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First Day Cover text for The 140th Anniversary of the Birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen
This set of stamps is issued to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) who led China into a new epoch.
Dr. Sun was closely related to Hong Kong both as a student and a young revolutionary. He arrived in Hong Kong in 1883 and continued his secondary education at the Diocesan Home and Orphanage (now Diocesan Boys' School) and the Government Central School (now Queen's College). In 1892, he graduated from the College of Medicine for Chinese, Hongkong (forerunner of the Faculty of Medicine for the University of Hong Kong) with flying colours. After practising briefly as a doctor, Dr. Sun determined to devote his life to revolution and Hong Kong continued to serve as a base for his revolutionary activities which finally led to the founding of the Republic of China in 1912.
The four commemorative stamps in this set give a glimpse into his life by presenting some of his portraits at different ages. The stamps also incorporate calligraphy by Dr. Sun which proclaims his revolutionary ideal that "the World belongs to the People".
$1.40 – the earliest extant portrait of Dr. Sun, taken in 1883 at the age of 17
$2.40 – portrayed as the Provisional President of the Republic of China in 1912
$3 – photo taken after paying condolences to the family of his comrade Huang Xing in 1916
$5 – the quintessential portrait in a Zhongshan suit, taken in 1922
The $5 stamp in the sheetlet portrays Dr. Sun in his final years at the Supreme Headquarters of the Generalissimo of the Army and Navy in Guangzhou in 1924. The background of the sheetlet shows the map of the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail which covers the places he frequented in his early life during his sojourn in Hong Kong.
The First Day Cover design depicts a bust of Dr. Sun Yat-sen cast in 1929 by Umeya Shokichi, a Japanese friend of Dr. Sun. The bust is an exhibit at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum , the first museum in Hong Kong to be dedicated solely to a historic figure.