LEE MONG KOW (1863 – 1924)

Lee Mong Kow ( 李夢九 ) a.k.a. Cherk Ming（ 字：卓明) : Born 1863 of Chinese ancestral village in China’s Quangtung province, Poon Yee district, Ling Tong See Dai Pin village. ( 廣東番禺菱司大碰村)

When he was only nine years old, his father passed away in 1872. He and his mother lived in the village then in Hong Kong until he emigrated to Canada in 1882. His mother joined him eight years later in 1890. In Victoria he married Seto Chang Ann ( 司徒春顏) in 1893 and have seventeen children, thirteen survived to adulthood.

In his youth, Mong Kow showed signs of good intelligence with exceptional talents. As he matured to adulthood, these traits stood him in good stead in a very positive way. His personal integrity and his trustworthiness are noteworthy. With his proficiency in English and his social interaction with the white population in Victoria he was appointed as “interpreter” at the Canada Custom House in 1885 ( 加拿大海關) . At that time Victoria was first port of entry into Canada, so he was indeed a valuable asset to the government. With the vast movement of people and importation of merchandise rapidly increasing, in1911, the government transferred Mong Kow to the immigration department ( 移民局) and he became the “interpreter” for this department for a decade. During this period he assisted many Chinese in cutting bureaucratic red tape. He was very sensitive to the needs of the Chinese and he did all he can to alleviate their anxieties. He assisted them in all their interpreting needs and welfare.

While being engaged as official government interpreter, he was in business as well. Around 1895 he became a partner in a tailor shop (old address #7 Cormorant Street) named Gum Jern ( 錦彰號). Later about 1902, he went into partnership operating a Chinese Medicine Herbal Store at 541 Fisgard Street called Shon Yuen ( 信源) . He was also involved in real estate, the Sheam and Lee Building.

1896 (光緒廿二年) was an important year for Mong Kow. Qing dynasty Emperor Kuang Hsu (光緒) dispatched his highest ranking personal representative Chief Foreign Minister, Lee Hong Jern (李鴻章) to Canada and Victoria in particular especially to meet with Lee Mong Kow. He wished to know the general welfare of the Chinese in Canada and the trade between Canada and China. They discussed all pertinent subjects at some length. After their meeting, Chief Minister Lee Hong Jern as the authorize personal representative of Emperor Kwang Hsu, conferred an Imperial title of Prefect in a Prefecture ( 欽加同知銜) and an Imperial Decoration of Honour of the First Order

( 一級賞戴花翎) to Mr. Lee Mong Kow, honours well deserved. This is comparable in Britain as the Order of the British Empire or in Canada, the Order of Canada, and depending on the rank it may be as high as a Knighthood. However it did gave him an entrée into the Imperial Court. In 1915, the Chinese Consul Lum Sic Woon ( 林軾桓領事) on behalf of President Yuan Shikai ( 袁世凱大總統) of China , conferred upon him The China’s Gar Wor Medal of the Sixth Order ( 六等加和章). This Award can be interpreted as successful achievements in his duties.

Lee Mong Kow was very active in the Chinese community. He served as Vice President of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in 1898 ( 中華會館) and on the executive board of directors for many ensuing years

Recognizing the importance of maintaining the Chinese language and culture, in 1899 Mow Kong with his friends and colleagues started the Lock Quun Chinese School ( 樂群義塾) which he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees ( 董事長) . Later this school became known as the Chinese Public School (華僑學校) He served as the first principal and the ensuing twelve years.

In 1904 ( 光緒卅一年) with his many good friends and businesses at that time, Tai Yuen ( 泰源 ), Wah Yuen (華源 ), Suen Yuen (信源 ), Ying Cheong Lung （英昌隆 )and other prominent Herbal stores. Mong Kow raised several thousand dollars to publish a book, “Catalogue of Certified Chinese Herbal Medicine, new edition” (驗方新編) for distribution worldwide where there were Chinese or interested parties. With this fund, he also made three sets of ‘printing type sets’, one set was sent to Quangtung Kwong Gnai Hospital ( 廣東廣濟醫院) , second set was sent to Hong Kong Chung Wah Hospital (香港東華醫院) and the third set was sent to Shanghai Kwong Shing Association (上海廣肇會館).

Mr. Lee Mong Kow was a man of great integrity. He served his community with great enthusiasm and volunteered his services without hesitation. His sincere caring for his fellowman is best portrayed by this story. When he heard of the big fire in Ottawa in l900, without hesitation and on his own initiative, he canvassed his friends and business colleagues for a large sum of money to send to Ottawa for the fire victim’s relief. He was the ultimate example of the ancient Asian concept of Filial Piety.

In 1920 he retired. The family traveled to Hong Kong on the Empress of Russia. In Hong Kong he was appointed Chinese Manager of the Canadian Pacific Steamship （加拿大太平洋船務公司華人經理）. He passed away in 1924 and his son, Lee Yook Quan (李毓坤 ) assumed his father’s position in the steamship company.

Today Mr. Lee Mong Kow is well remembered by the Chinese community, his contribution to the Chinese Public School, his contribution to the Lee Association, his contribution to the Chinese business community and maintaining the Chinese language and culture. Perhaps the result of the Imperial titles conferred upon him by the Qing Emperor, his omnipresence in the Victoria community in his era, he was often referred as the Chinese Consul, and his home in Victoria, a white house on Johnson Street (no longer there) has long been referred as the home of the Chinese Consulate. A large picture of the original house hang prominently in the present day business of McCall Brothers Funeral Home and a bronze plaque to designate the place where the house once stood, a fitting memorial.

Prepared by: Jack Wai Yen Lee, C.M. （李惠賢)

July 2^nd, 2004

Please note: This concise biography was compiled for the pleasure of Mr. Lee Mong Kow’s family, descendants, relatives and friends. It is not meant to be an exact science of genealogy research.

Sources:

Lee Mong Kow’s family records

Lee Association publications

B.C. Archives

Family oral interviews

Oral history of friends and relatives, past and present.

Observations of friends and relatives, past and present

CCBA and Chinese Public School Publications

Dr. David Chuenyan Lai : The Forbidden City

Dr. David Chuenyan Lai :Towns within Cities

Pictures from B.C. Archives

Pictures from Chinese Public School

Pictures from Lee Mong Kow family

Personal pictures