Chinatown Memorial Monument
The Chinatown Memorial Monument is the creation of sculpture Arthur Shu-ren Cheng. It was funded by the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada under the Vancouver Agreement and unveiled on November 2, 2003 .
The first bronze figure, a railway worker, recognizes the thousands of Chinese Canadians who lived and died building the Trans-Canadian railway system. The second bronze figure, a Chinese Canadian Second World War solider, represents some six hundred Chinese Canadians who volunteered in the War efforts, proving their patriotism which later earned them the right to vote. The main column is a stylized form of the Chinese character zhong (English translation center) which symbolizes moderation and harmony.
Inscription
[left plaque/plaque de gauche]
THIS CHINATOWN MEMORIAL MONUMENT IS THE CREATION OF SCULPTOR MR. ARTHUR
SHU-REN CHENG. THE BRONZE STATUES OF THE RAILWAY WORKER AND THE WORLD
WAR II VETERAN REPRESENT THE SACRIFICES MADE BY CHINESE CANADIANS IN
BUILDING A UNITED AND PROSPEROUS CANADA. THE MAIN COLUMN IS A STYLIZED
FORM OF THE CHINESE CHARACTER “CENTRE” WHICH SYMBOLIZES CHINESE CULTURE.
THE CHINESE COUPLET INSCRIBED ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE COLUMN READS:
“RICH LAGACIES OF CHINESE PIONEERS SHINING BRIGHT AS THE SUN AND MOON
GREAT DEEDS OF NOBLE FORBEARS ZEAL ENTRENCHED AS MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS”.
THE CHINATOWN MEMORIAL SQUARE COMMITTEE
(text in Chinese/texte en chinois)
[right plaque/plaque de droite]
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHINESE
CANADIANS TO THE GROWTH, VITALITY AND PROSPERITY OF VANCOUVER,
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND CANADA.
THE CHINATOWN MEMORIAL MONUMENT IS FUNDED BY THE CITY OF
VANCOUVER, PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, AND GOVERNMENT OF
CANADA UNDER THE VANCOUVER AGREEMENT
UNVEILED ON THE 2ND NOVEMBER 2003
(text in Chinese/texte en chinois)
Statue commémorative du soldat canadien d'origine chinoise de la Seconde Guerre mondiale
Le Monument commémoratif de Chinatown est une sculpture d’Arthur Shuren Cheng. Il a été financé par la Ville de Vancouver, la Province de la Colombie-Britannique et le gouvernement du Canada dans le cadre de l’entente de Vancouver et inauguré le 2 novembre 2003.
La première statue de bronze, un cheminot, reconnaît les milliers de Sino-Canadiens qui ont vécu et perdu la vie pour construire le système de chemins de fer transcanadien. La deuxième statue de bronze, un soldat sino-canadien de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, représente les quelque six cents Sino-Canadiens qui ont participé volontairement aux efforts de guerre, prouvant ainsi leur patriotisme qui, plus tard, leur a valu le droit de vote. La colonne principale est en forme du caractère chinois « zhong » (centre) qui symbolise la modération et l’harmonie.
Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.