Historical Record of Chinese Americans | Aim to Fly: Father of the Chinese Revolutionary Air Force

Author: Ann Lee (Writer & Historian)

Translator: Michelle X. Li

Abstract

Sen Yet Young, a Chinese American from a wealthy family in Hawaii，learned to fly and became the first Hawaiian-born aviator with an official pilot license. At Yat-sen Sun’s invitation, Young traveled to China to organize and lead an aviation brigade. He was tasked to train Chinese pilots and build China’s first airplane. After his death in 1923, he was posthumously awarded the rank of lieutenant general and is remembered as the founder of the Chinese Air Force.

Introduction

“Since Hawaii had its first pilot, people have been expecting that a new sound in the air will soon blend with traditional ukulele music, that is, the roar of the aircraft engine driven by Young, Sen Yet.”

This passage comes from a commemorative essay written by Peter T. Young, the founder and historian of the “Historic Hawaii Foundation Preservation Honor Awards”, for the “Birdman” Hawaii born Sen Yet Young “Aim High to Reach the Heaven.”

After Sen Yet Young and his team designed and built the first aircraft “ROSAMONDE” in China, Dr. Sun, Yat-sen praised this young man with very high remarks for his great contribution toward the Chinese democratic revolution. Dr. Sun also personally wrote a Chinese scroll “Aim High to Reach the Heaven”and presented it to Young’s family. Upon Young’s unfortunate early death in 1923, he was posthumously awarded the rank of lieutenant general and the title of “Father of Chinese Aviation” by the Republic of China.【1】

Son of Patriotic Overseas Chinese

Sen Yet Young, also known as Sen Yet Yang, Chinese name Xuehua or Tieyan, was born in Honolulu, USA on September 6, 1892. 【2】

His father was Zhukun Young (Ahin Young, 1853～1931), also known as Yaran or Yaxuan or Jingtang, originally from Xiangshan, Guangdong Province, Liangdu Beitai Township (now Beitai Village, South District, Zhongshan City), a native of Guangfu of Han nationality 【3】. The father was from a very poor family and farmed for a living since his childhood. At the age of 19 (1872), he went to Honolulu with his relatives as a Chinese labor on a sugarcane plantation. He quickly learned the native Hawaiian language and English, and worked very hard on the fertile land of Hawaii. He started his own businesses, from a rice plantation to a rice mill, then to transporting rice and commodities. After decades of hard work, he gradually acquired real estate, such as docks and commercial properties, etc. He also managed a large cane farm, creating four sugar factories. The self-made millionaire was a business tycoon in the sugar industry in Honolulu and became very famous in the business world. He was known as one of the two biggest “Sugar Kings” in China in the late Qing Dynasty. Another Chinese “Sugar King” was Huang Zhonghan (1866-1924), the father of the second wife Huang Huilan (1893-1992) of the famous diplomat Koo Vi Kyuin (January 29, 1888-November 14, 1985) during the Republic of China ). 【4】

Zhukun Young was a savvy businessman and was very wealthy. He was also a famous overseas Chinese businessman for his devotion to justice and patriotism. He stayed connected with his motherland and was enthusiastic in promoting public wellbeing. He founded the Honolulu Beitai Association, and was a widely supported overseas Chinese leader in Honolulu. Although he lived abroad, he made generous donations building schools and the roads in his hometown in China. For this reason, the villagers named the main street of this hometown “Zhukun Road.”

Zhukun Young and Dr. Sun, Yat-sen were very close friends from the same hometown. He shared the same revolutionary propositions as Dr. Sun, and provided great financial support for various activities to overthrow the corrupted Manchu Qing government.

In 1894 (the 20th year of Guangxu, Qing Dynasty), the 1st Sino-Japanese War broke out and the Beiyang Navy was annihilated. In the following year, the Manchu and Qing government was forced to sign the humiliating Shimonoseki Treaty, which further deepened the colonization of China and led to an unprecedented national crisis. The overseas Chinese were indignant with what happened in China. In Honolulu, Sun, Yat-sen founded the first bourgeois revolutionary democratic organization in modern Chinese history, the “Xingzhonghui”. He proposed: “Expelling the Tartars, restoring China, and creating a unified government.”

“Xingzhonghui”, the predecessor organization of the Chinese Nationalist Party （GMT）, was established on November 24, 1894. As a result, this day was designated as the GMT Founding Day. 【5】

Growing up in an affluent family, Sen Yet Young had received a great education since his early childhood. He was not only an excellent student academically, he was also adventurous, kind, and righteous.

His father was a role model for Sen Yet Young and had influenced him greatly in many ways. He understood how Chinese people were suffering under the corrupted Qing Dynasty, and he wanted to help these people. He admired Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a frequent guest of his family, and ardently listened to many of Dr. Sun’s anti-Qing speeches. He was deeply inspired by Dr. Sun’s democratic and republican ideals since he was very young.

Sen Yet Young

Source：https://senyetyoung.com/

When Young was 12 years old, he reversed Dr. Sun’s first name Yat-sen as his name Sen Yet, to show his respect to Dr. Sun and his own determination in following the revolution. He was eager to become a person like Dr. Sun and devote his life to the great revolutionary cause. His sense of attachment toward the far-away China grew more ardent, and he gradually became a strong supporter of Dr. Sun’s revolution. 【6】

In 1909 (the first year of Emperor Xuantong of the Qing Dynasty), at the age of 18, Sen Yet Young graduated from the ʻIolani School in Honolulu and the College of Hawaii. He was not only an excellent student in academics, but also an outstanding athlete. He was particularly talented in shooting, and won a first-class shooting medal issued by the US government. When Hawaii organized the Autonomous Corps, he was selected as the head of the regiment.【7】

Aviation to Save the Country

When preparing for the anti-Qing insurrection, Dr. Sun, the leader of the Chinese Democratic Revolution, gave serious consideration to building aircrafts in China. While he traveled around Europe and America spreading the message of Chinese Democratic Revolution, he also studied the national defense systems of these countries. He fully recognized that aviation played an extremely important role in national defense. He asserted: “Aircrafts will become a new military weapon and contribute greatly to our revolution cause.” 【8】

In March 1910, Dr. Sun went to Hawaii again and gave speeches to rally support for his cause. In Japan, he merged three revolutionary groups, “Xingzhonghui”, “Huaxinghui”, and “Guangfuhui”, into one organization – Chinese “Tongmenghui”. He also announced a 16-character policy: “expel the Tatar barbarians, revive Zhonghua, establish a Republic, and distribute land equally among the people”.

In order to overthrow the Qing government and establish a Republic, Dr. Sun highly praised the French aristocratic Marquis of Lafayette (Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, September 6, 1757-May 20, 1834) 【1】for his support of the American Independence Revolution. He called on the American people to support the Chinese Democratic Revolution.

He said: “In order to make sure of our success, to facilitate our movement, to avoid unnecessary sacrifice, and to prevent misunderstanding and intervention of foreign powers, [we] must appeal to the people of the United States in particular for your sympathy and support, either moral or material, because you are pioneers of western civilization…【1】

It became an important task for the “Tongmenghui”to encourage young overseas Chinese to join the anti-Qing revolution and get trained in aviation technology as soon as possible.

Zhukun Young and his son were determined to follow Dr. Sun’s revolution. They were the founding members of the “Tongmenghui”, the father also served as the treasurer of the organization. With a goal of establishing future Chinese aviation, Sen Yet Young enrolled in Harry University of California majoring in mechanical engineering. 【1】

After the successful “Wuchang Uprising”, Dr. Sun was elected as the provisional president of the Republic of China and was inaugurated in Nanjing on January 1, 1912. Later, he broke up with Yuan Shikai for refusing to ban the Kuomintang party and to dismiss the National Assembly. He launched the “Second Revolution” against Yuan but failed. He then fled to Japan and continued his fight against regional warlords. He also tried his best to save the Republic and to overthrow the Yuan’s Beiyang government.

Dr. Sun firmly believed that aviation talents were in fact “the indispensable of our party’s talents.” Thus, he actively explored ways and means to discover and cultivate talents for his aviation mission. In August 1913, Dr. Sun formally put forward a proposal “Save the Nation through Aviation” in a speech to the teachers and students of the aviation school founded by the Kuomintang in Japan. 【9】

He called on the overseas Chinese to study aviation and return to China to establish a flying team. After graduating from the University, Sen Yet Young, an ardent supporter of Dr. Sun’s aviation dream, traveled 6,000 miles from Hawaii to enroll at the Curtiss Aviation School in Buffalo, New York. He continued his studies in aircraft piloting and aircraft manufacturing technology with instructor Phil Rader. On October 2, 1916, witnessed by his flight instructor and fellow students, he flew the Curtis aircraft into the sky, successfully completed his “solo flight”, and was awarded a pilot license with both sea and land ratings by the “Aero Club of America” (No. 600 and No. 62). The Buffalo News reported: This outstanding Curtis school graduate not only won the Best Marksman Medal, but also planned to “purchase a Curtis aircraft and take it to Hawaii” . 【10】

The photo marked “Curtis Flying School, Buffalo, New York

Source: “Popular Mechanics” February. 1917

https://books.google.com/books?id=jNoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA256&lpg=PA256&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

The two excerpts below from local news outlets showed the sensation he created in the American community when Sen Yet Young returned to Hawaii:

“As he is the only Hawaiian who has mastered the art of flying, he remained to study the mechanics of aeroplane at the Curtiss factory, before returning to Honolulu, where he will have to act as his own mechanician. He will take back an aeroplane to Hawaii and expect to astonish the natives with some spectacular flights.” See the February 1917 issue of “Popular Mechanics Magazine”, an American popular science and technology magazine.

“If there is one thing that makes Mr. Young proud of his flight school diploma, it is the fact that he is a U.S. citizen.” Buffalo Evening News and The Star, October 20, 1916 【1】

Amphibious Pilot No. 600 Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Club

Source: author CC BY-SA 3.0，https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21560219

The overseas Chinese were all very proud of what Sen Yet Young had achieved, the first Hawaiian-born Chinese American who obtained a pilot license. His father Zhukun Young established the “Tuqiang Aircraft Company” in Honolulu, while Sen Yet Young was one of the board directors. The name of the company clearly showed the father and son’s passion to serve their country. As a matter of fact, in order to support the aviation industry, they, along with other overseas Chinese, raised funds, recruited aviation personnel, and created a “China Spaceship Company” as early as 1913.

From late March to late April 1916. Dr. Sun, who was fighting against Yuan in Japan, sent telegrams to his overseas revolutionary comrades many times and urged them to “try to raise money and buy more aircrafts” for military use. He also ordered that “all aircrafts and personnel return to China quickly” to assist overthrowing Yuan Shikai’s government. 【8】

“Father of the Chinese Revolutionary Air Force”

In 1918, Sen Yet Young went to China at the invitation of Dr. Sun. He formed the “Fujian-Guangdong Army Air Force” at Zhangzhou, Fujian, and served as the commander-in-chief. In coordination with the army, he led an aircraft team and bombed the headquarters of the Guangxi rebel warlord Rongxin Mo on Yuexiu Mountain, which played a crucial role in defeating the rebels. After that, he served as Dr. Sun’s personal military advisor.

In 1922, in order to establish the Chinese air force, Young visited Japan, the United States, and South America. During the trip, he campaigned for the Republic and raised funds from local overseas Chinese to support aviation education of overseas Chinese youth. He purchased twelve aircrafts, four of which were financed by his father through land sale and were added to Dr. Sun’s Canton Aircraft Fleet. He also sponsored twelve young pilots’ education and training in the United States, ten of them later became the commanders of the air force in different provinces in China. Dr. Sun, the Grand Marshal of the Guangzhou militarist government, once presented medals to Young. 【11】

Young, Sen Yet was invited to China by Sun Yat-sen to form the “Fujian and Guangdong Army Aircraft Team” in Zhangzhou, Fujian

Source：https://senyetyoung.com/Sen-Yet-Young

In March 1923, Dr. Sun established the Generalissimo’s Mansion in Guangzhou, and Sen Yet Young was named the head of the Chinese Aviation Bureau. At Dr. Sun’s directions, Young spearheaded the first Chinese aircraft manufacturing factory – “Guangdong Aircraft Manufacturing Factory” in Dashatou, Guangdong.

Young, the Hawaii-born Chinese American, was appointed as the general manager of the first Chinese aircraft factory. He always wore a coat and tie instead of uniforms. He spoke his mother language English with his elderly parents and young children in Honolulu. He was kind and friendly to his employees, meanwhile he was very disciplined and always aimed for better in his work.

Due to a lack of funding, Young started his aircraft design and development in an ill-equipped Red House of the Aviation Bureau (now 421 Yanjiang East Road, Guangzhou). As the general manager of the aircraft factory, he put all his efforts in establishing the Chinese Air Force, day and night, often skipping meals. To further accelerate the R&D, he invited two American aircraft design engineers, Guy Colwell and Arthur Wilde from San Francisco, California, to join his team.

On July 30 of the same year, the first JN-4D Jenny propeller aircraft modeled after the American Curtis was completed. This wooden aircraft was 10.16 meters wide between wings and 6.4 meters long. It had two seats, flew 128 kilometers per hour, and could be used for both reconnaissance and bombing. It was equipped with Curtis 66.2 kW OX-5 8-cylinder V-piston propeller engine, and Curtis N-9C seaplane radiator and various Curtis JN-4D2 Aircraft parts, such as fuel tank, wheel, axle, elastic sleeve, instrument, etc. 【12】

Sun Wen handwritten banners for Young Sen Yet

Source：https://www.360kuai.com/pc/93a8e4c1e41334780?cota=3&kuai_so=1&sign=360_e39369d1

On August 8, an open flight was showcased at the Dashatou Airport and witnessed by many military and political VIPs invited from both domestic and abroad. Guangrui Huang (June 5, 1898-August 1985), the captain of the First Aircraft Team who was trained in the United States, was the pilot of this flight test. Sen Yet Young and the American pilot Harry W. Abbott had carried out flight testing themselves prior to this grand event.

They characterized their flight test as “the plane took off very swiftly and smoothly, and it was a very pleasant experience.” 【12】

The first Chinese-manufactured airplane was named after Dr. Sun’s wife Rosamonde (Madame Soong Ching Ling). The black English word “ROSAMONDE” was painted on both sides of the airplane, and its Chinese name “乐士文” was right below the English name. Dr. Sun chose the Chinese name to express his best wishes for the future of Chinese Aviation. During the naming ceremony, the plane was parked in the display area, with the Republic’s national flag designed by Dr. Sun hanging in the front. To celebrate the “乐士文 No. 1” test flight, President Sun knocked a champagne bottle on the metal radiator of the engine, and thunderous cheers erupted. 【13】

Dr. Sun was overjoyed with the success, he named Young the “Father of Chinese Aviation”, and presented Young with his handwritten scroll “Aim High to Reach the Heaven” (Guangdong Museum). Madame Soong also presented her English inscription: “This is the first airplane built in China”.

On August 8, 1923, Soong Ching Ling took China’s first military aircraft “Rosamonde” for a test flight at Dashatou Airport

Source：https://senyetyoung.com/Creator-of-first-Chinese-airplane

At the “Dongshan Aircraft Factory”, people affectionately nicknamed Sen Yet Young “Big Chief”. The largest seaplane was also named the “Big Chief” in honor of him. Although he was a young Chinese American, his love for China and his passion for Chinese aviation had inspired and brought hope to the Chinese people around him, despite the lack of good equipment/tools and endless setbacks. 【14】

In his effort to build China’s first Air Force, Sen Yet Young hired some Americans to train pilots. Harry Abbott, a young Californian was one of them. His wife, Dolly Abbott, accompanied him to China, and they had a baby boy born there. Dr. Sun named their son Dan San Abbott.

In 2017, Dolly Abbott’s daughter-in-law Patricia entrusted the photos of the first airplane “Rosamonde”, the christening and Dolly Abbott’s 12-page manuscript to Young’s grandson Leigh-Wai Doo, the founder of the Sun Yat-sen Foundation of Hawaii. Doo was also a former senator of Honolulu, a doctor of law from Harvard University, and a well-known lawyer. This handwritten manuscript “Two Years with Young Sen Yet” from 1924 brought the unknown history to the public. 【15】

In her manuscript, Dolly Abbott mentioned: Young’s position was far from being easy. One might liken him to the old proverb of standing ” between the devil and the deep blue sea.” as a metaphor for his difficulty.

As most of the Guangzhou Air Force was American born Chinese boys, there was often a great deal of dissatisfaction to deal with. Every once in a while, Young would throw a party to help relieve the tension and let the boys relax.

Obviously, these young boys grew up on dreams of an old China, everything they knew about their distant hometown in China was through the eyes of their parents or grandparents. For the love of China, the parents painted a more glamorous picture of China for them. Therefore, these young overseas Chinese did not really know the cruelty of China’s civil war at that time, and the difficulty of living away from home.

When they finally arrived at the birthplace of their parents, the grim reality set in. They started to doubt their “patriotism” and frankly showed their disgust. Because what they saw was no longer the Chinese tourists in the United States, but the real Chinese in China. Many dark sides of the underdeveloped China, once covered up by roses and perfume, were revealed.

During their stay in Shanghai, one day the “Big Chief” and all his young boys were very upset and excited, because they heard a big shipment of weapons had been smuggled to their enemy. They attempted to retake these weapons, but for some reason, the “Big Chief” finally gave up.

It was the strong love and respect for the “Big Chief” that kept these young boys loyal.

Jiongming Chen (January 13, 1878-September 22, 1933), the hero of the “1911 Xinhai Revolution” and the governor of Guangdong, advocated “joint-provincial autonomy” and strongly disagreed with Dr. Sun on the Northern Expedition and Chinese Unification. Chen was dismissed from the governor position and retired to Huizhou. During the “6.16” Incident in 1922, the senior generals of the Guangdong Army led by Jiongming Chen launched a coup and occupied Guangzhou, aiming to force Dr. Sun to step down. Dr. Sun and his supporters fought back fiercely, from May 28 to October 27, 1923, the troops supporting Dr. Sun besieged Huizhou. Dr. Sun supervised the battles in person at Boluo and Xiongji Boyi Mountain, and bombarded Huizhou City with heavy artillery. 【16】

As a loyal follower of Dr. Sun, Sen Yet Young devoted himself to the battles without any hesitation. Assisted by the high walls of Huizhou City, Chen’s troops resisted the attacks desperately. Dr. Sun ordered Young and his air force to bomb the enemy’s positions, however, they still couldn’t capture Huizhou. Then Young proposed to attack the enemy from Bolomei Lake. On September 20, 1923, unfortunately, he died from a torpedo explosion at the age of 32 while he was inspecting the torpedo detonator.

Dr. Sun was deeply saddened by Young’s death, and ordered a public funeral to honor the revolutionary martyrs. Young was posthumously awarded the rank of Lieutenant General, and September 20th was set as the “National Aviation Day”.

Dr. Sun also ordered to provide death benefits to all those who died in the accident while on active duty. The original order was as follows:

Sen Yet Young, director of the Aviation Bureau, Congshan Su, commander of the Changzhou Fortress, and Tieliang Xie, director of the Torpedo Bureau, were all heroes who dedicated themselves to our country. I am deeply saddened by their untimely death in the horrific accident in Baishadui. I therefore awarded them all posthumously the rank of Lieutenant Generals. I also instructed the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs to provide the best death benefits to the survivors of these Lieutenant Generals to honor their sacrifice. 【17】

“Father of the Chinese Revolutionary Air Force”-Young, Sen Yet

Source：https://senyetyoung.com/Sen-Yet-Young-Yang-Xian-Yi

Sen Yet Young was originally buried in Sanwanggang, east of Huanghuagang, Guangzhou, and Dr. Sun wrote the monument inscription “Mr. Sen Yet Young’s Tomb”. An airplane model sitting on the entrance arch symbolizes the life and career of these martyrs. In 1927 when the Guangdong Provincial Government rebuilt the cemetery, Young’s wife, Ms. Duchun Cheng (1890-1973), decided to relocate Young’s tomb to Wedelia Mountain (now Zimaling Park) in Zhongshan, to be close to his family.

Many people in both China and abroad were shocked by the tragic death of Sen Yet Young and openly expressed their condolences. Dr. Sun urged that a school should be started in his name, and Madame Soong acted as the fundraising treasurer to raise money for this new school. The widow Ms. Duchun Cheng turned her deep grief into strength and actively organized many fundraising events. After almost two years of hard work and planning, with additional $20,000 from the elder Young, the “Sen Yet School” was opened in the Young Family Temple (south of Shiqi) in 1925. With continued support from Madame Soong and many others, the “Sen Yet Middle School” was added in Xilinshan, Shiqi in 1935, and had educated many talents for the country.

Tomb of General Young, Sen Yet

Source：https://senyetyoung.com/Honored-and-Remembered

Almost a century has passed, Sen Yet Young, a pioneer of the revolutionary air force, is still alive in the hearts of people on both sides of the strait. During the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, someone placed a plaque on his monument behind the tombstone of the Statue of Liberty to warn the young people not to destroy the monument, because it is the treasure for the people. In Taiwan Air Force Academy, the biggest building was named in his honor… 【1】

On a Guangdong Air Force memorial stone, names of nearly 300 pilots are inscribed, more than 70 of whom were overseas Chinese. Sen Yet Young, a Chinese American who crossed the ocean and came to China, is the first on the list. He devoted himself to the future of China, and inspired hope that the modern technology of Aircraft would aid in China’s unification. He was the “Father of Chinese Aviation”. 【1】

During the time when China was suffering from both civil unrest and foreign invasions, many people holding ideals like Young joined the fight to overthrow the feudal dynasty and establish a democratic regime. stepping forward and succeeding, unswervingly practicing the concept of saving the country by aviation. In the course of history, the efforts and contributions made by such an ambitious young man to the early development of China’s aviation industry will be recorded forever.

“Aim High to Reach the Heaven”

Source：https://senyetyoung.com/Honored-and-Remembered

Index

【1】“Aim High to Reach the Heaven” https://senyetyoung.com/

【2】According to Yang Xianyi’s No. 600 “International Pilot License” issued by the Federal Aviation Commission of the United States, his date of birth was September 6, 1893. All other existing articles are (1891-September 20, 1923) and have no date.

【3】“Son of a Proud American Family”https://senyetyoung.com/Son-of-a-Proud-American-Family

【4】“杨仙逸” http://m.gerenjianli.com/Mingren/21/bg2pa7m89p.html

【5】“兴中会” https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%85%B4%E4%B8%AD%E4%BC%9A

【6】“杨仙逸：革命空军之父” http://wap.cnki.net/touch/web/Newspaper/Article/CGFB200809160171.html

【7】“杨仙逸”https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%9D%A8%E4%BB%99%E9%80%B8

【8】《民国空军的航迹》第一章“中国空军的由来：航空救国的倡导者–孙中山”，p.15

http://m.ishare.iask.sina.com.cn/f/68933386.html

【9】“百年民航的精彩瞬间：孙中山倡导航空救国”http://att.caacnews.com.cn/zkzj/L/linminghua/201908/t20190830_3025.html

【10】 “SUN YET YOUNG”http://aviation.hawaii.gov/aviation-pioneers/sun-yet-young/

【11】“史海沉钩：糖业巨子杨著昆–祖孙五代忠烈爱国”http://www.yntw.com/2019/05/949.html

【12】“乐士文一号——中国第一架双层螺旋桨敞盖飞机”http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_51ec9abf0102va6z.html

【13】“乐士文1号”https://www.baike.com/wiki/%E4%B9%90%E5%A3%AB%E6%96%871%E5%8F%B7?view_id=5g3dc1wukxc000