Hong Kong Snapshot (83) – Tung Wah Hospital, the spirit of HK people 香港隨拍 (83) – 香港人的精神，東華三院

In Hong Kong, there is a well known hospital called the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. The group consists of three hospitals: Tung Wah Hospital, Tung Wah Eastern Hospital and the Kwong Wah Hospital. Why do I introduce the Tung Wah group? It’s because it’s long history and its contribution to HK.

在香港，有一家每一個香港人都認識的醫院，叫東華三院。但其實，東華三院是由東華醫院、東華東院及廣華醫院三家醫院的合稱，那麼，為何我要介紹東華三院，是因為它長久的歷史，和對香港的付出和貢獻。

In 19th Century, there was no Chinese medicine hospital in HK. All hospitals were western medicine. But western medicine was strange to Chinese. Chinese didn’t understand western medicine. Also, the hospital fee was too expensive to Chinese. So, most Chinese just got treatment from street Chinese doctors.

在十九世紀的時候，香港是沒有中醫院的，當時有規模的醫院都是西醫院，但香港的華人一直以來接觸的都是中醫，他們對西醫沒有認識，更接受不了西醫的手法，其次，香港的西醫院費用並不是華人大眾能夠支付的，所以，華人們都是找坊間的大夫看病。

Chinese Medicine, the wisdom of ancient Chinese (photo from thestandnews.com)

It’s the problem. Since British ruled HK, the population greatly increased, resulting in the problem of hygiene. Chinese in HK were mostly poor people. They didn’t have knowledge of hygiene. They didn’t have money to improve. Since the population increased, the problem of hygiene became worse. Many people died for that. At that time, the Kwong Fook I Tsz is the temple housing tablets. Many sick people just stayed at the temple waiting to died and hoped their tablets would be housed.

問題出來了，自從英國統治香港後，香港人口急劇增加，帶來的自然是衛生的問題，香港的華人都是窮人，沒有衛生常識，也沒有多餘的錢改善衛生，在人口突然急增下，衛生問題越來越差，結果病死的人也越來越多，慢慢的，很多病危的人都走到了上環太平山街的廣福義祠等死，因為廣福義祠是華人安於靈位的地方。

Kwong Fook I Tsz is still here now!

Some wealthy Chinese leaders noticed the problem and they asked the Government to build a Chinese medicine hospital. Finally in 1870, Tung Wah Hospital, the first Chinese medicine hospital was built. MacDonnell, the governor of HK, hosted the opening ceremony. Actually, Tung Wah can hardly manage the hospital. It’s because they only got the HK$110,000 fund form the government. Then they had to responsible for all expense. The point is, What Tung Wah offered was free service. Luckily, many wealthy Chinese supported Tung Wah with funding.

一班比較富有的華人領袖見到這個情況，便上書政府希望能建一家中醫院，終於在1870年，香港第一家中醫院誕生了，就是在普仁里的東華東院，更是由港督麥當奴親自主持開幕儀式。但其實當年的東華東院經營得很辛苦，因為除了當初政府資助了十一萬元後，醫院所有的開支都是由醫院自己負責，但是，東華東院是義診來啊！幸好，很多華人領袖都十分支持東華東院，一直捐款。

Tung Wah Hospital in early 20th century (photo from Tung Wah Group)

Tung Wah was the start of HK charity industry. There is a big sign in Tung Wah, which was written by the Emperor of China. In 1885, there was flooding disaster in Guangdong. Tung Wah funded HK$100,000 to help the people. To thanks Tung Wah, Guangxu, Emperor of China wrote a sign to Tung Wah.

東華醫院是香港華人慈善事業的開始，在東華醫院的大堂有一塊牌坊，是由當時的光緒皇帝親筆書寫，事緣1885年廣東大水災，東華醫院帶頭捐了十萬元，兩廣總督張之洞親自上書光緒皇帝表揚東華東院，換來了這塊牌坊。

The sign I am talking about (photo from takungpo.com)

In the 150 years of history, Tung Wah experienced two hard time. The first one is 1894. There was plague at Tai Ping Shan Street of Sheung Wan. The population of HK decreased from 230000 to 90000. Tung Wah took many patients at the hospital. And the Government took the different way. They forced all the patients to the ships called “Home on the sea” and just let them died on the sea. And they forced Tung Wah to get all the patients to the ships. It caused the demonstration of Chinese. After the plague, the government evaluated the disaster and investigated Tung Wah. Luckily, Tung Wah passed the investigation but the Government forced Tung Wah to offer western medicine service also. Since that, there was western medicine in Tung Wah.

但東華醫院都經歷了兩次的差點倒閉，第一次是1894是，香港太平山街的華人區爆發鼠疫，令香港人口由二十三萬減至九萬，當時東華醫院接濟了很多病人，而香港政府則採取「海之家」行動，將患者都送上船上自生自滅，他們更要求東華醫院都將病人放到海之家，令華人們舉行集體示威。事後政府更對東華醫院進行調查，幸好調查結果並沒有對東華醫院不利，不過他們認為東華需要提供西醫服務，自此東華醫院就有了西醫服務。

People just died on the street (photo from Tung Wah Group)

The second one is 1936. There were more and more patients to Tung Wah. The funding of Tung Wah couldn’t support it and going to bankrupt. The government raised 7 conditions for the subsidize to Tung Wah. Finally, Tung Wah accepted 6 of them, except the one “give up Chinese Medicine”.

第二次是1936年，東華醫院有越來越多求診者，東華的捐款終於支持不住而要破產，當時政府以七大條件來交換對東華的資助，最後東華除了堅持中醫服務外，接受了其他六項條件，政府自此開始資助東華。

Tung Wah Hospital

Now, Tung Wah doesn’t need to subsidize from the Government anymore. Every year, Tung Wah gains around HK$200M funding from the community. They now also provide, community, elderly, education and family services. Tung Wah is now the biggest charity organization of HK.
Tung Wah represents the spirit of perseverance and resilience of HK people. If you want to contribute HK by donation, Tung Wah is a good choice for you.

不過今天的東華就不需要資助了，東華三院現在每年的捐款達到二億港元，除了醫院服務外，東華更開設了社區中心、安老中心、學校、家庭服務中心等多個社區服務，是香港最大的慈善團體。
東華三院代表了香港人的奮鬥精神，也是香港人的驕傲，如果說要捐款，東華三院會是你一個很好的選擇。

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Thanks for spending your time to read my articles. I like to share stories of Hong Kong. I wish you may support me and I will keep going!
謝謝你能抽空閱讀這篇文章，我平日喜歡分享香港的故事，希望大家多多支持，我會繼續努力！