[1] According to her Playmate profile, her name is pronounced "chee-na" to rhyme with "Tina".
Lee was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Chinese parents who immigrated to the United States after marriage.
She is the youngest of eight children and the younger sister of Harry Lee, who served as the sheriff of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana for about 28 years.
[2] The name "China" is derived from the nickname "Chinita" ("little Chinese girl") bestowed on her by Spanish-speaking neighbors who admired her dancing as a child.
Lee appeared at the end of Woody Allen's What's Up, Tiger Lily?, performing a striptease.