|
|
Brife Introduction to Chen Family Chen Hongli Family is a typical overseas Chinese family. Since the founder "Ship Owner Buddha"---Chen Huarong being rich, the family corporated with other in 1851 and set up Qiantailong Company in Nanbei Street, Hong Kong (currently is call Xinxi Street). The company dealed in import and export rice and domestic local products which built solid foundation for Chen Family. After the painstaking effort of Chen Cihong, Chen Limei, Chen Shouming etc., the business expanded to Thailand, Singapore, Annan etc.. Before the second World War, the company has developed into "The first one of the Eight Consortium in Thailand and China", "The Most Rich one in South India Sea". On
the tenet of: "Commerce is the same as Confucianism", "Wealth
is created by people", "Showing mercy to the poor people",
Chen Hongli Family didn't forget the motherland and the hometown, they
did a lot for the society as well as the commonweal activities which accelerated
the development of the hometown and enjoyed high praise from the folks.
Especially after the death of Chen Huanrong in the 10th Year, Tongzhi,
Qing Dynasty, the three generations built over 10 houses, among which
the Chen Cihong Former Residence features large scale, unique structure,
with Chinese and western style integration, the whole 4 building occupies
an area of over 25,400m2 and was call as "The first overseas
Chinese Building in South China". As the development of travelling
industry in Shantou, Chen Cihong Former Residence becomes the popular
spot for visitors both from domestic and abroad. |
|
|
Founder——Chen
Huanrong
 Chen Huarong (1825-1890), called as Xuanyi and Fengji, with the former name Lianjing, was borned in 1825 and passed away in 1890 at the age of 65. Huangrong was born in a poor family, when he was young, he made his life on catching fish and snail. He was short and was call as "A FO" (In Chaoshan Dialect, Fo is pronunced as "Core", it means "Fruit Core". After the Opium War, he went to the Zhanling Gugang and became a worker for a "Hong Tou Chuan" whose family name is Cai. He worked hard, after several year, he earned asome money and bought a ship together with the townees and began to operate shipping. He nevigated in Shanghai, Tianjing, Qingdao, Shantou and South India Ocean Island. In 1851, he estimated that Hong Kong was a perfect place for South and North Good transportation, and corporated with others, built the Qiantailong Company in Hong Kong. The company mainly dealed in impot and export rice and domestic local products. Hong Kong was the birthplace for Chen Family to rich. Since 1871, Chen Huanrong sent his elder son---Chen Cihong to Thailand and created Cheng Hong Shop. He came back to the hometown. Though he is old and of poor health, but he paid much attention to the society commonweal and did a lot. The Qing Dynasty allowed him to build a tablet called "Munificent" and he was entitled as "Tong Feng Dafu". Huanrong has three sons, Cihong, Cixiang and Ciyun. |
|
 Chen Cihong
(1843-1921), was called as Buluan, Zizhou and was born in 1843 and passed
away in 1921 at the age of 78. He learnt a lot at home when he was still
young. Because the relative, Chen Xuanling, was killed for taking part
in the Guantang Chen Shiye to rebell the Qing Dynasty, it influenced the
twonees. He hid in the Wucuo of a neighbour and wasn't been killed. Since
then, he got rid of study and engaged into commerce. He went to Hong Kong
together with his father. Cihong was clever and took charge of his father's
business in a short time. Since the 10th Year of Tongzhi, he had been
a middle-aged man, so he expanded the business to Thailand, created Chen
Hong Shop and Huolong beside the Meinan River Bangkok. The company dealed
in rice processing and import & export trading. Later the company
set up branches in Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shantou and formed a
multi-national trading system. It was the biggest rich company in Thailand
at that time. About the 29th Year, Guangxu, his second son graduated and
took charge of his business. Cihong came back to the hometown. Cihong
was warm to the society commonweal and did a lot. such as: created New
Qianmei Village, Building Schools, Repairing bridges and roads. |