Furen Literary Society

The Furen Literary Society, also known as the Chinese Patriotic Mutual Improvement Association, or the 'Furen Cultural Society Restoration Association (Foo Yan Man Ser Kwong Fook Hui)', was founded in Colonial Hong Kong in 1892.

Furen Literary Society
Pak Tsz Lane, the original site of the Furen Literary Society, is now the 8th spot of the Dr Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail
Traditional Chinese輔仁文社

It was founded by Yeung Ku-wan, together with Tse Tsan-tai and others, with Yeung as their leader. The guiding principles of the society were: "Open up the people's minds" (Chinese: 開通民智) and "Ducit Amor Patriae" (盡心愛國; 'Love your country with all your heart'). Other tenets were:

  • To purify the character in the highest possible degree
  • To prohibit indulgences in the vices of the world
  • To set an example for future young Chinese
  • To improve in all possible ways Chinese and foreign knowledge both in a civil and a military point of view
  • To obtain a good knowledge of western science and learning: and
  • To learn how to be and act as a patriot and how to wipe out the unjust wrong our country has suffered.

The society met in Pak Tsz Lane, Central, Hong Kong.

In November 1894, Sun Yat-sen founded the Revive China Society in Honolulu, Hawaii, and, in 1895, the Furen Literary Society was merged into the Hong Kong chapter of the Revive China Society, with help from Yau Lit. Yeung Kui-wan and Sun became respectively President and Secretary of the Revive China Society.

A memorial park (Pak Tsz Lane Park) to the early revolutionists of the Furen Literary was opened in May, 2011 - just in time for the centenary anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution, which realised the dreams of the members of the Furen Literary Society.

Members

The Society had 16 members, the details of whom 14 are known:

MemberFromEducatedWorkNoteFate
* Yeung Ku-wan (楊衢雲)Haicheng, Fujian; born in Fumen Walled City, Dongguan, GuangdongSt. Paul's Collegeteaching staff of St. Joseph's College, chief secretary of China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company, vice-manager of the Sassoon Maritime Companyleader of the Society, President of the Hong Kong chapter of Revive China SocietyAssassinated 1901 by Qing agents
* Tse Tsan-tai (謝纘泰)Hoiping, Guangdong, born in Sydney, AustraliaGovernment Central Schoolsecretary of Public Works Department, Hong KongTreasurer of Hong Kong Revive China Society
* Chan Fan (陳芬)Government Central Schoolinterpreter for Hong Kong Government
* Chow Chiu-ngok (周昭岳)Namhoi, GuangdongGovernment Central Schoola businessmanmember of the Hong Kong chapter of Revive China Society
* Wong Kwok-yu (黃國瑜)Namhoi, GuangdongGovernment Central Schoolinterpreter of Hong Kong Government
* Law Man-yuk (羅文玉)Shuntak, GuangdongGovernment Central Schoolteaching staff of St. Joseph's College
* Wen Tsung-yao (溫宗堯)Sunning, GuangdongGovernment Central Schoolteaching staff of the Government Central Schoolparticipated in the Independence Army uprisingDied 1947 in Nanjing jail
* Luk King-fo (陸敬科)Shiuhing, GuangdongThe Government Central Schoolteaching staff of the Government Central School
* Lau Yin-bun (劉燕賓)St. Joseph's Collegechief secretary of Ping Kee Shipping Company
* Wu Gon-chi (胡幹之)Punyü, GuangdongSt. Paul's Collegecomprador of the Sassoon Maritime Company
* Ho Yu-minh (何汝明)Heungshan, GuangdongSt. Paul's Collegeteaching staff of St. Paul's College
* Wong Wing-seung (黃詠商)Heungshan, GuangdongSt. Paul's CollegePresident of Revive China Society
* Yau Lit (尢列)Shuntak, GuangdongCanton Academy of Mathematicssecretary of Secretariat for Chinese Affairs (now the Home Affairs Bureau, Hong Kong)
* Chan Wai-fan (陳鏸勳)Namhoi, Guangdongauthor of Hong Kong Collections (香港雜記)

See also


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