In 1900-1901, Liang Qichao, a prominent political
reformer in China, and one of the most famous figures of modern
Chinese history, visited Australia on a six-month tour. His aim
was to raise support for a campaign to reform the Chinese empire
- to modernise China through adopting the best of Western technology,
industry and government systems.
At the same time as his visit, the Australian colonies had just
decided to federate into one nation. During Liang's visit, the
inauguration of the new Commonwealth of Australia took place,
and celebrations were held all over the country.
Liang Qichao travelled across the continent from the West coast
to the East by steamer, train, and horse-drawn carriage, visiting
metropolitan and regional communities along the way, and meeting
with governors and mayors, the new Prime Minister, community groups
and business people at almost every port of call.
He was hosted by Chinese communities in all the places he visited,
and gave public lectures to both Chinese and Western audiences
around the country.
Chinese had originally emigrated to Australia for the 19th century
goldrushes. By 1900-01, however, they had developed a rich and
diverse community across Australia, engaged in agriculture, manufacturing,
commerce and trade. Despite official moves to restrict the numbers
of Chinese coming to Australia, and despite widespread racism
by many European Australians, the Chinese in Australia also had
many friends and supporters, and successfully engaged with the
wider community. Chinese Australians played an integral role in
the development of the Australian society.
Liang Qichao's tour, and the Australian Federation celebrations,
aroused keen interest in civic affairs amongst Chinese Australians.
Their community and business leaders took a greater interest
in the political, social and economic development of China. Many
went on to play a key role in supporting the establishment of
the Chinese Republic in 1912, in developing modern commercial
enterprises in China, and in supporting the creation of modern
China in the 20th century, through to the reform era.
Chinese Australians also took a stronger interest in Australian
civic life, campaigning against discrimination and racism, and
supporting justice and equality for all Australians. They contributed
to hospitals and benevolent institutions, took part in public
celebrations, and were successful in creating good relationships
with other Australians.
One hundred years since Liang Qichao's tour, and one hundred
years since the birth of the Australian nation, this exhibition
celebrates the contribution of Chinese communities to the development
of Australia, and their role in fostering cultural, commercial
and social links between China and Australia over the past century.
The exhibition has been supported by:
The Australian government's National Council for the Centenary
of Federation. La Trobe University Vice-chancellor's Office, Faculty
of Humanities & Social Sciences & Faculty of Law & Management.
Credits
Project Director: Professor John Fitzgerald, Asian Studies,
La Trobe University, Melbourne.
Exhibition Curator: Paul Macgregor, Curator, Chinese Museum, Melbourne.
Research Assistance: Sophie Couchman and Dr Liu Luxin, Melbourne.
Translation: Dr Liu Luxin and Julian Chen, Melbourne.
Exhibition Design: Advertising City, Melbourne. |
5.13 Portrait of Liang Qichao, which appeared
in the Tung Wah News, 17 April 1901. Liang stayed
in New South Wales from 6 December 1900 until early
May. In the later period of his stay, he started to
write a history of China in the 1890s and gave regular
lectures based on this book. Though he never finished
this work, the first chapter "On Tracing the Sources
of China's Weakness" (Zhongguo jiruo suiyuanlun) was
printed into a pamphlet, and a later version was published
in his collected essays, Yingbing She Wenji.
[Newspaper Collection, State
Library of NSW]
5.28 Edmund Barton, Australia's first Prime Minister.
Liang Qichao met with him at a reception at the Sydney
Town Hall in January 1901.
[Royal Historical Society of
Victoria]
1.11 The Guangxu Emperor. When the Dowager Empress
put the Emperor under house arrest, Kang Youwei changed
the name of his Chinese Reform Association to the
Protect the Emperor Society, with Liang Qichao as
his second-in-command.
[Mansell Collection, from Christopher
Hibbert, The Dragon Wakes]
4.13 Cheok Hong Cheong, Superintendent of the
Anglican Chinese Mission in Melbourne. Cheong was
Liang Qichao's principal host in Melbourne.
[From The Weekly Times,
2 September 1899. Newspaper Collection, State Library
of Victoria]
6.1 Parade organised by the See Yup Society
on 7 May 1901 to celebrate the visit of the Duke and
Duchess of York, who came to Australia to open the
first federal national parliament. The decorated archway
in the background was built for the occasion by the
See Yup Society.
[La Trobe Picture Collection,
State Library of Victoria]
6.2 The See Yup Society banner which led
the 1901 federation procession has survived to the
present day, and is preserved in Melbourne's Chinese
Museum.
[Melbourne Dai Loong Association
6.7 Decorated archway built by the
See Yup Society to celebrate the visit of the Duke
and Duchess of York, who came to Australia in May
1901 to open the first federal national parliament.
[See Yup Society, Melbourne]
3.13 Chinese Archway
over St George's Terrace, Perth, during the visit
by the Duke of York to celebrate the inauguration
of the Federation of Australia, 1901.
[From Jan Ryan, Ancestors.]
3.14 Chinese dragon parade,
Perth, during the visit by the Duke of York to celebrate
the inauguration of the Federation of Australia, 1901.
[From Jan Ryan, Ancestors.]
4.16 Presbyterian Women's Christian
Mission Group, Melbourne, 1890s. There were almost
2,100 Chinese Christians at the time of Liang's visit,
or 28 per cent of the Victorian Chinese community.
[La Trobe Picture Collection,
State Library of Victoria]
7.13 Ang Chuck, wife of Melbourne merchant
Louis Ah Mouy, was one of the earliest Chinese women
to live in Australia. Most Chinese men who came to
Australia were either unmarried, or left their wives
and families in China, and sent money back from their
earnings in Australia.
[Ah Mouy Collection, Melbourne's
Chinese Museum]
5.11 Mei Quong Tart with Emissaries from the
Chinese Imperial Government, who came to Australia
in 1887. Quong Tart was the most influential Chinese
merchant of Sydney, but refused to be associated with
the Chinese Empire Reform Association. He was hoping
to become the first consul of the Chinese government
in Australia, and so perhaps did not want to be too
closely associated with the reform movement
[From Margaret Tart, The Life
of Quong Tart]
5.8 Founders of
the Sydney Chinese Chamber of Commerce, 1903. Predating
the earliest Chambers of Commerce in China (in Suzhou
and Shanghai), the Sydney association is believed
to be the first Chinese commercial association in
the world.
[From C. F. Yong, New Gold
Mountain]
9.3 Two of the largest shareholders in the
Commercial Bank of Australia (which merged with the
Bank of New South Wales in the 1980s to form Westpac
Bank) were Louis Ah Mouy and Lowe Kong Meng. As banks
could issue their own paper currency in those days,
the bank printed Chinese text on their pound note
to encourage Chinese custom.
[Chinese Museum, Melbourne.]
|
