On July 25, the 12 students representing National Taiwan University, accompanied by Director Zhuang Yashu and Vice Director Liu Daixin of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, visited and interned at the San Francisco KMT Headquarters.
Chairman Liang Guowei and Vice Chairman Huang Minqiang, along with English Secretary Yang Haiping and other senior members of the KMT Headquarters, warmly received the visiting students and introduced them to the history of the KMT Headquarters and showcased some artifacts.
Chairman Liang Guowei informed the students that some of the exhibits on display are replicas, while the genuine collections are securely stored in a vault with assistance from a bomb disposal team to safeguard the historical materials in case of incidents like theft or fire. He expressed a warm welcome to the students’ visit.
Secretary Yang Haiping delivered a speech on behalf of the KMT Headquarters, welcoming the visiting students to witness the historical legacy and spiritual beliefs spanning over three centuries.
Secretary Yang Haiping, who joined the Hung Men KMT in 2016, highlighted the challenges faced in managing over 4,000 historical artifacts since the establishment of the Hung Men. These artifacts include items exchanged between Sun Yat-sen and the Hung Men, as well as correspondence with military leaders of the Beiyang Government such as Duan Qirui, Wu Peifu, Zhang Zuolin, and Sun Chuanfang. These artifacts not only belong to the Hung Men but also represent the struggles of the early overseas Chinese. Eventually, the Hung Men donated these artifacts to the East Asian Library at the University of California, Berkeley.
One student inquired about the historical origin of the five triangular flags displayed on the wall.
Secretary Yang Haiping explained, “The origins of the Hung Men can be traced back to the early Qing Dynasty Anti-Qing Restoration Movement. Our ancestors established the Qingwen Hall during the Kangxi period, which later evolved into a five-branch system. These five branches symbolize five revolutionary units represented by the colors black, red, purple, white, and green, which later transformed into red, yellow, blue, white, and black, corresponding to the five colors of the Chinese Revolutionary Army flag. Our Hung Men Second Branch still upholds the traditions of etiquette and cultural preservation to this day.”
He further emphasized, “Throughout history, the Hung Men has never been a criminal organization. The KMT has never engaged in violent activities, and many misunderstandings stem from social turmoil and internal conflicts during the late Qing Dynasty and early immigration period. Through years of research and newspaper evidence, it is clear that the KMT has never resorted to violence.”
“The roots of the Hung Men and the Republic of China run deep. Revolutionary pioneers such as Sun Yat-sen, Huang Xing, Cai E, Chen Jiongming, and Cai Tingkai were all brothers of the Hung Men. It can be said that without the Hung Men, there would be no Republic of China. While most Hung Men organizations worldwide are gradually aligning with the Chinese Communist Party, we remain steadfast in our support for the Republic of China and the spirit symbolized by the White Sun on the Blue Sky, a commitment that has never wavered.”
“We are not against China but against authoritarianism. We strive for democracy, freedom, rule of law, and the dignity of our nation. We believe that the Republic of China serves as a mirror that illuminates China and represents hope for the future.”
“We are grateful to the Overseas Community Affairs Council and Vice Director Liu of the San Francisco Bay Area Overseas Community Education Center for arranging this visit, allowing young friends to experience this history firsthand. Through such visits, we hope to pass down the spirit of the Hung Men and the history of the Republic of China to the next generation, ensuring that more people understand this often misunderstood and overlooked but crucial chapter of history.”
“We also welcome everyone to engage in discussions and inquiries with the Hung Men brothers, preserving this cultural heritage and belief together.”
The KMT Headquarters is usually not open to the public and houses many important historical artifacts, including the desk and chair once used by Sun Yat-sen, as well as a safe used by Sun Yat-sen.
The visiting students expressed that touring the KMT Headquarters provided a condensed sense of history, and they learned a lot, greatly enjoying the experience.
An elderly gentleman, affectionately referred to as “Grandfather” by people, shared with our reporter that he had spent over a decade researching and organizing historical documents, including thousands of letters that were previously stored in a box. These valuable materials are now housed at the East Asian Library at the University of California, Berkeley. Preserving these historical documents rigorously presents challenges such as language, transliteration, and the absence of punctuation in ancient texts. Many letters originating from the Taishan region featured local phonetic transliterations. For instance, a place called “Suoba” is actually El Paso in Texas. The gentleman pointed out that Saint Jose is phonetically translated as “Shanduoxi,” showcasing the evolving language and hardships of the early Chinese pioneers.
“Grandfather” also explained the historical reasons why the Hung Men were perceived as a criminal organization. Founded in 1674 at the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Hung Men was a secret organization with the aim of opposing the Qing and restoring the Ming. Initially hailed as anti-Qing heroes by the Ming, they were branded as rebels and traitors by the Qing after the dynasty consolidated power. Even Hung Men members who fled to the United States were misunderstood at the time, as the organization was maligned by the Qing government.
Another reason for the criminal association with the KMT stems from a phase of internal conflicts within the organization during the late 19th century, lasting for several decades, primarily fueled by disputes over business, debts, women, and other reasons. “Grandfather” stated, “After over two years of reviewing old newspapers starting from 1864, there were no reports of KMT-related murders in the newspapers. Some murderers had already left the Hung Men, that’s how it was.”
Established in 1848, the KMT Headquarters was originally named Hong Shun Hall. In 1879, it was registered as a non-profit organization with the San Francisco City Government. Due to obstruction from the then-resident Qing government, the name was changed to the KMT Headquarters.
Since 1949, the KMT Headquarters in San Francisco has continued to support the Republic of China government in Taiwan and advocate for the democratic movement of the Chinese people. The current Alliance Chief is Zhao Bingxian.
This year’s San Francisco Bay Area Taiwan Youth Overseas Internship Program, held from July 23 to 31, hosted 12 university students from Taiwan. The internship focused on the San Francisco Bay Area, including activities such as understanding the work of overseas government offices, visiting Taiwanese-funded enterprises, interacting with Taiwanese students, attending Chinese language learning centers, and meeting with Taiwanese elected officials.