies those affected. Born in China’s Mingshan District, she was adopted by American parents in Los Angeles. Despite her fondness for her adoptive family, Fuller explores her origins to understand her identity, supported by fellow adoptees online.

Abandonment in Central China

At three months, Emma Ming Fuller was found in a basket outside a government building with a note showing her birth date. A passerby took her to the local police, who marked her as “abandoned.” She spent over a year in a Mingshan orphanage before adoption. With no memories of this time, Fuller believes it shaped her life.

“When I began dating, I noticed attachment patterns,” Fuller shared in 2003 during an interview with Newsweek. “Therapy helped me see how adoption impacted my life, challenging my belief that it had no impact because I was lovingly raised.”

Her insight led to “Living Adopted,” a video series about her life as a Chinese adoptee in the U.S., exploring identity and relationships.

“I [explore] the day-to-day issues tied to my adoption story,” she explained. “Sharing on social media connected me with others, as I lacked people to discuss it with.”

One Instagram video, @emmamingfuller, posted February 17, gained over 25,000 likes. Fuller explained, “I lived in a white community. No one looked like me, prompting this series about adulthood as a Chinese adoptee.” Growing up taught her about remembering trauma. Her video series covers identity questions, self-love, eating struggles, and grief alongside gratitude—common adoptee challenges.

China’s One-Child Policy and Adoption

The 1982 policy aimed to slow population growth by limiting families to one child, with exceptions in rural areas and for ethnic minorities. It ended in 2015, later shifting to a two-child policy in 2021. Cultural preference for male heirs intensified female infant abandonment, resulting in many being placed in orphanages and adopted abroad.

Ming Fuller still grapples with this history. “I’m not deeply embedded in Chinese culture yet,” she admitted. “Understanding myself and my role in it is my focus. Reconnecting with my birthplace remains a future goal.”

She advises fellow adoptees to be patient. “Sorting through your past feels like pouring out garbage, but it helped me understand myself.” Fuller wants to recognize obstacles and challenges blocking her goals. Although unpacking adoption’s impact is tough, she believes it’s worthwhile and supports doing it at one’s own pace.