Hand‑in‑Hand for Benevolence: 150 Years of History of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals of Hong Kong 1870–2020

In 2003, shortly after Chinese New Year, I was entrusted by the Community Services Division of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals to organize the historical records of Tung Wah Coffin Home. Before this, my understanding of Tung Wah was confined to its Flag Day and the fundraising TV program, Tung Wah Charity Gala. My knowledge about Tung Wah Coffin Home was all hearsay from a student orientation event at The University of Hong Kong. I had neither visited the Coffin Home nor possessed any substantial understanding of it.

Intrigued by such interesting Hong Kong history, and curious about Tung Wah Coffin Home, I took up the mission offered to me. And, on an evening with drizzling rain, I visited the Coffin Home where restoration work had just begun. The memories of that visit, such as the atmosphere and even the smell of the Coffin Home, all remain vivid in my mind, even after all these years. I was deeply impressed by every detail of the Coffin Home, which demonstrated a caring and respectful attitude to the deceased. Instead of working on-site at Tung Wah Coffin Home, I executed my duties at Tung Wah Museum because most of the Coffin Home documents were stored on the second floor of the Museum. Thanks to the project, I had the privilege to extensively explore TWGHs’ archives, enabling me to uncover a wealth of historical information and appreciate its diverse cultural heritage on a deeper level. The documents, though turning yellow in color, clearly depict Tung Wah’s benevolent deeds over the past century and a noble spirit that still touches the hearts of people today.

Unfortunately, the project began during the SARS outbreak, when Kwong Wah Hospital bore the brunt of the crisis. Amid the social downturn, my assistant and I donned masks as we moved in and out of Tung Wah Museum, poring over countless archives and materials, an experience etched indelibly in my memory. And unexpectedly, ten years later, Kwong Wah Hospital and I had another encounter. I revisited Kwong Wah Hospital with my team, conducting some oral history interviews on the Hospital’s SARS experience a decade prior. This enabled me to have a more three-dimensional, in-depth understanding of the Tung Wah spirit centered on healing the sick and helping the underprivileged.

Lau Chi-pang
Professor of the Department of History
Lingnan University