Sun Mei

Sun Mei, courtesy name Dezhang, sobriquet Shouping, was a native of Cuiheng Village, Nanyin. He was the eldest brother of Sun Yat-sen. His birth and death years are not specified, but he passed away in 1915. His ancestors migrated from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties to Zhujiexing in Nanyue, Guangdong. Later, they moved to Shangsha Village, Chang'an Town, Dongguan City, and ultimately settled in Cuìhēng Village, Nánláng Town, Zhongshan City. The Sun family still maintains the Sun Clan Ancestral Hall, the tombs of the first four generations, and the ancestral hall of the third generation in Xiangshan, within the Dongguan area.

In his youth, Sun Mei primarily assisted his father with farming at home. At age 15, he became a long-term laborer in Nanhulu. At 17, he accompanied his maternal uncle, Yang Wenna, to Honolulu seeking opportunities, initially working as a laborer. Over time, he accumulated wealth through land leasing, reclamation, and commercial activities. In 1883, he moved to Maui, where he engaged in agriculture, commerce, land transactions, property rental, and telephone business, amassing a large fortune and earning the nickname "King of Maui." He was known for his generosity, righteousness, and support of the Chinese community, earning widespread respect among Chinese settlers.

Sun Mei helped Sun Yat-sen obtain attending opportunities in 1879 and repeatedly provided financial support for his revolutionary activities. In October 1894, Sun Yat-sen was preparing to establish the Xingzhonghui (Revive China Society) in Honolulu. Sun Mei actively promoted the organization and held important positions among its members. In 1895, to support the Guangzhou uprising, he sold livestock at low prices to raise funds and donated over a hundred thousand yuan. Although he later mistakenly believed in the Qing monarchist faction, which inadvertently contributed some funds to military expenses. By 1904, following changes in land lease regulations and his long-standing support for his brother’s revolution, the family’s wealth diminished. That year, as Sun Yat-sen traveled abroad for revolutionary activities, Sun Mei offered “dragon saliva incense” in times of emergency. He declared bankruptcy in 1906.

In 1907, Sun Mei and his friends returned to Hong Kong to assist Sun Yat-sen in arranging the retreat of revolutionaries in Guangxi and Hekou. In 1908, together with Tian Tong, Deng Ziyu, and others, he attended to sabotage Qing monarchist propaganda at the Zhenwu Society in Singapore. In 1909, he secretly organized factions in Hong Kong to prepare for the Guangzhou New Army uprising. In 1910, he was expelled from Hong Kong. Later, he participated in the Bànlángyǔ Conference, planning the March 29, 1911, uprising in Guangzhou, and adopted the alias Huang Zhentong to infiltrate Guangzhou, organizing the southern branch to support the Wuchang Uprising.

After Sun Yat-sen established the Republic of China, Sun Mei was advised to serve as Governor of Guangdong. However, he urged his brother to consider the national interests and opposed the appointment, so it was not realized. Subsequently, Sun Mei moved to Macau, ending his political career and focusing on industry until his death in 1915. His remains were reburied in Cuiheng Village in 1935. In 1934, a memorial school built in Cuiheng was named "Shouping Hall" in his honor. Sun Mei’s descendants include Sun Chang, Sun Man, Sun Qian, and Sun Xia, all of whom are descendants of Sun Yat-sen. The family’s ancestral traces remain in the Zhongshan area.