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Kom
Tong Hall and the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum
2005
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| Kom Tong Hall as it stands nowadays |
Dr Sun Yat-sen received worldwide reputation
as a great revolutionary and his epoch-making career
was inseparable from Hong Kong, where he attended schools
and nurtured his revolutionary ideas. From the establishment
of the Xing Zhong Hui (Revive China Society) in 1894
to the founding of the Republic of China in 1912, Dr
Sun kept using Hong Kong as a base of his revolutionary
campaign. His activities mainly focused in Central and
the Western District, including the College of Medicine
for Chinese at 81 Hollywood Road where Dr Sun received
his tertiary education, and Qian Heng Hang at 13 Staunton
Street where he set up the headquarters of the Xing
Zhong Hui. As the district records Dr Sun's activities
and covers the Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail, the Hong
Kong SAR Government has selected and acquired Kom Tong
Hall at 7 Lower Castle Road as the venue of the proposed
Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum in early 2004. With the preparation
work undertaken by the Hong Kong Museum of History,
this new museum is scheduled for its opening in late
2006, so as to commemorate the 140th birthday of this
great Chinese statesman.
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| Ho Kom Tong, the original owner
of Kom Tong Hall. |
Kom Tong Hall, where the new Dr Sun Yat-sen
Museum stands, was built by Ho Kom Tong, the brother
of Sir Robert Ho Tung, in 1914. The two brothers served
at Jardine, Matheson & Co. Ltd. as compradors. Ho
Kom Tong lived in this splendid premises till his death
in 1950. At this three-storey building, the facade of
the top two floors is supported by the Greek-style granite
columns surrounding the curved balconies. Inside are
two flights of staircases, with the one at the front
for use by the Ho's family and the one at the back for
mui tsai, literally maids. Being a typical Edwardian
classical building, Kom Tong Hall is majestic and magnificent,
and is among the very few surviving structures in Hong
Kong, dating back to the early 20th century. The stained-glass
windows, veranda wall tiles and staircase railings are
all preserved intact. Since 1960, the premises was under
the care of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day
Saints. It was only until early 2004 that the Hong Kong
SAR Government acquired the premises and announced the
plan of establishing a Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum there.
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| Well-decorated dinning room
of Kom Tong Hall |
Dr Sun had not set foot at Kom Tong Hall
throughout his life, but he was related to Ho Kom Tong,
the original owner of the premises, in one way or another.
Both were born in 1866 and were the graduates of the
Central School, the present Queen's College, in 1886.
Being schoolmates, it was not surprising that Dr Sun
and Ho Kom Tong were acquaintances. Ho's elder brother,
Sir Robert Ho Tung, even rendered support towards Dr
Sun's revolutionary activities. When Dr Sun left Shanghai
for Guangzhou via Hong Kong, he called at Ho Tung's
house on 18 February 1923. Two days later, Dr Sun was
accompanied by Ho Tung to Loke Yew Hall at the University
of Hong Kong, where he was warmly received by the representatives
of the University, including Ho Sai Kim, son of Ho Tung
and Chairman of the University's student union. Ho Sai
Kim even sat beside Dr Sun while a group photograph
was taken after the function. Given the close relations
between Ho's family and Dr Sun, Kom Tong Hall is inevitably
one of the most suitable venues for the setting up of
a Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum.
By the time the new Museum is opened,
it will be compatible with the Sun Yat-sen Historical
Trail in its vicinity and let the general public reminisce
the activities of Dr Sun and his revolutionary comrades.
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