“Mo Chong He Ye”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 482, 11 October 1928, Page 11

“Mo Chong He Ye”

DRAGON’S FALL CELEBRATED

Chinese Patriotism

FOURTEEN years ago yesterday the Manchu dragon was . swept to the ground by the Republicans. Auckland had its own “Mo Chong He Ye” to celebrate the anniversary, but there was an early hitch in the proceedings.

Long before ten o'clock practically j every Chinaman in the city was at Civic Square, dretsseci for the occasion, the younger flying gay ties and hot socks. Children were there too and a few Chinese women and a hundred or so Europeans. Sixteen buses and a score of cars lined up to he decorated with the flags of the Republic and every passenger flew liis red, white and btue. The more honoured had white ribbons witli Chinese inscription as well. Everything was ready. With order and gravity the 410 celebraters had mounted tho buses and taken their seats but something was wrong. There's not to reason why, the picnickers sat and waited while a few officials did the worrying. A tremendously important detail had been overlooked. On one side of the leading bus a great Chinese flag dangled; the other side had none. It was no use the “Mo Chong He Ye” attempting to start without a Union Jack. The officials were adamant. . . Three-quarters of an hour elapsed before the old Jack was flying from the right side of the bus and then the band having struck up, the slow procession of beflagged buses made its way up Queen Street, bringing everyone to the doors and windows. The Chinese sat and smiled and waved the flags. An hour’s run brought them to the valley of Ferndale, gloomy under a threatening sky. . . The rain held off, however, and the persistent ringing of a bell summoned the celebraters to a general meeting in the Ferndale dance hall. Here someone started to play the piano and a jazz party was just in its beginnings when the chairman, Mr. Luan Fong arose. “HURRY REPUBLIC” Song sheets having been distributed, the meeting began with the singing of the "Kung War,” the song of united China. It was a curious flat chant, sung very earnestly. From an impromptu translation, it seems to be as stirring a ballad as most national anthems. This is what they sang to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the overthrowing of tyranny (translation supplied): “Hurry, Hurry, O! Republic! > Behold our five parts are a complete whole. Day has dawned for the greatest Republic in the wide world. In Asia, she stands with the mountains on her left And the wide sea on her right. The great mother of waters, the Yang Tse is on her bosom. Her broad lands are fertile, her industry increases. Hold up the flag whose blue is the blue of our sky. Whose white is the white heat of the And the red is bright and excellent. O! China, live for ever and ever! The speeches were an example to politicians. The first three lasted half

a minute each. Mr. Chun Vim Sing, president of the Nationalist Party here, Mr. Ng Wai Poi and other speakers said something brief and to the point in Chinese. Then Mr. Hong Duk welcomed the English visitors. invited them to join in the sports and expressed the hope that friendship would be lasting. Mr. C. S. Fong who also spoke in English, painted a picture of a united China going forward after the turmoil of the past to prosperity. China wanted the friendship of England and the United States. After three cheers had been given by the visitors for the Chinese residents, the congregation again sang “Long Live China.” NO CHOP-SUEY Lunch was on, unfortunately nothing as exotic as chop-suey was served, and the Chinese, with a courteous gesture waved the visitors in to dine first. Before the sports proper began there was an unforutnate incident, Willie Tong, a young motor-cyclist, crashing into another when they were riding on the green sward, and breaking his leg. There was a very small field for the Chinese 100 yards championship run , over a steeplechase course of uncertain distance. Six faced the starter, and N. Doo cantered home very easily to win from his brother T. W. Doo. The “all nations 220” was also not run over a surveyed course. In fact it started on one side of a valley and finished on the other a couple of pine trees making a natural hazard. Doo did the trick again winning as he liked from a tall Englishman. The half dozen other starters gave out under the rigors of the course. The apple-eating race more popular with the sportsmen, many of whom tried to beat the pistol. But the big majority of the picnickers did nothing more than stand and watch. Then came the rain swamping down and making everyone run for cover. It was all over much earlier than was expected. Everyone seemed iferfectly happy on the return trip, even the motor-cyclists wet to the skin. So the fall of the dragon was celebrated decorously in Auckland.