Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver, photo from Internet

Born on November 12, 1866, Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), from Xiangshan (now Zhongshan), is known as the father of Republican China. His aim to establish a republic stemmed from deep disillusionment with the Qing dynasty. The revolution he spearheaded, including the April 27, 1911 Canton uprising, was bloody and genocidal, leading to widespread death and destruction. This violence often targeted the Manchu ruling class and population ethnically, driven by historical resentments against the Qing dynasty. Its impact on the Manchu peoples has been seen many years afterwards. Sun's global revolutionary efforts involved Canada significantly. He first visited in 1897 to further his anti-Qing campaign. In 1892, he established his initial revolutionary group among Cantonese immigrants in Honolulu. Sun actively fundraised and spread revolutionary ideas among Chinese communities in Canada, seeking support for a new uprising in Canton. His greatest success was in Victoria, BC, where a local organization mortgaged its building for $12,000 in February 1911, becoming the largest financial backer for the Canton Uprising. Other Canadian branches followed, collectively providing nearly half the funds. Sun's movement relied heavily on overseas Chinese support, who he reportedly called the "mother of China's revolution" for their vital financial and moral contributions. The Chinese community in Canada, particularly in Victoria, significantly nurtured both China's Republican Revolution of 1911 and its founder.