Feng Ru. That’s the name of the first aircraft designed, built, and flown by a Chinese person. Right now, we stand before the Feng Ruzhuiji Chujiniangbei, a memorial to this aviation pioneer, Feng Ru. Feng Ru’s story began not here in Guangzhou, but in a small village in Enping County. He was born in 1883, a time when flight was still a distant dream for most. At the age of 12, he emigrated to the United States with his father, seeking better opportunities. The young Feng Ru found work as a child laborer in San Francisco, toiling day and night while attending night school to learn English.
Feng Ru’s fascination with machinery led him to various jobs, including working in shipyards, power plants, and machine shops. He also tinkered with inventions. He successfully built a water pump, a pile driver, and even a wireless telegraph. News of the Wright brothers’ successful flight in 1903 ignited a spark in him. He dreamed of building an aircraft himself and bringing that technology back to China. He began constructing his first aircraft, the “Feng Ru No. 1,” in a small factory in Oakland, California, in 1907.
On September 21, 1909, near dusk, Feng Ru made his first test flight in the Feng Ruzhuiji Chujiniangbei. He flew for about half a mile, reaching a height of 15 feet and circling a small hill. The flight, witnessed by a few reporters and assistants, was a triumph. It marked the beginning of China’s foray into powered flight. Newspapers hailed him as the “Wright of the Orient.” Feng Ru continued to refine his designs and performed successful flight demonstrations.
In 1911, Feng Ru returned to China, bringing with him two aircraft and a team of assistants. His goal was to establish China’s first aircraft manufacturing company. He set up a factory in Guangzhou and began manufacturing aircraft and other machinery. Sadly, tragedy struck on August 25, 1912. During a flying demonstration at Yantang Airport in Guangzhou, Feng Ru pushed his aircraft too hard in an attempt to gain altitude. The plane stalled and crashed. Feng Ru was thrown from the wreckage and died from his injuries.
The Feng Ruzhuiji Chujiniangbei stands here to commemorate that fateful day and to honor the man who dared to dream of flight. Though his life was cut short, Feng Ru’s legacy lives on. He is remembered as the pioneer of Chinese aviation. This memorial, erected in 1988 by the Shahe Cultural Association, serves as a reminder of his courage, his ingenuity, and his unwavering dedication to his dream of flight.