The Furen Literary Society, also known as the Chinese Patriotic Mutual Improvement Association, or the 'Furen Cultural Society Restoration Association (Foo Yan Man Ser Kwong Fook Hui)', was founded in Colonial Hong Kong

Colonial Hong Kong

In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...

 in 1892 to spread ideas of revolution against the Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

 and establishing a republic in China.

It was founded by Yeung Kui-wan

Yeung Kui-wan

Yeung Kui-wan , was a Chinese revolutionary of the late Qing Dynasty. In 1890, Yeung started the Furen Literary Society in British colonial Hong Kong to spread ideas of revolution against the Qing Dynasty and to establish a republic in China...

, together with Tse Tsan-tai

Tse Tsan-tai

Tse Tsan-tai , styled Sing-on , art-named Hong-yu was a Chinese revolutionary of the late Qing Dynasty. Tse was the first Chinese to fly an airship, China in 1899...

 and others, with Yeung as their leader. The guiding principles of the society were: "Open up the people's minds" (開通民智) and "Ducit Amor Patriae" (盡心愛國, "Love your country with all your heart"). Other tenet

Tenet

A tenet is one of the principles on which a belief or theory is based. Tenet may also refer to:* Tenet , a Canadian heavy metal band* Tenet Healthcare, a hospital holding company* Tenet people, an ethnic group in Sudan...

s were:

• To purify the character in the highest possible degree
• To prohibit indulgences in the vices of the world
• To set an example for future young Chinese
• To improve in all possible ways Chinese and foreign knowledge both in a civil and a military point of view
• To obtain a good knowledge of western science and learning: and
• To learn how to be and act as a patriot and how to wipe out the unjust wrong our country has suffered.

The society met in Pak Tsz Lane, Central, Hong Kong

Central, Hong Kong

Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...

, and released books and papers discussing the future of China and advocating the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

 government and establishment of a republic in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

.

In November 1894, Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...

 founded the Revive China Society

Revive China Society

The Hsing Chung Hui or Xingzhonghui translated as the Revive China Society, Society for Regenerating China, Proper China Society was founded by Sun Yat-sen on 24 November 1894 to forward the goal of establishing prosperity for China and as a platform for future revolutionary activities...

 in Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

, and, in 1895, the Furen Literary Society was merged into the Hong Kong chapter of the Revive China Society, with help from Yau Lit

Yau Lit

Yau Lit , born Yau Kwai-bok , styled Tui-hau or Ling-kwai was a Chinese revolutionary from Shuntak, Kwangtung. He is one of the Four Bandits, together with Sun Yat-sen, Chan siu-bak and Yeung Hok-ling....

. Yeung Kui-wan and Sun became the President and Secretary of the Revive China Society respectively.

Members

The Society had 16 members. The details of 14 of them are known - see the table below:

Member	From	Educated	Work	Note	Fate
* Yeung Kui-wan Yeung Kui-wan Yeung Kui-wan , was a Chinese revolutionary of the late Qing Dynasty. In 1890, Yeung started the Furen Literary Society in British colonial Hong Kong to spread ideas of revolution against the Qing Dynasty and to establish a republic in China...  (楊衢雲)	Haicheng, Fujian; born in Fumen Walled City, Dongguan Dongguan Dongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to... , Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	St. Paul's College St. Paul's College, Hong Kong St. Paul's College is an Anglican day school for boys in Mid Levels, Hong Kong and is located adjacent to University of Hong Kong. Established in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in Hong Kong that is still in operation...	teaching staff of St. Joseph's College St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong Established in 1875, St. Joseph's College is the oldest Catholic boys' secondary school in Hong Kong. It is located at 7 Kennedy Road, Mid-levels, in the Central and Western District... , chief secretary of China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company, vice-manager of the Sassoon Maritime Company	leader of the Society, President of the Hong Kong chapter of Revive China Society Revive China Society The Hsing Chung Hui or Xingzhonghui translated as the Revive China Society, Society for Regenerating China, Proper China Society was founded by Sun Yat-sen on 24 November 1894 to forward the goal of establishing prosperity for China and as a platform for future revolutionary activities...	Assassinated 1901 by Qing agents
* Tse Tsan-tai Tse Tsan-tai Tse Tsan-tai , styled Sing-on , art-named Hong-yu was a Chinese revolutionary of the late Qing Dynasty. Tse was the first Chinese to fly an airship, China in 1899...  (謝纘泰)	Hoiping Kaiping Kaiping : Hoi3 Pen6) or Hoi Ping is a county-level city in Guangdong Province, southern China. It has a population of 680,000 as of 2003 and an area of 1,659 km². The locals speak a variation of the Taishan dialect.-Administration:... , Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province... , born in Sydney, Australia	Government Central School	secretary of Public Works Department, Hong Kong	Treasurer of Hong Kong Revive China Society Revive China Society The Hsing Chung Hui or Xingzhonghui translated as the Revive China Society, Society for Regenerating China, Proper China Society was founded by Sun Yat-sen on 24 November 1894 to forward the goal of establishing prosperity for China and as a platform for future revolutionary activities...
* Chan Fan (陳芬)		Government Central School	interpreter for Hong Kong Government
* Chow Chiu-ngok (周昭岳)	Namhoi, Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	Government Central School	a businessman	member of the Hong Kong chapter of Revive China Society Revive China Society The Hsing Chung Hui or Xingzhonghui translated as the Revive China Society, Society for Regenerating China, Proper China Society was founded by Sun Yat-sen on 24 November 1894 to forward the goal of establishing prosperity for China and as a platform for future revolutionary activities...
* Wong Kwok-yu (黃國瑜)	Namhoi, Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	Government Central School	interpreter of Hong Kong Government
* Law Man-yuk (羅文玉)	Shuntak, Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	Government Central School	teaching staff of St. Joseph's College St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong Established in 1875, St. Joseph's College is the oldest Catholic boys' secondary school in Hong Kong. It is located at 7 Kennedy Road, Mid-levels, in the Central and Western District...
* Wen Tsung-yao (溫宗堯)	Sunning Taishan Taishan is a coastal county-level city in Guangdong Province, China. The city is part of the Greater Taishan Region.... , Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	Government Central School	teaching staff of the Government Central School	participated in the Independence Army uprising	Died 1947 in Nanjing jail
* Luk King-fo (陸敬科)	Shiuhing Zhaoqing Zhaoqing is a prefecture-level city of Guangdong province in southern China.-Geography:Zhaoqing is located 110 km northwest of Guangzhou, in the west Pearl River Delta. It lies on the north shores of the Xijiang River, which is flows from west to east, and opposite of Gaoyao... , Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	The Government Central School	teaching staff of the Government Central School
* Lau Yin-bun (劉燕賓)		St. Joseph's College St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong Established in 1875, St. Joseph's College is the oldest Catholic boys' secondary school in Hong Kong. It is located at 7 Kennedy Road, Mid-levels, in the Central and Western District...	chief secretary of Ping Kee Shipping Company
* Wu Gon-chi (胡幹之)	Punyü, Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	St. Paul's College St. Paul's College, Hong Kong St. Paul's College is an Anglican day school for boys in Mid Levels, Hong Kong and is located adjacent to University of Hong Kong. Established in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in Hong Kong that is still in operation...	comprador of the Sassoon Maritime Company
* Ho Yu-minh (何汝明)	Heungshan Zhongshan Zhongshan , also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province in southern China. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen who was... , Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	St. Paul's College St. Paul's College, Hong Kong St. Paul's College is an Anglican day school for boys in Mid Levels, Hong Kong and is located adjacent to University of Hong Kong. Established in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in Hong Kong that is still in operation...	teaching staff of St. Paul's College St. Paul's College, Hong Kong St. Paul's College is an Anglican day school for boys in Mid Levels, Hong Kong and is located adjacent to University of Hong Kong. Established in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in Hong Kong that is still in operation...
* Wong Wing-seung (黃詠商)	Heungshan Zhongshan Zhongshan , also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province in southern China. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen who was... , Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	St. Paul's College St. Paul's College, Hong Kong St. Paul's College is an Anglican day school for boys in Mid Levels, Hong Kong and is located adjacent to University of Hong Kong. Established in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in Hong Kong that is still in operation...		President of Revive China Society Revive China Society The Hsing Chung Hui or Xingzhonghui translated as the Revive China Society, Society for Regenerating China, Proper China Society was founded by Sun Yat-sen on 24 November 1894 to forward the goal of establishing prosperity for China and as a platform for future revolutionary activities...
* Yau Lit Yau Lit Yau Lit , born Yau Kwai-bok , styled Tui-hau or Ling-kwai was a Chinese revolutionary from Shuntak, Kwangtung. He is one of the Four Bandits, together with Sun Yat-sen, Chan siu-bak and Yeung Hok-ling....  (尢列)	Shuntak, Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...	Canton Academy of Mathematics	secretary of Secretariat for Chinese Affairs Home Affairs Bureau Home Affairs Bureau is one of the policy bureaux of the Hong Kong Government.One of the important roles of the Home Affairs Bureau is to enhance liaison and communication with all sectors of the community including the Legislative Council and the general public.Tsang Tak-sing has been the...  (now the Home Affairs Bureau, Hong Kong)
* Chan Wai-fan (陳鏸勳)	Namhoi, Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...			author of Hong Kong Collections (香港雜記)