Tang Ping-yuan

Tang Ping-yuan, CBE, JP (Chinese: 唐炳源; 8 September 1898 – 17 June 1971) was a Hong Kong entrepreneur and politician. He was the founder of the South Sea Textiles and the unofficial member of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council.

Tang Ping-yuan
Unofficial Member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong
In office
1968–1971
Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
In office
1964–1968
Personal details
Born(1898-09-08)8 September 1898
 Qing dynasty Wuxi, Jiangsu
Died17 June 1971(1971-06-17) (aged 72)
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Happy Valley, Wan Chai, British of Hong Kong
Spouse(s)Wan Kin May
RelationsHenry Tang
Tang Hsiang-chien
ChildrenJack Tang (1927-2014)
Victor Tang (1931-1997)
Oscar Tang (1938-)
ParentsTang Baoqian (1866-1937)
Alma materSt. John's University, Shanghai
Tsinghua University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Early life and education

Tang was born to a prominent textile merchant family in 1898 in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China. His father, Tang Baoqian, owned the Qingfeng Textile Factory, one of the seven leading textile corporations in Wuxi. He received education at the St. John's University, Shanghai and the Tsinghua University, Beijing before he received the scholarship from the Chinese government and went abroad and studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He returned to China in 1923 after receiving a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the MIT to assist his father's business in textile and flour.

Business and public career

Tang moved to Hong Kong in 1947 and established his own company, the South Sea Textiles in Tsuen Wan in the following year. The company went on to become one of the leading manufacturing company in the colony. He also sat on the board of many companies including the Hong Kong Telephone Company and the Television Broadcasts Limited.[1]

Tang was made Justice of the Peace in 1964. In July 1964, he was appointed unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. In June 1968, he was appointed by Governor David Trench to the Executive Council, succeeding resigning Li Fook-shu. He was known for calling for improving industrial relations and the working conditions.[2] For his public services, he was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1967 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1968. He also received 3rd class Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1971 for his efforts in improving Hong Kong-Japan relations.[3]

Philanthropist works

He had donated 30 million Hong Kong dollars to build the University Library of the Chinese University of Hong Kong built in 1972.[4] He was also the co-founder of the Community Chest of Hong Kong and its first president. He was also member of the Council of the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and chairman of the Council of the New Asia College. For his contributions to the Chinese University, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1968.

Tang was also the first chairman of the steering committee of the Hong Kong Polytechnic when the college was about to be promoted from the Hong Kong Technical College. In 2002, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University named a building after Tang Ping-yan and his wife Kinmay W.Tang for their contributions to the university.[5] In 2012, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University named a square in its campus after Tang.[6]

Death

Tang died at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital on 17 June 1971. His son, Jack Chi-chien Tang, was the former chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce in 1984. Ping Yuan Tang Residence Hall in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was decorated by Jack Tang in 1973 in honour of his father.[7]

gollark: _doesn't like it_
gollark: This is the main reason I am interested in my own pack - I don't want to do combat much and my computer/server are *not good*.
gollark: Then disassemble the entire thing to spin it round, or aim it with fans, though that *may* have been patchinated.
gollark: Just point and burn down forests.
gollark: Giant death ray = fusion plasma injector!

References
  1. "唐炳源博士逝世". The Kung Sheung Daily News. 15 July 1971. p. 7.
  2. "7th Congregation (1968) – The Hon. TANG Ping-yuan – Doctor of Laws". The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  3. "唐炳源下川憲久 獲日皇頒授勳章". The Kung Sheung Daily News. 18 May 1971. p. 11.
  4. 中文大學校刊第四期. 1973. p. 20.
  5. "理大「唐炳源樓」及「唐溫金美樓」命名典禮". 18 October 2002.
  6. "理大感謝唐氏家族 四十多年支持大學發展". The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
  7. Simha, O. Robert (2001). MIT Campus Planning, 1960–2000: An Annotated Chronology. MIT Press. p. 104.
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