Tan Kah Kee: Flag of Overseas Chinese

Li Dapeng
2004-10-21 05:43

People in Xiamen yesterday celebrated the 130th anniversary of the birth of Tan Kah Kee (Chen Jiageng), well known for his contributions to education.

"Everyone who knows Tan Kah Kee will associate his name with promoting education, which is the pride of the Chinese nation, overseas Chinese all over the world as well as people in Tan's hometown Xiamen," said Ouyang Jian, a senior official with the Xiamen Municipal Committee of Chinese Communist Party.

Because of Tan's great contributions, late Chinese leader Mao Zedong praised him as "the flag of overseas Chinese and the glory of the Chinese nation."

Tan was born on October 21, 1874, in Jimei, a town 26 kilometres from Xiamen, in the East China province of Fujian. He arrived in Singapore at the age of 16 to begin his career in his father's rice store.

Later he built an industrial empire that included rubber plantations and manufacturing, sawmills, canneries, real estate, import and export brokerage, ocean transport to rice trading. He amassed a huge fortune and made himself known as the "Henry Ford of Malaya."

Tan spent his fortune not on himself or his family, but on education. He founded and financed several schools and other educational institutions in his hometown Jimei as well as in Singapore.

In 1921, he set up Xiamen University and maintained it for 16 years even during his financially difficult years, before the then Chinese Government took charge over it in 1937.

"We miss the days of learning in Jimei very much," said Jit Temcharoensuk, President of the Alumni Association of Jimei Schools in Thailand, who studied in Jimei after he came to China in 1953.

"It was far-sighted of Tan to establish the schools at that time, which now enjoy good reputation among Thailanders," he said.

He said there are about 500 Jimei school fellows in Thailand and they organize a celebration every year in memory of Tan.

Tan's spirit has also been widely spread among young students in the schools he founded.

Cao Xiaopei, a senior student of Jimei University, said: "We can nearly hear Tan Kah Kee's name everyday in our campus where the students called Tan the master of the university."

She said every year, when freshmen first arrive, they visit Tan's former residence and tomb in Jimei and read the story of his life.

Besides his great contributions to promote education, Tan was also a community leader who mobilized Southeast Asian Chinese to contribute financially during the Chinese people's eight-year Anti-Japanese War.

The Singapore China Relief Fund Tan initiated was particularly impressive as it consisted of more than 300 branches and mobilized over 300,000 Chinese in Singapore to ensure it reach wide and deep into the Chinese community.The fund also collected 400 million yuan (US$48.4 million), which were donated by overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia between 1937 and 1942.

Tan returned to China in 1950, where he held various posts under the Chinese Government. He died in Beijing in 1961.

Tan Dib Jin (Chen Liren), Tan Kah Kee's grandson, said: "Our grandfather is still an inspiration today, not only for overseas Chinese, but particularly for his children."

Although he never met his grandfather, Tan Dib Jin grew up hearing lots of stories.

Most of Tan's family members are now living in different countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and Canada.

Due to the differences in their languages and background, Tan Dib Jin often finds it difficult to spread his grandfather's spirit to the new generations.

"But I have the confidence that more and more of Tan's family members will come back to China and make their own contributions to the nation."

(China Daily 10/21/2004)