This bronze bust statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the first provisional president of the Republic of China, was installed in the Wo Hing Museum courtyard. The black marble pedestal base for the statue includes English and Chinese descriptions of his humanitarian philosophy.

LAHAINA – Lahaina Restoration Foundation and the Wo Hing Society invite the public to the dedication and unveiling ceremony of a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen on Saturday, Aug. 25, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The statue was recently installed in the front courtyard of the Wo Hing Museum at 858 Front St.

Dr. Lily Sui-fong Sun, granddaughter of Dr. Yat-sen and president of the Sun Yat-sen Foundation for Peace and Education, donated the statue to the Wo Hing Society.

The Maui Chinese Cultural Society provided funds to cover shipping costs from the People’s Republic of China, and Lahaina Restoration Foundation donated labor to install the statue.

According to LRF, “The monument will enhance the historical, cultural and educational value of the Wo Hing Museum while honoring Maui’s Chinese community, whose significant support contributed to Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s success in the Chinese revolution.”

The dedication ceremony will include a blessing, keynote speech by Dr. Sun and an offering ceremony, where the public can adorn the statue with flowers and lei.

A film documenting the history of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, educational exhibits and entertainment will be featured. Refreshments will be served.

Yat-sen, known as the “Father of Modern China,” was a Chinese revolutionist and a western medical doctor who began his education in Hawaii.

From 1879 to 1910, he made six trips to Hawaii and spent more than seven years in the islands preparing for the 1911 Chinese revolution that led to the overthrow of China’s Manchu Qing Dynasty.

Dr. Yat-sen was then elected as the first provisional president of the Republic of China. His brother, Sun Mei, a silent hero behind the revolution, operated a large cattle ranch in Kamaole, Maui, and he – as well as many Chinese on Maui – provided crucial financial support for the revolution.

The Wo Hing Society in Lahaina, established in the early 1900s, was a center for the Chinese community of West Maui.

Since 1984, Lahaina Restoration Foundation has had a long-term agreement with the Wo Hing Society to restore the buildings and operate the Wo Hing Temple as a museum.

For more information, call the Lahaina Restoration Foundation office at 661-3262.