Chinatown Memorial Monument
Municipality/Province: Vancouver, BC
Memorial number: 59027-005
Type: Monument, statues
Address: Keefer and Columbia Streets
Location: Chinatown Memorial Plaza
GPS coordinates: Lat: 49.2794786 Long: -123.1022561
Submitted by: Julie Clements
The Chinatown Memorial Monument is the creation of sculpture Arthur Shu-ren Cheng. It was funded by the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada under the Vancouver Agreement and unveiled on November 2, 2003.
The first bronze figure, a railway worker, recognizes the thousands of Chinese Canadians who lived and died building the Trans-Canadian railway system. The second bronze figure, a Chinese Canadian Second World War solider, represents some six hundred Chinese Canadians who volunteered in the War efforts, proving their patriotism which later earned them the right to vote. The main column is a stylized form of the Chinese character zhong (English translation center) which symbolizes moderation and harmony.
Inscription found on memorial
[left plaque/plaque de gauche]
THIS CHINATOWN MEMORIAL MONUMENT IS THE CREATION OF SCULPTOR MR. ARTHUR
SHU-REN CHENG. THE BRONZE STATUES OF THE RAILWAY WORKER AND THE WORLD
WAR II VETERAN REPRESENT THE SACRIFICES MADE BY CHINESE CANADIANS IN
BUILDING A UNITED AND PROSPEROUS CANADA. THE MAIN COLUMN IS A STYLIZED
FORM OF THE CHINESE CHARACTER "CENTRE" WHICH SYMBOLIZES CHINESE CULTURE.
THE CHINESE COUPLET INSCRIBED ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE COLUMN READS:
"RICH LAGACIES OF CHINESE PIONEERS SHINING BRIGHT AS THE SUN AND MOON
GREAT DEEDS OF NOBLE FORBEARS ZEAL ENTRENCHED AS MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS".
THE CHINATOWN MEMORIAL SQUARE COMMITTEE
(text in Chinese/texte en chinois)
[right plaque/plaque de droite]
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHINESE
CANADIANS TO THE GROWTH, VITALITY AND PROSPERITY OF VANCOUVER,
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND CANADA.
THE CHINATOWN MEMORIAL MONUMENT IS FUNDED BY THE CITY OF
VANCOUVER, PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, AND GOVERNMENT OF
CANADA UNDER THE VANCOUVER AGREEMENT
UNVEILED ON THE 2ND NOVEMBER 2003
(text in Chinese/texte en chinois)
Street view
Note
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