“A doctor and a politician. That was Wu Han Chi.” Today, before us stands Wu Han Chi’s tomb. It is located in the Yuexiu District of Guangzhou. Specifically, it’s at 651 Dongfeng East Road. The tomb is situated on the west side of the square. It’s near the Zhongshan Medical University’s affiliated Tumor Hospital. This is more than just a tomb. It is a city-level protected historical site in Guangzhou.
Wu Han Chi lived from 1872 to 1913. He was a renowned doctor. He participated in Sun Yat-sen’s anti-Qing revolution. Later, he became a member of the Senate. This was after the Republic of China was founded in 1913. After the Song case, Wu Han Chi proposed impeaching Yuan Shikai. He listed Yuan’s crimes. Yuan then sent assassins to kill Wu in Tianjin. This happened on August 19.
Wu Han Chi was first buried in Guangzhou Christian Public Cemetery. Some say it was called “Jesus Cemetery.” His daughter, Wu Zhi Mei, raised funds in 1931. She established the Wu Han Chi Memorial Hospital. This is now the Zhongshan Medical University Tumor Hospital. In 1932, she moved Wu Han Chi’s tomb to the hospital grounds.
The Wu Han Chi Memorial Hospital was damaged during the war. However, the tomb was untouched. During the Cultural Revolution, the tomb was vandalized. This was because of the Christian cross on the tombstone. The descendants did not dare to visit. The destruction went unnoticed for a long time.
In the late 1970s, Dongfeng East Road was expanded. Wu Han Chi’s tomb was moved. It went to another location within the hospital. Only the tombstone was moved. The remains stayed behind. In 1979, Wu’s descendants visited the tomb. They found it destroyed. Hospital workers were using the site to dry vegetables. The descendants wrote to the State Council’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. They requested repairs. In the 1980s, the office allocated 200,000 yuan for renovations. But nobody knew Wu Han Chi’s remains were not there.
In the 1990s, Wu Han Chi’s tomb was neglected again. It became a garbage dump. Workers dried clothes there. His descendants found out.
In late 2008, Wu Han Chi’s tomb became a protected site. Still, nobody knew about the misplaced remains. In 2009, the Tumor Hospital expanded. It demolished Wu Han Chi’s tomb. His descendants were not informed. In early 2010, they discovered the demolition. They argued with the hospital.
On September 8, 2010, workers discovered Wu Han Chi’s remains. They were about 15 meters from the original tomb site. The bones were intact. The identity was confirmed. It was based on the writing inside the tile covering the bone pot. A memorial stele was found hidden in a hospital wall. Hu Hanmin wrote the inscription. It commemorated Wu Han Chi. Someone had hidden it. It was probably to protect it.
Wu Han Chi’s descendants worried about oxidation. They asked the hospital to rebury the remains. The hospital placed the remains in a rough wooden box. It then put the box in the hospital’s air conditioning control room. The descendants protested. The Guangzhou Culture, Radio and Television, and News Publication Bureau sent experts. They decided to temporarily place the remains. It was next to the Zhujiang First Division’s Martyr Memorial Monument.
One of Wu Han Chi’s descendants considered moving the remains to Canada. This would prevent further disturbances. It would also allow North American relatives to visit. But this idea never happened.
Finally, in 2012, Wu Han Chi’s tomb was relocated. It was placed on a grassy slope. The bone pot was buried there. The Guangzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Guangzhou Municipal Government coordinated with the Forestry and Garden Bureau. The bureau improved the surrounding environment. On March 29, 2012, Wu Han Chi’s remains were reinterred. A Christian ceremony was held. Descendants of Sun Yat-sen and other revolutionaries attended. Ma Ying-jeou presented a plaque. It read “Allegiance and admiration.”
Today, the tomb includes a tomb cover and a memorial stele. The tomb cover is made of granite. It has a pagoda-shaped decoration. A red cross is in the middle of the tomb cover. The words “Tomb of Martyr Wu Han Chi” are engraved on either side. The memorial stele is made of white marble or granite. Hu Hanmin wrote the inscription. It describes Wu Han Chi’s life. It includes a eulogy. Part of the stele is damaged. It has been repaired with cement mortar. A plaque from Ma Ying-jeou is also at the tomb. The tomb of Wu Han Chi stands here. It is a testament to a life of medicine, politics and revolution. It is a story of sacrifice, neglect and eventual respect.