陈嘉庚生平介绍(中文+英文版)

A Brief Biography of Mr. Tan Kah Kee
BIRTH AND FAMILY
An overseas Chinese legend, Mr. Tan Kah Kee's legacies have inspired many in Southeast Asia. From humble immigrant origins, he rose to a prominence which few can match. Best remembered as an eminent entrepreneur, social reformer, political activist, philanthropist, community leader, and educationist, he died at the age of 87 in Beijing on 12 August 1961 and was accorded a national funeral by the Chinese Government for his contribution to society.
Born on 21 October 1874 in Fujian, China. At the age of 17, Mr. Tan arrived in Singapore to join his father, Mr. Tan Kee Peck in the family's rice business.
Business responsibilities came early as his father's business failed in 1904, leaving him much on his own. With extraordinary fortitude, enterprise and risk-taking ability, he set about establishing a business of his own which began in pineapple canning, then diversified into rice milling. He eventually found the mainstay of his fortune in rubber plantation. The switch from rubber plantation to rubber manufacturing was a move he made boldly, and it established him as one of the most successful Chinese overseas businessmen in the whole of Southeast Asia.
By the 1920s, he thus came to preside over a huge business empire which extended into most East and Southeast Asian cities, employed over 10,000 persons. It spanned areas as diverse as rubber plantation and manufacturing, shipping, import and export brokerage, real estate and rice trading.
His business success put him in the forefront of the leadership of the Hokkien community from which he originated. He held advanced views about social reform and criticized several outmoded practices then prevalent, such as gambling, opium-smoking and ritual extravagance.
An abiding interest that underpinned Mr. Tan Kah Kee's multi-faceted public activities sprang from his firm commitment to educational philanthropy. In 1894, at the age of 21, he established a school in his village in Jimei. In the decades, thereafter, his enthusiasm and passion for educational philanthropy grew, culminating in his endowment of the Xiamen university in 1921.
In Singapore Tan Kah Kee's educational endeavours were impressive, imbued by the same missionary zeal and vision that had inspired him to found the Xiamen University. Through his inspiration, five primary and secondary Chinese schools were founded here, chief among them being the Chinese High School. He also generously donated to schools which imparted English education. For instance, he donated $30,000 to Anglo-Chinese School in 1919.
THE BUILDING OF ENTERPRISES
Tan Kah Kee migrated to Singapore at the age of 17. He obtained his working experience as an apprentice in his father, Tan Kee Peck's rice trading company, Soon Ann. Tan proved himself to be an exceptional worker and was promoted to manager of the rice company. Unfortunately, Soon Ann did not do well and eventually failed in 1904. The young Tan Kah Kee resolved to be an entrepreneur to regain the family's fortune.
One of his first businesses was a small pineapple canning factory which he managed to start with a small capital of seven thousand Straits dollars. He was rather successful at the business and managed to get additional funds to open another firm. This time, it was a return of his family's old trade. Named Khiam Aik, the rice company was situated at North Boat Quay.
Tan's fortune really turned for the better in 1905. It was then he bought a 500-acre undeveloped forested land in Singapore. He started to open up the land, removing the thick foliage and started the Hock Shan Plantation there. Tan Kah Kee was already aware of the growing pineapple industry and that demand outstripped supply. He was determined to get into this business.
Tan's pineapple canneries for Southeast Asia had wider implications than just building up his personal fortunes. His industries were seen as the forerunners of an indigenous industrial revolution in Southeast Asia. It showed the rest in the region that industrialization is possible given the commercial impetus to do it.
Tan Kah Kee was also aware of the potential that the rubber trade had in 1906. He allocated part of the cleared land to plant rubber saplings. He also had the vision that he would go into rubber manufacturing and wanted to have his own supply of raw rubber. An ambitious man, not only did he want to go into the rubber industry but also he wanted to enter it in a big way. At his peak, Tan Kah Kee had more than 10,000 acres of rubber plantations.
Tan's business showed results by 1910. Between the years 1904 and 1910, he obtained a profit of S$730,000 from his businesses. He was subsequently given the nickname 'Henry Ford of Malaya'. By the early 20th century, Tan Kah Kee owned three pineapple canneries, rubber trees and a network of trading firms in Southern China and Hong Kong.
CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION
Mr Tan's energy and drive were refocused on strengthening the still infant Republic of China after the collapse of his business empire. In his view, money should also go into education to the extent that he made a public declaration that with the founding of the Republic of China, he was willing to donate his entire fortune for the promotion of education in China and Singapore.
Mr. Tan has a strong belief in the ability of education to enable people for social upliftment. He founded Amoy University (Xiamen University) for this purpose. His dedication to Amoy University is admirable, continuing to maintain and fincance Amoy University even when his business empire was in financial difficulties from 1926 to 1937. At the point of his death, he had donated $20 million to education in Fukien, having financially supported Amoy University for sixteen of its formative years.
Besides, Tan's educational grants and donations also covered the entire spectrum of education in the Fukien province of China. He founded the Chi Mei (Jimei) School in 1894, and expanded Chi Mei School into a chain of schools that covered the full spectrum of education.
Other than mainstream education, Tan also started specialized institutes that produce graduates in the fields that China was lagging behind. They included business, marine and navigation, Chinese language, agricultural as well as kindergarten teachers' training schools. Altogether, it is estimated that Mr Tan Kah Kee put in no less than ten million dollars for his educational contributions to China's Fukien province.
China was not the only beneficiary of Tan's philanthropic quest in education. Many Chinese schools in Singapore, including Tao Nan (1907),
Ai Tong (1912), Chung Fook Girls School (1915), Chung Poon (1915), Singapore Chinese High School (1918), Nanyang Normal School (1941) and Nan Chiao Girls High School (1947) were founded by Mr. Tan Kah Kee. After establishing these schools, he did not neglect them. In order to provide them with the institutional support that they needed, Tan created an education Department in the Hokkien Huay Kuan to centralize the control and subsidized the operating costs of the above-stated schools. Mr. Tan did not restrict his generosity to Chinese schools. Some English-speaking institutions that are benefit from Tan's generosity included Anglo Chinese School and Raffles College.
Even after his death, Tan Kah Kee remained a symbol of advancement in the field of public education in Singapore.
ANTI AGGRESSION
As Sino-Japanese relations broke down, Mr Tan Kah Kee was increasingly involved in mobilizing the Chinese community against Japanese aggression. He was very active in the Shantung Relief Fund and was later appointed as the chairperson of the China Relief Fund Federation in Southeast Asia and he raised millions of dollars from the overseas Chinese community in Southeast Asia for the benefit of war-torn refugees in China. Under his leadership, the Shantung Relief Fund turned into a Japanese goods boycott movement with its headquarters in Ee Ho Hean Club. Tan also formed the National Salvation Movement, an anti-Japanese group in Malaya and Singapore.
After 1936, Tan led the Singapore China Relief Fund and the South Seas China Relief Fund Union, mobilizing Southeast Asian Chinese to contribute financially to the war against Japan. The Singapore China Relief Fund was particularly impressive as it consisted of over 300 branches and mobilized over 300,000 Chinese in Singapore to ensure the widest and deepest reaches into the Chinese community. The fund also contributed to the 400 million Chinese yuan donated by overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia between 1937 and 1942.
Tan's ability to mobilize the masses did not escape the British authorities in Singapore. British Governor Sthenton Thomas requested for Tan's leadership in the Singapore Chinese Mobilization Council to assist in the militia and civil defence of the island. In addition to assisting in manpower mobilization, the British authorities also asked Tan for help in selling war bonds to raise money for the war efforts. He was approached to sell $40 million worth of bonds that had been allocated to Malaya. Tan himself bought $100,000 worth of bonds out of patriotism and through his efforts and those of other personalities within Malaya, the British
eventually sold $15 million worth of bonds, a remarkable sum in view of the harsh times then.
Because of Mr Tan Kah Kee's prominent role in anti-Japanese war, when the Japanese troops occupied Singapore, he had to escape to Java where he sought sanctuary for the duration of World War II. He lived quietly in Indonesia throughout the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, starting from 1943. It was during this phase of his life that he started writing his memoirs that was published later on in the postwar years as the "Memoirs of the Nanyang".
TAN KAH KEE SPIRIT INHERITANCE
Mr. Tan died on 12 August 1961 in Peking (Beijing) at the age of 87 and was given a national funeral by the government of the People's Republic of China. Even at his death, Tan was still fervent about his public education cause. He willed all his money (1million renminbi) to be given to the schools in his hometown.
Tan left behind Jiageng Park, a national monument in China that was formerly a little island on the southeast seaside of Jimei.
On 11 March 1990, the International Asteroid Centre of China named Asteroid 2963, discovered by Zi Jin Shan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, after Tan Kah Kee to commend his remarkable contributions to educational causes. The naming ceremony of the "Tan Kah Kee Star" was held at Xiamen University.
Other than monuments and the "Tan Kah Kee Star", he has such a high status amongst overseas Chinese that some of the world's most prominent Chinese got together in Hong Kong in 1992 and established the Tan Kah Kee International Society. The society aims to promote the advancement of science and culture for the benefit of human Society.
Just as he is remembered in China through national monuments, Mr. Tan Kah Kee is remembered in Singapore through his donations, foundations and scholarships. The Chinese High School, specially erected a bronze statue of its founder, Tan Kah Kee, in front of the clock tower for remembrance. His generosity continues to benefit future generations of Singaporeans. Mr Tan's Young Inventors' Award continues to fund budding scientists as well as inventors in Singapore, playing a role in spurring the scientific community as well as Singapore's research and development capabilities.
Other than Asia, Mr. Tan Kah Kee's name can also be found in the United Sates. On 28 April 1993, Professor Lee Yuan Tseh and Professor Tien
Chang-Lin recommended and fought for a building named "Tan Kah Kee Hall" to be built in the School of Chemistry at University of California, Berkeley. The completion of the Tan Kah Kee Hall signified that Tan Kah Kee's noble spirit and philosophy had been introduced to the West, expanding further and rooted in different parts of the world.
出生与家庭
陈嘉庚先生祖籍福建省同安县集美村，生于 1874年10月 21日。

1890年当他 17岁时就南渡到新加坡。

在父亲陈杞柏经营的米店学习经商。

不幸在 1904年家道中落，重振家业的担子就落在他的肩上，他筹足资本，开始创设黄梨厂，开拓橡胶种植业，发展橡胶工业和海运业。

由于他的奋斗努力创业，在 1925年，他的资产已达 1200万元，所雇员工达一万人以上，成为早期东南亚社会的工商业先驱。

在陈嘉庚奋斗建业的同时，他积极推动提倡教育工作，为培养教育下一代，大力兴办学校，振兴教授。

在新加坡，他从 1907年至 1947年的 40年内先后创办道南、爱同、崇福、崇本等小学，华侨中学，南洋师范及南侨女中。

在中国，从 1913年至 1920年，前后在他的家乡集美创办了一群学校和学院，统称为集美学校。

1921年成立著名的厦门大学，并单独创办与维持厦门大学达 16年之久。

虽然，陈嘉庚企业在 1930年结束了，但是陈嘉庚 "倾家兴学" 的美誉永存，为后人树立了学习榜样。

在振兴教育之余，陈嘉庚先生也以社会改革为己任，多方改革华族社会的组织与陋习，并提倡慈善事业不遗余力。

抗日战争爆发，陈老先生四方奔走，团结广大南洋华侨，筹赈救亡，到处募捐，支援抗战，为振兴中华民族作出卓越的贡献。

陈嘉庚先生于 1961年 8月 12日在北京逝世，享年 87岁，并得到中国政府赐予国葬礼以纪念陈先生对国家社会的贡献。

在新加坡创业
1890 年， 17 岁的陈嘉庚第一次出洋来到新加坡，在父亲的米店协助族叔管帐兼当书记，直到 1892 年族叔回国后，他便接任顺安号米店经理，并主持财务工作。

能干的陈嘉庚常受到父亲的夸赞。

1903 年顺安号米店倒闭后，陈嘉庚便自立门户，在三巴旺建立 " 新利川 " 黄梨罐头厂。

1904 年，他买下柔佛 " 日新 " 黄梨厂一名已故大股东家属名下的全部股份，又在 " 新利川 " 附近买下大片空芭地，建成当地最大的黄梨种植园 " 福山园 " 。

后来福山园被用来种植树胶，为日后陈嘉庚在南洋的工商企业王国扎下牢固的根基，并使他在 20 年代获得了 " 马来亚的亨利福特 " 之美誉。

此后，他的财产日益增加， 1904 年 6 月间，他在顺安号原址创立 " 谦益 " 号米行，并在 10 年后发展成为他的商业中心。

那时，已乔迁至利韦韦里路 1 号二层商业楼里的谦益号有 180 名职员，分掌他企业王国辖下的白米，树胶，黄梨，航运和工业制造等业务的财务与营销活动。

1905 年，陈嘉庚在梧槽河口创立了第三间黄梨厂，取名 " 日春 " ，利用周围各地生产的新鲜黄梨，加工制造。

拥有了三家黄梨厂，再加上他刊登了自产黄梨产品的广告，他的生意大有斩获。

不料这年冬季，黄梨罐头行情下跌，销路大减，他只能惨淡经营。

这一挫折使陈嘉庚有了新的想法，认为单靠黄梨罐头制造发家是不行的，在激烈的商业竞争中，必须善于抓住市场的脉搏，向多方面经营，才能开拓新的局面。

1906 年，他转向树胶种植业发展，这使他的经济开始腾飞。

早期的树胶种植业被视为欧洲人的行业，少有华人参与。

陈嘉庚向马六甲的陈齐贤询问了有关胶籽的情形后，买籽撒播于福山园。

后来，这些胶籽成为他日后发家的基础，使他成为了胶业巨子，华社领袖。

以后，陈嘉庚便在柔佛的笨珍港和老谢港开辟两个树胶园，此时正值胶价大涨，同时，米店与黄梨罐头的生意也为他带来大笔财富。

至 1910 年，陈嘉庚在商业活动所获得的利益，已使他成为百万富翁。

之后，他继续兴办罐头食品厂和米磨坊，开拓海外市场，取得巨大成功。

20 世纪初，中国民主主义革命的浪潮兴起，南洋各地的华侨积极响应，在新加坡开始有兴中会的活动。

陈嘉庚当时对大清王朝早已失去信心，目睹了西方列强的猖獗与清廷的腐败无能，他更认定" 国家兴亡，匹夫有责" 。

在革命书报的影响下，他开始向往孙中山的革命事迹。

1909 年的一个晚上，陈嘉庚通过友人的介绍认识了孙中山，并参加了同盟会会员在晚晴园的秘密聚会。

第
二年，他便正式加入同盟会，剪掉辫子，与清廷断绝关系。

1911 年 10 月 10 日武昌起义成功。

11 月 8 日福州光复的消息传到新加坡，福建华侨均兴奋万分，拥到直落亚逸路天福宫福建会馆，商议筹款救济和支援福建革命政府。

大会一致同意展开 " 保安捐 " ，推举年方 37 岁的陈嘉庚为保安捐主席。

当他证实福建全省已光复时，便立即汇去银元 2 万。

此后，陈嘉庚落力发动华侨踊跃捐款，先后汇回 20 余万元。

同年，孙中山于南京就任中华民国临时大总统，陈嘉庚立即汇去 5 万元以示支持。

从加入同盟会到支持辛亥革命，体现了陈嘉庚爱国的政治热情。

倾家兴学
陈嘉庚久居新加坡，对当地的教育问题特别重视。

他在新加坡的兴学，始自 1907 年联合闽帮侨领创办道南学校。

从 1911 年开始，他先后领导华侨创办 5 所华校，资助 2 间英文学府。

除了道南学校， 1912 年创办的爱同学校， 1915 年创办的崇福女校， 1918 年创办的南洋女校，陈嘉庚都是创办人之一。

他于 1918 年发动创办新加坡第一间华文中学，即南洋华侨中学 ( 华中 ) ，并担任多届校董会主席。

辛亥革命前后十年，陈嘉庚把大部分精力放在办学上，像这样长时间，大规模，倾全力兴办教育事业，在整个华人教育史上，可说是前无古人的。

陈嘉庚对于推动福建省的教育发展，更是不遗余力，他认为把家乡教育办好是促进国家强盛的第一步。

1913 年，他决定在集美兴办一所小学，其后又和胞弟陈敬贤陆续在集美和厦门开办中学，高级学府，师范和职专等。

1927 年春，集美将原有各部独立为校，统称 " 集美学校 " 。

1919 年 7 月，陈嘉庚发起兴办厦门大学的热潮，并将自己所有的资产，报国商业楼宇，栈房，地产及树胶园转让至集美学校名下，而这些资产的盈利全拨为厦大和集美二校的经费。

他当场认捐 100 万元作为厦大的创办费，还承诺另外 300 万元的常年经费。

当时，厦大是中国唯一独资兴办的大学，又是全国院系最多的五所大学之一。

创办厦大使陈嘉庚名扬整个中国和南洋，巩固了他作为新加坡华社领袖的地位，也提高了他作为社会领导的声望。

除了长期支持厦大集美二校外，陈嘉庚还慷慨资助中国及新加坡的许多学校。

其 " 倾资兴学 " 的精神和对教育事业的支持受到后人的肯定与景仰。

抗暴反侵略
1928 年 5 月 3 日，蒋介石领导的北伐军在向北京挺进时，在山东济南遭到日军的野蛮干涉，中国军民死伤惨重，中国外交人员蔡公时也被日军拷打至死。

这一血腥的 " 济南惨案 " 激起新马华侨的爱国民族主义精神。

陈嘉庚领导了 " 山东筹赈会 " ，抵制日货，周济蒙难军民。

11 日，怡和轩发出一张通告传单，提出在中华总商会召开一次大会，商讨赈济山东难民的问题。

有千余人出席了大会，陈嘉庚担任大会主席，发动讨论如何让 " 死者可葬，伤者可医，散者可聚 " 。

大会还选出了以陈嘉庚为首的跨帮性工作委员会，成立了 " 山东惨祸筹赈会 " 。

这一项募捐运动不久席卷了新马两地的华人社会，形成了一项跨帮跨派，深入民间的政治性群众运动，促进了华社民族主义思想的蔓延与深入。

陈嘉庚当时从维护国家统一的愿望出发，坚决支持南京政府。

他不但积极开展反日宣传，抵制日货，而且还向华侨筹募巨款，汇往上海支持抗战。

1937 年的 " 七七事变 " 拉开了中国八年抗战的序幕。

中日战争全面爆发后，新加坡华人情绪高涨，各界人士纷纷起来组织各类筹款活动，其中规模最大的是 " 马来亚新加坡华侨筹赈祖国伤兵难民大会委员会 ( 简称星华筹赈会 ) " ，由陈嘉庚担任主席，直到二战前夕。

在1937 年到 1942 年间，东南亚华人为各项用途而汇回中国的款额超过 55 亿国币。

其后成立的南洋华侨筹赈祖国难民总会（简称 " 南侨总会 " ) ，也由陈嘉庚担任主席职务，在东南亚各地组织筹赈，一年一度为中国集送棉被，冬衣，药品，卡车和汽车等。

像南侨总会如此大规模的组织，在南洋华侨史上还是第一次。

抗战期间，陈嘉庚积极支持各地的爱国救亡活动。

他协助武汉合唱团，新中国剧团，中国歌舞剧艺社等抗日文化团体到马来亚各地演唱募捐，他还发动华侨司机与机械维修工人回国服务。

他也以福建会馆名义，募捐并组织营救华侨罢工工人和因反日示威而被当地政府拘捕的爱国华侨。

由于陈嘉庚在抗日救亡运动中的卓越贡献，在日军侵占新加坡后，他不得不避难东爪哇，从 1943 年起居住于东爪哇的山城玛琅并开始撰写回忆录，直至 1945 年日军撤离后，他才重返新加坡。

1946 年出版的《南侨回忆录》即是介绍华侨在艰苦卓绝的民族战争中所作的努力，抒发海外华侨的爱国情操。

陈嘉庚精神传承
陈嘉庚去世后，在集美学村和厦门大学都耸立起他的铜像，华侨大学也修建了陈嘉庚纪念堂。

新加坡中华总商会的大礼堂命名为 " 嘉庚堂 " ，福建会馆与南洋华侨中学也塑建起他的铜像。

陈嘉庚一生经历了长期复杂的历史阶段，集政治，经济，文化教育，社会活动诸方面的大成，形成了一系列的高贵品质和崇高精神，统称为 " 嘉庚精神 " 。

嘉庚精神的基本涵义是丰富多元的，既含有他所服膺向往的轻金钱重义务，诚信果毅，疾恶好善，爱国爱乡诸点，也包括他所倡导和身体力行的艰苦创业，倾资兴学，刚直无私，勤勉俭约等。

陈嘉庚具有强烈的爱国主义精神和崇高的民族气节，他是一位赤诚的爱国者。

他终其一生，全力支援祖国的革命，抗战，复兴的活动。

因此，爱国主义是嘉庚精神的本质特征。

陈嘉庚的倾资兴学，培育人才的可贵精神，最为世人所称道。

他对教育事业的追求 , 热诚刚毅，百折不挠。

他倾资兴学数十年的沦桑历程，集中体现了他的无私奉献，一生为社会服务的牺牲精神，这是嘉庚精神的重要体现。

1990 年 3 月 31 日，中国国际小行星命名委员会，将中国科学院紫金山天文台在 1964 年 11 月 9 日新发现的第2963 号行星，命名为 " 陈嘉庚星 " ，象征着嘉庚精神像 " 陈嘉庚星 " 一样，永远在太空遨游，与日月同辉，与宇宙共存。

随着时间的推移，陈嘉庚精神进一步在国际上发扬光大。

1992 年在香港成立的 " 陈嘉庚国际学会 " ，其宗旨为： " 弘扬嘉庚精神，凝聚各界精英，服务社会，造福人群 " 。

1993 年 4 月，美国著名的加州大学柏克莱分校兴建了一座以陈嘉庚名字命名的 " 陈嘉庚 ( 化学 ) 大楼 " 。

这是有史以来第一幢以华人名字命名的教学大楼，是嘉庚精神走向世界的新的里程碑。

"The banner of overseas Chinese and the glory of the Chinese nation." – Mao Zedong。