The Mausoleum of Chen Jiageng is situated in
Turtle Park in Jimei Town, Xiamen City of Fujian Province.
Chen Jiageng was born in 1874 in
Xiamen City. He lived in
Singapore for a long time
dealing in rubber trade. Chen, who devoted himself to the culture and education
and other public services for overseas Chinese, as well as for those in his
hometown, was a well-known leader of patriotic overseas Chinese. In his early
days, he joined the Chinese Revolutionary League, established by Dr. Sun Yat-sen
in 1905, and raised financial aid for Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary activities as
well as opened Xiamen
University and other schools.
After the September 18 Incident, striving
for national salvation in Singapore, Chen proposed the founding of the Southeast
Asia Overseas Chinese Fundraising General Association in 1938, of which he was
appointed chairman. After the nation triumphed over the Japanese, Chen published
the Nanqiao Daily to join in the many patriotic and democratic
activities.
Returning to the motherland after the
founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen successively held posts in the
Central Government as a member of the Central Government, vice-chairman of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a member of the Standing
Committee of National People's Congress, a member of the Overseas Chinese'
Affairs Committee and chairman of All-China Returned Overseas Chinese
Federation. On August 12, 1961, Chen Jiageng died of an illness in Beijing and his remains were buried in
Turtle Park.
Shaped like a turtle, the Mausoleum of Chen
Jiageng is covered by 13 huge, blue terrazzos, and is surrounded by stone
screens with relief sculptures showing the important experiences of his life.
The tombstone is piled up with granite stones bearing a gilded inscription
written in Lishu (official script), an ancient style of calligraphy used
in the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) onwards.