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The first exhibit of the soon-to-be opened Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, was unveiled today (November 7).
The two-metre high statue, which depicts Dr Sun holding Chinese and Western books in his hands, was casted by the renowned local sculptor Chu Tat-shing. The statue not only highlights Dr Sun as a book lover, but also shows his erudition encompassed both Chinese and Western learning, and his lofty ambition to save the country and the people.
Dr Sun received his secondary and university education in Hong Kong. He had long stated that his revolutionary ideas were nurtured in Hong Kong. The museum thus modelled this statue on his look as a young man full of ambition and vitality during his student days.
Officiating guests for the statue unveiling ceremony included the Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, the Deputy Secretary of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr Li Changjian, the Vice-Chairman of China Overseas Friendship Association, Mr Lou Zhihao, the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Li Guikang, the Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Ming Junfu, the Chairman of the Organising Committee of Dr Sun Yat-sen's 140th Birthday Celebration, Dr Leo TH Lee, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Thomas Chow, and the great-grand-nephew of Dr Sun Yat-sen, Mr Peter B Sun.
To coincide with the 140th anniversary of Dr Sun's birthday, the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum is scheduled to be open in December. There will be two permanent exhibition galleries, one staging "Dr Sun Yat-sen and Modern China" and the other, "Hong Kong in Dr Sun Yat-sen’s Time". Through the display of historic relics from museum's collection and on loan from other collectors, the museum provides visitors a glimpse of the life of Dr Sun and the role of Hong Kong in modern Chinese history.
The museum also has a thematic exhibition and lecture hall, reading room, video rooms, interactive study rooms and activity room for organising special exhibitions and various activities. It also provides a wide range of services and education programmes including audio-guide, guided tour, teaching kits, school lectures, slide shows and travelling exhibition panels.
Located at 7 Castle Road in Central, the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum was converted from Kom Tong Hall which was built in 1914. It was originally the residence of Ho Kam Tong, a brother of Sir Robert Ho Tung. In 2004, the Government acquired Kom Tong Hall and announced its plan to convert the premises into the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum. With a floor area of 2,560 square metres, this four-storey building has a facade surrounded by the Greek-style granite columns. It is a typical Edwardian classical building, and is among the very few surviving structures in Hong Kong dating back to the early 20th century. The stained-glass windows, balcony wall tiles and staircase railings are preserved intact.
Ends/Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:59
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