A TAMARIND tree sapling linked to the family of Chinese revolutionary leader Dr Sun Yat-sen was planted at Armenian Street Park today, symbolising the continuation of a century-old historical and cultural bond between Penang and China.
Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the tree-planting ceremony, held in conjunction with the 160th anniversary of Dr Sun’s birth, carried deep historical significance as Penang was one of the most important overseas bases for his revolutionary activities.
He said Dr Sun made five visits to Penang and was involved in nine revolutionary campaigns, with the state serving as a crucial centre for mobilising revolutionary supporters, raising funds, spreading revolutionary ideas and planning strategies between 1905 and 1911.
“Penang played a pivotal role in Dr Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary movement. It was here that he established the Southern Overseas Revolutionary Base, convened the historic Penang Conferences, raised funds for the Huanghuagang Uprising and founded Kwong Wah Yit Poh to awaken public consciousness,” Wong said during the tree-planting ceremony at Armenian Street Park.
The ceremony was attended by Dr Sun’s great-grandniece, Alexandra Sun, who led a delegation from China, as well as Chinese Consul General in Penang Zhou Youbin, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, representatives from the Sun Yat Sen Cultural Foundation and heritage organisations.
Wong said the original tamarind tree was believed to have been brought back by the young Dr Sun from Honolulu in 1883 and personally planted at his ancestral residence in Cuiheng Village, Zhongshan, Guangdong Province.
He noted that the tree, now more than 143 years old, was listed in China’s Compendium of Ancient and Famous Trees in 2006 as a nationally protected Grade I ancient tree.
“The tamarind tree has long transcended its botanical existence. It accompanied the early stages of Dr Sun’s revolutionary journey and witnessed the awakening of his patriotic ideals and lifelong commitment to national reform,” he said.
Wong said the sapling donated by the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum in China and the Sun Yat Sen Cultural Foundation represented resilience, a strong sense of responsibility, enduring vitality, as well as the values of peace and friendship.
He added that planting the tree in Penang reflected three layers of significance — a resonance of history, a friendship spanning more than a century and a symbol of cultural continuity between the two places.
Story by Edmund Lee