THE fall of China’s Qing Dynasty forever changed the lives of the Chinese.
This milestone was propelled by fundraising efforts, some of which have been traced back to Perak.
The state ranked among Malaya’s top three sources of monetary support for the Huanghuagang Uprising.
This revolt which occurred in April 1911 is regarded as the most important of the 10 uprisings that led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty, that ruled from 1644 to 1912.
Chan Sue Meng, the author of “Road to Revolution: Dr Sun Yat Sen and His Comrades in Ipoh”, said Perak had raised $11,420 (Straits dollars) in 1910.
This put it behind only Negri Sembilan ($18,600) and Penang ($11,500).
“A total of $47,663 was raised in Malaya and Singapore.”
Chan said the donations came from Chinese of all backgrounds.
“These included towkays, tin mine labourers, rickshaw pullers, and food sellers.
“Ticket sales from Chinese opera performances, including those done by the Perak Chinese Amateur Dramatic Association, also raised a lot of money for Dr Sun Yat Sen,” she told StarMetro.
Chan said Perak had Malaya’s highest number of Tongmenghui clubs, which were societies to promote Dr Sun’s mission and vision.
“A quarter of the 100 reading clubs set up by Tongmenghui in South-East Asia were based in Perak.
“Dr Sun had many supporters who shared his dream and contributed towards the mission in big and small ways,” she added.
Dr Sun, known as the Father of Modern China, started his revolutionary career in 1894.
He staged his first uprising in China the following year.
In search of support, he travelled the world to many places, including Perak.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Dr Sun’s passing, Chan organised a guided walk in Ipoh along a trail of locations previously occupied by Dr Sun’s supporters who would run activities for him.
Chan said the revolutionist advocated for progress.
“Dr Sun understood that to transform a nation, one must challenge the status quo, embrace innovation and look to the future,” she said.
