Student Profiles/学生档案/學生檔案

C.Y. Sun, also known as Sun Chung Ying, was a prominent figure in early 20th-century China, esteemed both for his entrepreneurial acumen and his commitment to social philanthropy. He is the father of Arthur Sun ('21), Charlie Sun ('25), Thomas Sun ('27) and Mary Sun ('26). Born in 1863 in Ju Kow, Kiangsu Province, he traced his ancestry back to the illustrious Sun imperial family of the Han dynasty. His lineage included his grandfather, Sun Shou Jen, one of the wealthiest men in Nanking, establishing a foundation of affluence and influence that he would later build upon. Educated at the Tianjin Torpedo and Naval School, where instruction was conducted in English, Sun acquired skills and language proficiency that would position him advantageously in an era of heightened international involvement in Chinese affairs. His education is believed to have connected him to influential figures, including Li Hongzhang, one of the most prominent Qing officials of the late 19th century.

Sun’s early career saw him working as an interpreter with Jardine, Matheson & Co., a British trading company, in 1886 before being promoted to the role of compradore with H. Mandl & Co., a significant Chinese government contractor. This experience propelled him into the business world, and he soon co-founded the firm Bielfeld & Sun in 1901, specializing in arms and machinery for the Chinese government. The partnership was dissolved in 1908. In 1900 he was commissioned by the French Government to dispose of the salt they captured in Tientsin. His business acumen led him to significant ventures in waterworks and real estate, notably with the Native City Waterworks Company, Ltd., where he served as acting chairman of Tientsin City Waterworks. His wealth enabled him to build a magnificent 200-acre garden in Tianjin in 1903, later purchased by the future President of China in 1906. This garden, a testament to his prosperity, is now a public site, symbolizing his legacy in the region. The garden’s appeal extended beyond its beauty; it housed a collection of valuable plant species that attracted notable visitors, including Frank N. Meyer, an explorer for the USDA who conducted expeditions across Asia. Meyer, who introduced over 2,000 plant species to the United States, spent an entire day in Sun’s garden on April 14, 1907, as part of his ongoing explorations, documenting its diverse flora and taking images that highlighted his passion for nature.

Sun’s personal estate was equally remarkable, with a grand house and expansive garden built at an impressive cost of over half a million dollars. Furnished with imported European furniture, this residence housed an invaluable collection of old porcelain, reflecting his connoisseurship in the arts. His family life was equally notable; he was married and fathered four sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Sun Kwan Chau, pursued his studies in Switzerland under the guardianship of Major-General M. Rischter, while his younger son, Sun Kwan Ji, was placed under the mentorship of Mr. E. Kretzschmar, a former torpedo instructor to Prince Henry of Prussia, who had a distinguished background in European education.

Beyond his business achievements, Sun was deeply committed to philanthropy. During a famine in Chihli province, he established a fund to provide relief to the affected population. He also pioneered an institution to care for children whose parents had resorted to selling them under economic duress. His commitment to public health was evident during the 1901 cholera epidemic when he was instrumental in creating ten hospitals, each with fifty beds, which undoubtedly saved many lives. As an advisor to the Russo-Chinese Bank at Tientsin and a director of influential companies like the Tientsin Hotung Land Company and Soychi Cotton Mills, Sun’s influence extended across multiple sectors. His social initiatives, wealth, and broad professional network marked him as one of the leading figures of his time, reflecting a legacy that blended entrepreneurial success with a profound commitment to societal welfare.

Source: Arnold Wright, Twentieth Century Impressions of Hong-Kong, Shanghai, and Other Treaty Ports of China (London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Pub. Co., 1908), 740, 751-754. Additional insights provided by Professor Fei Yan, Tsinghua University. https://archive.org/details/twentiethcentury00wriguoft/page/740/mode/2up?q=Sun 

Frank N. Meyer (1875-1918), Papers, 1906-1914: Guide, Archives of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 2024), 7. http://arboretum.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/III_FNM_2012.pdf