AHA Media

The Chinese Freemasons and the PHS Community Services Society co-hosted a ceremony to unveil a plaque to commemorate the 100 anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s visit to Vancouver and his stay at the Pennsylvania Hotel, originally named the Woods Hotel.

When: Oct 7th (Friday), 2011, 12:00 Noon

Where: Lobby of the Pennsylvania Hotel, 412 Carrall St., Vancouver, BC

Event: Unveiling of the plaque and a reception after.

Chinese Freemasons and the PHS Community Services Society co-host the unveiling ceremony of a plaque to commemorate the 100 anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s visit to Vancouver as well as his stay at the Pennsylvania Hotel in February 1911. This is also the 100 anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution, which ended thousands of years of monarchy rule in China and established the first republic in Asia.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen led the Xinhai Revolution to victory in 1911, the same year he visited Vancouver and he is popularly considered the founding father of modern China.

Chuck Chang Executive (Vice Chairman Chinese Freemasons National Headquarters of Canada): “The Chinese Freemason mortgaged our buildings to help raised tens of thousands of dollars for the revolution. Many of our members also took part in direct action for the course, some sacrificing their lives for the revolution.”

Chuck Chang Executive (Vice Chairman Chinese Freemasons National Headquarters of Canada): “The Chinese Freemason covered the expenses of Dr. Sun’s visit in 1911. We also provided protection to make sure that Dr. Sun’s personal safety was not compromised. One hundred years later, we are still proud of our support to the revolution.”

Dr. Dan Small: “We are proud and honored that Pennsylvania Hotel, formerly known as the Woods Hotel and the Portland Hotel, is connected to such an significant event in human history; and that the Hotel hosted such an important person as Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the founding father of modern China and the first president of China.”

Dr. Dan Small: “The core belief of the PHS Community Services Society is to support progressive social changes and to promote tolerance of people with diversity of lifestyle and ideas, whether or not such ideas are popular at the current time or not.”

Dr. Dan Small: “We treasure this special and historical link between Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and the Pennsylvania Hotel. We also treasure this special and historical link between the Chinese community and the PHS Community Services Society.”

BACKGROUNDER: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen played a key and leading role in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that toppled the Qing Dynasty in China, ending monarchy rule that has lasted for thousands of years in the China and established the first republic in Asia.

The revolution commenced with an army uprising in the city of Wuchang in central China on Oct 10th, 1911.

In the same year, in 1911, believed from February 6th to the 18th, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen spent about two weeks in Vancouver. Dr. Sun was a guest of the Chinese Freemason and stayed at Woods Hotel, now the Pennsylvania Hotel, dodging assassination attempts from his adversaries while conducting an uprising in Southern China.

The Chinese Freemason hosted Dr. Sun’s visit in 1911 and help raise tens of thousands of dollars for the revolution, mortgaging their buildings to raise the crucial funds.

According to the recollection of the Chinese Freemason, they paid a total of $97.30 to settle Dr. Sun’s hotel bill, as well as $195.40 for Dr. Sun’s telegraph expenses.

One of the core operations of the PHS Community Services Society is providing housing accommodation to clients with special needs. And the first such housing projects for the PHS was the Portland Hotel, formerly called the Woods Hotel where Dr. Sun Yat-Sen stayed 100 years ago.

Below are videos of  Dr. Sun Yat-Sen ‘s Plaque unveiling at Pennsylvania Hotel in Vancouver

AHA MEDIA recently had the great pleasure of witnessing the unveiling of a very special little piece of Vancouver’s amazing history.

In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen visited Vancouver to raise support for the revolution happening in China. He came to Vancouver and stayed in the Pennsylvania Hotel in our own DTES, welcomed warmly by the Chinese Freemasons society of Vancouver and protected by them as agents had followed him from China to Vancouver and were intent on stopping him.

100 years later, the Portland Hotel Society welcomed us all to the recently renovated Pennsylvania Hotel to witness the unveiling of a beautiful plaque commemorating the good Dr’s visit.

There were many representatives from the city of Vancouver including Councillor Kerry Jang, Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, Andrea Reimer and Sarah Blyth. MLA Jenny Kwan who gave a stirring speech in both English and Chinese to the crowd.

Members of the Chinese Freemasons, people from the Portland Hotel Society, as well as Chinese senior citizens from Chinatown were all present to see the grand unveiling of the plaque.

Afterwards, we adjourned to the Calabash Bistro to enjoy traditional Caribbean food and each other’s company on this momentous historic day!