Feature: Exhibition to mark 150th anniversary Sun Yat-sen's birth connects history, reality in Singapore

"The exhibition is an interesting opportunity for us to be able to see the artifacts which are a testament to both history and reality and the connection between the two, but because there are a lot of people visiting here tonight we may have to come back and look and read the descriptions more closely."

So said Fanny Lai, an ethnic Chinese Singaporean on a visit to the "One Night in Wuchang: 1911 Revolution and Nanyang" exhibition being held at the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH) on Saturday night.

In collaboration with China's Memorial of Wuchang Uprising of 1911 Revolution, to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, SYSNMH on Saturday launched the special exhibition, which chronicles the story of the Wuchang Uprising and the 1911 Revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty, and eventually led to the birth of the new China.

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, and Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Chen Xiaodong, graced the launching ceremony with their presence and were given a tour of the special exhibition.

The exhibition, which has been organized into three main sections, showcases more than 150 artifacts and archival material, which provide a deeper insight into the Wuchang Uprising and its prominent figures. Of these, 80 items comprising coins, medals, personal artifacts are being displayed in Singapore for the first time.

Visitors can discover how the revolution brought about new ideas such as national identity and citizenship, and the impact it had on existing Chinese traditions. They can also discover more on the Uprising's far-reaching effects.

In Singapore, it caused a pigtail-cutting craze and triggered various fundraising campaigns.

SYSNMH, known to many as Wan Qing Yuan, served as the Southeast Asian headquarter for Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary activities.

Sun's ideal of "Universal Love" inspired many as he raised funds and sought support from Chinese expatriates in his fight to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Sun planned three uprisings from Wan Qing Yuan, before the successful Wuchang Uprising during the Xinhai Revolution.

"Wan Qing Yuan stood here watching the march of history, and it provides a historical and cultural link between Singapore and the global Chinese population during a seminal phase of China's modern historical development," said DPM Teo.

To encourage the local community to support cultural activities, 12 students from the River Valley High School have signed up to be student guides for the special exhibition.

According to Serene Teo, a teacher with River Valley High School, becoming a student guide provides opportunities for students to learn more about the history of the Wuchang Uprising and the 1911 Revolution, as textbooks cannot offer such abundant details.

"Many Singaporeans' ancestors come from China, so they can learn more about Sun Yat-sen and the history of China through this exhibition," said Serene Teo, adding, "and the ideas on national governance proposed by Sun and his resilience for revolution are worth learning."

Wan Qing CultureFest 2016 was also launched on Saturday night in conjunction with the special exhibition, which will be on display until April 30, 2017.

Returning for a sixth year, Wan Qing CultureFest 2016 offers various opportunities to rediscover Chinese traditions with more than 60 programs over the two weekends in November. Enditem