District 18 News
Written by: Lu Ningmin
2020-10-21 22:12
Last update date: 2020-10-21 22:21
The Double Ninth Festival is approaching, and the 4 Chinese Permanent Cemeteries under the Management Committee of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries have many filial sons and grandchildren to visit the graves every year.
Last year, Huayong Club established its long-term development goals with the two concepts of "Life forever" and "Life with Goodness", hoping to innovate the image and promote life education.
The Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery has been updated with a 30-meter-long mural that blends into the characteristics of the Aberdeen area, bringing art into the cemetery.
In addition, the Changchun News Agency plans to hold a "Landing to Root" Discovery Tour next month, inviting the former director of the Hong Kong Museum of History, Dr. Ding Xinbao, as an expert consultant to pass on a free cemetery tour to inherit the century-old Chinese history and culture in Hong Kong.
Ding Xinbao hopes that through the grave tour, young people can learn about the history of Hong Kong with an interesting entry point, and more importantly, understand the reason for the establishment of the Chinese Forever Cemetery, because these large family members have long regarded Hong Kong as home and do not want to be buried in the countryside after death. "At that time, the Chinese did not want the fallen leaves to return to their roots, but to take root."
The Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery also brings art into the cemetery. The murals are colorful, combining traditional and modern elements, and blending into the local characteristics. The sampans, painted boats and cable cars are added to highlight the feelings of Aberdeen’s fishing port.
(Photo by Lu Ningmin)
The 30-meter-long color mural adds elements of the Aberdeen Fishing Port
The China Fortune Club today (21st) held a media guided tour of the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery to introduce the purpose and significance of the "Land Roots" exploration trip.
In order to break the traditional stereotype of death, Chen Yingwen, Chairman of the External Affairs Committee of the China Wing Club, pointed out that last year China Wing Club established the two concepts of "Life forever" and "Life with Goodness" as its long-term development goals, hoping to improve facilities and services and promote charity Work to promote life education.
The Aberdeen Chinese Forever Cemetery also brings art into the cemetery, adding a 30-meter-long "The Gate of Eternal Goodness-The Meaning of Life Never Ends" mural.
Mak Juran, the administrative director of China Yonghui Club, pointed out that the murals are colorful, combining traditional and modern elements, and incorporating regional characteristics, including sampans, painted boats and cable cars, to highlight Aberdeen’s fishing port.
The China Fortune Club also plans to add more local murals in other permanent Chinese cemeteries.
"Because they see Hong Kong as their home, they have become hopeful."
Liu Guowei, Executive Director of Changchun Society Cultural Heritage Resource Center
A number of founding members of the China Fortune Club and prominent figures in the political, commercial, and social welfare circles in Hong Kong were also buried in the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery.
(Photo by Lu Ningmin)
The resting place of the former president of Peking University and the first prime minister of the Republic of China
In the early days of the colonial era, the cemeteries set up for Chinese in Hong Kong were only temporary in nature. As more and more Chinese settled in Hong Kong, they all regarded it as a place for their old age, so they hoped that there would be a permanent cemetery.
Bu was buried in the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery. There are many founding members of the China Fortune Association and prominent figures in the political, commercial and social welfare circles in Hong Kong in the early years, including the former President of Peking University Cai Yuanpei, the first Prime Minister of the Republic of China Tang Shaoyi, and a rare Chinese practice in Hong Kong at that time Cao Shanyun, a lawyer and one of the founders of the University of Hong Kong, and Mo Gansheng, the third-generation comprador of Swire Pacific.
The first permanent cemetery for Chinese without religious background
Liu Guowei, Executive Director of the Cultural and Historical Sites Resource Center of Changchun Society, pointed out that in December 1911, 18 Chinese leaders joined the government for a permanent cemetery, and in 1913 they were finally allocated land by the government to build the first Chinese permanent cemetery without religious background. .
In 1915, the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery became the first cemetery opened under the Huayong Club.
Liu Guowei said that the Chinese forever cemetery broke the Chinese traditional thinking of "fallen leaves return to their roots." "Because they regard Hong Kong as home, they have become hopeful."
"The government's final willingness to grant land is a tender means, which has strong political significance behind it. These big families have also sent a message that Hong Kong is their home, which is very helpful to the subsequent construction of Hong Kong."
Dr. Ting Xinbao, former director of the Hong Kong Museum of History
In order to introduce the history of the Chinese permanent cemetery in Aberdeen to more people, the Changchun Club plans to organize a "Let’s Take Roots" Discovery Tour. It specially invites the former director of the Hong Kong Museum of History, Dr. Ding Xinbao, as an expert consultant to provide free cemetery guidance to students and the community. Reward service.
Dr. Ding Xinbao specially introduced that the 18 Chinese leaders at the time, led by the founder of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and former Legislative Council Member Liu Zhubo, asked the government to grant land as a permanent cemetery for the Chinese. "The government is willing to grant land in the end. There is a strong political significance behind it. These big families have also sent out a message that Hong Kong is their home, which is very helpful to the subsequent construction of Hong Kong."
Dr. Ding said with a smile that although Liu Zhubo is the biggest promoter of the Chinese permanent cemetery, he is not buried here. "He chose to be buried in his own country. It is conceivable how important the mentality of "fallen leaves back to the roots" was to the Chinese at that time. ".
On the other hand, Ye Lanquan, the founder of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association, brought the remains of his ancestors buried in the countryside and brought them here.
Ye Lanquan, the founder of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association, brought the remains of his ancestors buried in the countryside and brought them here.
(Photo by Lu Ningmin)
Dr. Ding also specifically mentioned the tomb of one of Hong Kong’s distinguished families, Sir William Wylie. "He is the third Chinese to be awarded a knight. He has a distinguished identity and a very prestigious family. He is also one of the founders of the China Yonghui Association. Luo, can only be buried in a small place on the mountain here, and his tombstone has not even written his title, which is very embarrassing."
Li Hysan, a member of the Hong Kong extended family, was also buried in the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery. The cemetery is a circular fort, which is very impressive.
(Photo by Lu Ningmin)
Members of the large Hong Kong family include Lei Hysan, and Zhou Shouchen, the first member of the Chinese Political Council, are also celebrities buried in the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery, but the most famous person in China to be buried in the Aberdeen Chinese Permanent Cemetery must be Peking University. Former principal Cai Yuanpei.
"When the May Fourth Movement broke out, Cai Yuanpei was the president of Peking University. At the same time, he accommodated very radical and conservative people in the university. When students were arrested, they also came to bail in person. This is a model for university presidents."
Hope to let young people understand Hong Kong history with interesting entry points
Ding Xinbao believes that the guided tour of the cemetery is a more interesting entry point for young people to learn about the history of Hong Kong. In addition to learning more about the stories of prominent families in Hong Kong, it is more important to understand the history behind the establishment of the Chinese Forever Cemetery. I don’t want the fallen leaves to return to their roots, but to take root.”
Ding Zhi tomb tour is already a very popular activity in foreign countries. He hopes to break the death taboo through guided tours and introduce this kind of historical education to Hong Kong.
Liu Guowei said that the guided tour is hoped to be launched next month, but it depends on whether the government's epidemic prevention measures will be relaxed at that time. Interested parties are reminded to pay attention to the latest information released by the Changchun News Agency and the China Yonghui Facebook page.
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