Author: Ann Lee (Writer & Historian)
Editor：Professor Fang Qiang, Mr. William Tang
English editor: Michelle X. Li
Abstract
On December 17, 1903, after over one thousand failed attempts, the “Wright Flyer 1”finally flew into the sky and started the era of world aviation. The success of the Wright Brothers attracted many aviation enthusiasts all over the world. Several Chinese in the United States were among those aviation pioneers who dreamed of flying into the sky. Ru Feng (aka Fung Joe Guey) was the first one who made outstanding contributions to the development of Chinese aviation history.
Introduction
At 10:35 am on December 17, 1903, after more than a thousand failed attempts, the “Wright Flyer 1” built by the American Wright brothers successfully flew into the sky in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, starting a glorious era of world aviation history.
The sky is no longer the world of birds, and the longing that mankind has dreamed since its birth has finally come true!
The success of the Wright brothers attracted numerous aviation pioneers. Glenn H. Curtiss (May 21, 1878-July 23, 1930) from New York was one of the best. After some modifications of the aircraft engine, on July 4, 1908, “June Bug” continuously flew in the air for nearly two minutes and landed safely 1550 meters away from its starting point, during the first historic public flight test. Curtiss thus received the first license issued by the Aero Club of America. The aircraft he designed also won the Scientific American Trophy, the first ever aviation award in America. 【1】
More than a hundred years have passed since Wright Brothers’first flight; how many people still remember that a Chinese man was one of those who dreamed of flying to heaven during those exciting years?
This man was Ru Feng. In order to chase his dream of flying to the sky, Feng worked very hard and was willing to make sacrifices. He made great contributions to the development of the world and Chinese aviation.
Across the ocean to America
The epoch-making flight at the beginning of the 20th century, just as the Wright brothers predicted, marked that “The era of flying machines has come!”
Little did the world know, that Chinese student who looked up to the blue sky with dreams of flying later became the first Chinese aircraft designer, manufacturer, and pilot, and was hailed as the “Wright of China” and the “Father of Chinese Aviation.”
Ru Feng, formerly known as Fung Joe Guey, nicknamed Feng Zhujiu, as well as Dingsan, and Shuyuan, was born on January 12, 1883 in a poor family of Pu Village, Liangangbao (now Changmei District, Niujiang Town), Enping County (hometown of overseas Chinese in Guangdong, China). His father, Yelun Feng, was an ordinary farmer who had been farming for generations. Due to poor family circumstances, three of his four elder brothers died shortly after birth, and his only surviving elder brother also unfortunately died young before Feng returned from the United States in 1911. Ru Feng was a cattle herding boy and didn’t have an opportunity to receive good education in his childhood. His parents lived a very frugal life and managed to enroll him in a private family school in their hometown for two years, and then he had to switch to a part-time school in a neighboring village while working half time for another two years. After that, he had to drop out of the school completely due to financial hardships.
Ru Feng was very smart and did extremely well academically, and all his teachers loved him. He was fascinated by the stories about air battles in the fiction book “Fengshen Bang”, and enjoyed making his own toys such as kites, cars and boats. He once became a celebrity in his hometown when he made a large sophisticated kite that flew nearly a hundred meters high into the sky.
In 1894, the Sino-Japanese War broke out. China under the Qing monarchy was defeated and forced to sign the “Shimonoseki Treaty” in the following year. Life became even more difficult for the Fengs. Yinglan Wu, Ru Feng’s uncle and a small businessman in the United States, happened to return home for a visit. He talked about prosperity in the US and tried to persuade Ru Feng to go overseas to escape domestic poverty and turmoil.
His parents were not ready to send their beloved young son that far away from home yet, but Ru Feng said: “A great man takes the whole world as his home and won’t stay at his birth place for a long time. It’s not what your son wants either.” 【2】
In 1895, 12 year old Feng said goodbye to his parents in tears, crossed the Pacific Ocean with his uncle, and settled in the land of his dreams: “Golden Mountain”.
In the middle of the 19th century, gold embedded in coarse sands was discovered in California. Because of the gold rush and the construction of the Pacific Railroad, a lot of overseas labor was needed. Therefore, many Chinese along the coast of Guangdong crossed the Pacific ocean to America in search of a stable environment and better life. After Ru Feng arrived in San Francisco, he joined the Jushen Synagogue (Congregational Church) under the introduction of other villagers. He worked during the day and studied English in the evening. Despite all the difficulties he had to face, his English improved significantly. He particularly enjoyed reading science and technology books and periodicals, which play an important role in broadening his horizons and his understanding of the world of science and technology.
The transcontinental railroad – “The world’s greatest project in the 19th century” – not only brought an economic boom but also made the United States an economic power connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic. The nation’s railroad transportation entered its golden age.
Since James Watt, the British inventor, improved the steam engine technology in 1769, a series of technological revolutions enabled the transition from manual labor to power machines, which increased productivity substantially. Ru Feng realized that it was the advanced technology that made the United States powerful. He then decided to leave the west coast city San Francisco and move to New York, a metropolis in the east coast of the United States, to study mechanical manufacturing technology. He worked very hard, hoping to help his home country, China, which was poor and underdeveloped at the time.
From the West to the East, he witnessed the rapid industrial development and advancement in machinery and equipment in many American cities. He was deeply inspired, and wrote the following in his diary:
“The prosperity of a country relies on its advanced technology, and the advanced technology must rely on machines. We must learn machineries to assist the development of technology.” 【3】
He worked in the factory during the day and taught himself English and various technical knowledge at night. He lived a very simple life, and saved money to buy science and technology books.
The U.S. Congress passed the “Chinese Exclusion Act” in 1882, and continued to renew the Act and made it more stringent in the following years. In 1904, Congress passed the indefinite extension of the “Angell Treaty of 1880”, continuing to restrict Chinese workers immigrating to the United States. Under such circumstances, the Chinese in the US were treated extremely unfairly and lived highly isolated lives. They were not only deprived of the right to become US citizens, but were also highly unlikely to enter mainstream society.
Ru Feng was not able to receive the formal education he wished to receive in the United States due to prejudice against the Chinese and institutionalized racism. Instead, he had to work odd jobs in shipyards, power plants and machine shops to acquire mechanical knowledge. For nearly seven years, he was often dismissed by his bosses for no reason, so his career and life were extremely unstable.
The old Chinese saying goes: “Honing gives a sharp edge to a sword, and bitter cold adds a keen fragrance to the plum blossom.” Despite such a difficult environment, Feng kept working hard and taught himself as much as he could, a conscious choice different from most Chinese workers of his time. Although he never got a college education, his hard work and self-learning over these many years enabled him to gradually acquire the knowledge and skills he needed on machinery and electric motor manufacturing. He completed a number of valuable inventions and started to design and manufacture generators, pile drivers, pumps, a wireless telegraph system, and other mechanical equipment. His products were widely welcomed by customers.
“The Wright of the East”
In 1906, Feng returned to San Francisco and started a machine manufacturing and sales business. At that time, he was already well recognized by the mechanical and electrical engineers in those fields. 【5】
During the time when Feng was studying in New York, two major events happened in the world:
In 1903, the American Wright brothers successfully invented the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane, starting a glorious era in world aviation history.
In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out. In order to gain control of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria area, the war was extended to regions near Liaodong of China, and caused enormous suffering to the Chinese people.
These two events shocked Ru Feng greatly and also ignited his strong patriotism towards his home country. He became even more determined about his future plans.
“The war between Japan and Russia is not good for the motherland. In this era of competition, airplanes are indispensable for the military. Instead of building a battleship and costing millions of dollars, why not use this money to build hundreds of low-cost airplanes? If thousands of airplanes are deployed at Chinese ports, then the mainland can be safe-guarded.” 【4】
Ru Feng foresaw the important potential of aviation in the national defense system, and put forward a visionary theory on air supremacy in 1906, 9 years earlier than Dr. Yat-sen Sun’s (November 12, 1866, March 12, 1925) “Save the Country with Aviation”, and 15 years earlier than the Italian military theorist Giulio Douhet’s (May 30, 1869 – February 15, 1930) theory. 【4】
In order to save weak China, Feng decided to rely on the Chinese people to develop aircrafts. With the purpose of “making the country strong and defending China”, he proposed to his uncle and local overseas Chinese to raise funds to establish an aircraft manufacturing company. The Chinese in San Francisco were very impressed by Feng’s patriotism, however, they were skeptical about building airplanes. After all, airplanes were a new business with great potential and also great risk.
As a result, only Qi Huang, Nan Zhang, and Yaoneng Tan were willing to invest in this partnership. With the help of his countrymen, Feng was able to raise 1,000 US dollars. In September 1907, Feng and his Chinese assistants, Zhuquan Zhu, Zhaohuai Zhu, and Biru Situ, rented a factory in Oakland, California, and began to develop aircrafts. However, due to a lack of funds, they were not able to purchase the necessary machinery and equipment. Therefore, many aircraft components had to be operated manually with simple tools, which imposed many challenges. 【7】
In order to maintain the leading edge in aircraft design, the Wright brothers made every effort to patent their invention without disclosing any design methods at all. The brothers also got into endless aircraft patent lawsuits with Glenn Curtis, which also made other aviation pioneers struggle under the pressure of patent monopoly.
In April 1908, based on his self-taught aviation theories and extensive experience in mechanical manufacturing, Feng designed his first prototype aircraft. Despite objections from others, he flew the first test flight while fully aware of the risk he was taking. He almost lost his life when the plane suddenly plunged into the ground from several meters high. 【2】
This was also the time when San Francisco had just experienced a catastrophic earthquake and the resulting fire forced nearly 300,000 residents to become homeless. Just like the old Chinese saying “Blessings never come in pairs and misfortunes never come singly”, Feng’s aircraft laboratory in Oakland also caught on fire due to the incident. The factory’s buildings, the equipment, and especially the drawings that they worked so hard on for months, were turned into ashes, which crushed Feng into deep desperation.
Nevertheless, he didn’t give up. Starting from scratch, he lobbied hard and raised some funds. A few months later, the “Guangdong Manufacturing Machinery Factory” opened again in a room of only 80 square feet at 359 East 9th Street, Oakland. The second aircraft was completed in August, but the test flight was not successful. He kept working and built the third one, but it failed again!
His small workshop was full of books, tools and instruments. When he was reading English science books, he had to frequently consult the dictionary to understand the scientific subjects. So, the immense obstacles he worked under were very apparent; however, Feng didn’t give up. He just kept working extremely hard, usually until three or four o’clock in the morning. Years of suffering from poverty, disease, hunger and discrimination had strengthened his thirst for knowledge and respect. He vowed to never give up until his dream came true.
With such determination and perseverance, Feng made exceptional progress in the development of aircrafts, as one of the pioneers of aviation.
“Chinese Aviator Preparing to Fly” This article records Ru Feng’s hard work in those days .《San Francisco Call》 Sept.21,1909，page 9
After not having seen him for a long time, his parents back in China repeatedly urged him to return home. However, Ru Feng could only comfort his parents by writing them letters. He said to his friends: “I won’t go back to China until my airplane successfully flies.” 【2】
Hammered by the repeated failures, his painstaking efforts and perseverance were comparable to Columbus discovering the American New World. When the company’s fund was nearly exhausted, he tried to raise more funds through issuing new shares, however, the shareholders refused to support him after six failed aircraft flights. The shareholders wanted him to transfer his electrical power patents to China. Feng, who had been so fascinated in flying and had been working so hard at making his own aircraft for years, was determined to fly into the sky first, and then introduce the electrical power to China. 【6】
When he was planning to use the remaining funds to build the seventh aircraft, he focused a great deal on improving his design. One day, he saw an eagle flying in the air, and was so attracted by it that he spent a long time observing the eagle’s flight. Inspired by the eagle’s flight, Feng immediately took a white dove and measured its body, wings etc. Based on the bionic theory and precise calculations, he redrew and re-made his plane’s wing, rudder, propeller and other components – a brand new biplane was born! 【2】
Ru Feng was working in an 8×10 square foot laboratory in Oklahoma. Source：Courtesy of Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library
In the late afternoon of September 21, 1909, 26-year-old Feng started his “Feng Ru One” aircraft and roared into the sky above the small city Piedmont near Oakland. Witnessed by his assistants and some local residents, the aircraft climbed up 4.5 meters and flew around the hillside owned by the local real estate tycoon William Dingee (July 22, 1854-September 5, 1941). It crossed fields and streams… then suddenly, the plane malfunctioned and Feng was thrown out of the plane and landed on the ground hard. Fortunately, he was not injured. The entire flight distance was 800 meters. 【3】【12】
“That was a huge biplane with four rear wheels hidden under the fuselage like bird claws. It circled on the top of the mountain for 20 minutes, turned a huge ellipse, almost back to the starting point…”. This was a vivid description from the 1909 edition of “The Oakland Enquirer”, September 23, 2015. 【10】
Feng’s aircraft flew 260 meters longer than the Wright brothers’ “Aviator One”, demonstrating its superb performance. In addition, it only took Feng one year and two months from making his first aircraft to this successful test flight. He was the first person from the west coast of America and the first Chinese individual who made and flew a powered flight into the sky in the United States.
It only took 6 years for the Chinese aviation pioneer Ru Feng to design this powered manned flight from the Wright brothers’ invention of the first airplane in the world. At that time, the world aviation technology was still in the very early phases of its continuous exploration, like a newborn baby in a cradle.
Chinese aviation pioneer—Ru Feng and his three assistants. Source：https://www.sohu.com/a/278984705_241009
Feng’s success attracted widespread attention in the United States. On the same day of his flight test, the mainstream newspaper “San Francisco Call” put big photos of him on the front page, praised him as the “Wright of the East”, and exclaimed “Chinese (Mongolian) set a record in aviation history!” 【9】
It was also mentioned in the article: “For the first time, the Chinese flew in the air with an airplane designed and manufactured by themselves. Its performance has reached the world’s most advanced level.”
On September 23, 1909, the “San Francisco Examiner” once again reported this historic flight with the title “The Chinese drove their own airplanes into the sky”:
Oakland, Sept. 22 — For 20 minutes Feng Joe Guey, a young Chinese inventor and aviator, circled through the air in the hills back of Piedmont yesterday afternoon in a biplane of his own manufacture, embodying his own ideas in Aeroplane construction.
Feng Joe Guey says he will fly again. He is to construct another Aeroplane on the same lines as the old one, but stronger. It is to be built of steel tubing and silk and will be driven by a more powerful engine.
Local media reported that “Chinese aviator first to fly on coast”. Source：Courtesy of Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library
In the months following the successful test flight, newspapers and magazines on the West Coast of the United States continued to report “Ru Feng’s first flight on the West Coast” one after another in both Chinese and English, introducing a miracle created by an international student from China through unwavering efforts. Unfortunately, from the collection of dozens of hundred-year-old newspapers, we can still see the use of disrespectful expressions towards the Chinese at that time, such as “Chinaman” or “Chink”, but the flying miracle created by Feng was undeniable.
However, in November 1909, the American “Aviation Magazine” published an article: “It is said that this machine (Ru Feng’s biplane) had already orbited three-quarters of a mile during its first test flight, however, there were some things that were obviously suspicious.” 【11】
Who really created the first flight on the US west coast?
The answer to this question was later replaced by other aviation pioneers in the United States, the most famous of which was Glenn L. Martin, the founder of Lockheed Martin (January 17, 1886 – December 5, 1955). At that time, the American aviation industry dismissed Feng’s flying achievements, largely because of his race. 【12】
Chinese aviation pioneer Ru Feng builds airplanes in Oakland, California, USA (photo on postcard). Source：https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/photo-chinese-aviator-fung-joe-guey-1788651714
However, Feng received strong support and attention from the Chinese community in the United States. He then changed the name of “Guangdong Manufacturing Machinery Factory” to “Guangdong Aircraft Company”, and personally served as chief mechanic. He also launched a public offering of company stock shares, which attracted 67 shareholders and raised US $5,875. 【8】
In 1910, Feng built an even better-performing aircraft in the United States. This new aircraft was equipped with wings 29.5 feet long and 4.5 feet wide, a 30 horsepower internal combustion engine, and a propeller rotating 1,200 revolutions per minute. In October of the same year, Feng took the new aircraft to participate in the international flight competition held in San Francisco. His aircraft flew at the altitude of 213 meters and speed of 104 kilometers per hour for a total of 32 kilometers, breaking a world record set in France a year ago. Feng won first prize at this competition.
Once again, it confirmed that Feng was advanced in aviation technology, and he became a widely recognized aviator. 【13】
Dr. Yat-sen Sun, who was campaigning and fundraising in the United States for his anti-Qing dynasty revolution, also watched Feng’s air show. Dr. Sun praised Feng and complimented: “My country has great talented people!” [2]
“Father of Chinese Aviation”
Ru Feng’s fame rose, and more foreign companies rushed to recruit him with lucrative financial packages, or hire him as an aviation teacher. In order to secure air supremacy, European and American countries were all actively developing the aviation industry and desperately recruiting professionals in this field, however, Feng fully devoted himself to developing China’s aviation industry.【13】
At that time, the Qing government also began to prepare for the establishment of the Air Force. In January 1911, Yuanji Zhang(October 25, 1867-August 14, 1959), a Shanghai Commercial Printing Compiler, traveled to the United States and urged Feng to return to China as soon as possible. Zhang also submitted a letter of recommendation to Mingqi Zhang, a governor of the Qing (July 29, 1875-September 15, 1945), and asked the governor to hire Feng as an exception. 【2】
Ru Feng was overjoyed: “It has always been my wish to use my talents to serve my motherland!”
He wanted to bring his electrical machinery, wireless telegraphy, and airships to China to generate power from the streams and waterfalls, build factories and railways, and bring better life to the people. These were the ultimate goals that drove his hard work ethic over the past years.
“San Francisco Examiner” specially published an article: “He will put wings on the Chinese dragon!”. Source：《The San Francisco call》 March 19, 1911, Image 3
In February 1911, after having lived in the United States for 16 years, Feng led three employees of the “Guangdong Aircraft Company” on a journey home with machinery and two aircrafts. After more than a month of turbulent ocean voyage, the group finally arrived in Hong Kong safely on March 21, 1911. The Qing government sent the Baobi warship to welcome them. He launched the 2nd Chinese aircraft manufacturing company in Yantang, a suburb of Guangzhou (the first was the Nanyuan Aircraft Factory opened by the Qing government in 1910), then went home to see his parents. 【2】
The original plan of starting an air show immediately after Feng’s arrival was cancelled because the Revolutionaries launched the Huanghuagang Uprising. As the anti-feudal revolution continued, the Qing government became more and more concerned about Feng’s loyalty. The Qing government not only cancelled the flight show, but also secretly monitored Feng’s actions.
At midnight on October 10, 1911, the “Wuchang Uprising” fired the first shot to overthrow the Qing monarchy. The success of the “Xinhai Revolution” brought China to a new era of democracy and republic.
On November 9, the Guangdong Revolutionary Government was established. Feng, who had yearned for a democratic republic and was disappointed with the Manchu Qing monarchy, earnestly supported the social reform from the revolution. Dr. Yat-sen Sun was very pleased with Feng’s support and appointed him as the flight captain of the Guangdong Revolutionary Army. Feng was also tasked to step up the production of aircrafts in preparation to contribute to the Revolutionary Army’s Northern Expedition. In addition, Feng also planned to organize an aircraft reconnaissance team, and build aircrafts in China to assist the Revolutionary Army to overthrow the Manchu monarchy. However, this plan was not implemented due to the rapid collapse of the Qing government.
In February 1912, Feng gave his first air show after his return to China. Unexpectedly, the aircraft malfunctioned on the way and fell to the ground after taking off only a few feet high. The aircraft was somewhat damaged. Although the flight show was unsuccessful, the news that a Chinese flew his self-made airplane into the sky was widely reported in many newspapers and periodicals, and generated enormous excitement across the country.
Feng was greatly encouraged by the support from Dr. Sun and the public, and started carefully preparing for the second flight show held in Yantang, Guangzhou.
On August 25, 1912, the weather in the suburbs of Guangzhou was exceptionally good. A lot of people came to the airport to see the legendary flying heroes and the aircraft flying in the blue sky like a big bird.
With three assistants Zhuquan Zhu, Zhaohuai Zhu, and Biru Situ in a test flight at the Yantang playground. Ru Feng sat in the middle seat. “The situation in which the great Chinese aviator Mr. Feng, Ru died for his art” “Truth Pictorial” Vol. 1, Issue 8, Pages 8-9, 11
The handsome Ru Feng arrived at the air show site, and gave the guests an excellent introduction to the technology of aircraft manufacturing and driving.
Then he boarded the biplane made by himself, and soared into the blue sky like an eagle. The aircraft reached about 36 meters high and traveled about 8 kilometers southeast, cruising and turning freely. The spectators were overjoyed and the sound of applause traveled far beyond the scene. A local newspaper “Truth Pictorial” published photos of Feng when he flew into the sky and bypassed the Shougou Mountain.
Near the end of the air show, Feng intended to fly the aircraft even higher. He pulled up the control stick and pressed hard on the accelerator, then the eagle soared into the sky again… Suddenly the engine seemed to fail, and the aircraft lost balance and fell rapidly from the air …
The aircraft smashed into a bamboo forest behind the cannon dart camp. Feng’s body endured multiple injuries from being pierced by the bamboo, and he bled badly. According to a report in the 1912 “Truth Pictorial” Volume 1, Issue 8 (pages 8-9, 11):
Feng wanted to fly faster and higher, pulling the control with both hands. He unexpectedly pulled too hard, the airplane went straight up with its head high and tail low, and then crashed. Feng’s head, chest and thighs were all seriously injured. The Red Cross and military doctors rushed to rescue him, but they were not able to save his life due to the lack of medicine.
In his last moments, he told his assistants: “Your faith in the progress of your cause is by no means to be affected by my death.”
During his 17 years in the United States, Feng studied general machinery for 10 years, and designed and manufactured airplanes for 6 years. He tried and failed repeatedly, but he kept going. His determination and perseverance were truly exceptional! 【2】
“I heard about the military potential of the airplane, and I vowed to devote my life to acquire the aviation technology and skills to serve my motherland. If I don’t succeed, I would rather die.” 【3】
Ru Feng, a Chinese aviation pioneer, devoted all his zeal to the “Save the Nation with Aviation” movement during his life of 29 years.
Ru Feng was awarded the posthumous rank of a major general in the army. In accordance with his will, his family and assistants buried him in the Mausoleum of the 72 Huanghuagang Martyrs, Guangzhou. His tombstone was about 4 meters high, with “The Tomb of China’s Founding Flying Master Feng Ru” engraved in the front and his epitaph on both sides. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s memorial order was inscribed on the back of the tombstone. At the site where Ru Feng died, at the request of the Ministry of Army, a memorial was built under the supervision of the Guangdong Metropolitan Authority.
The tomb of Chinese aviation founder flying master Feng, Ru. Source：http://www.flyingtiger-cacw.com/gb_629.htm
The Guangdong Army, Guangzhou intellectuals and students held a series of memorial services for him. At one memorial ceremony at the site of the airplane crash, the famous scholar Danru He (1820-1913) of the late Qing dynasty expressed his deep condolences with a pair of elegiac couplets: 【14】
殉社会者则甚易，殉工艺者则尤难，一霎坠飞机，青冢那堪埋伟士；
论事之成固可嘉，论事之败亦可喜，千秋留实学，黄花又见泣秋风。
Ru Feng not only opened a glorious new era in Chinese aviation history, but also led a new chapter in world aviation history. He was recognized as the “Father of Chinese Aviation” because he was the first person who proposed the aviation strategy that had a profound impact on the development of the Chinese aviation industry. The “First Year of Chinese Aviation” is marked by the successful first flight of “Feng Ru No. 1” in 1909.
Dr. Yat-sen Sun, the Chinese revolution founder, specifically discussed the relationship between the invention of the flying machine and the civil rights movement in his book “Three Principles of the democratic”:
“For example, the latest invention of big machines is a flying machine, and this flying machine is quite dangerous. During the course of this invention, many people sacrificed their lives, like Ru Feng in Guangdong. Who was he? He was the one who created an airplane and also the one who flew the airplane and fell to death. When the airplane was invented, no one knew how to use this machine to fly, so the person who made the airplane had to be the pilot as well.
……
Now in China, the idea of civil rights has sprouted, however, the machine for these kinds of thoughts has not been fully invented yet, and most people don’t know how to use it. For those of us who have the foresight, we should first build a machine with convenient and safe operating systems and tools. Only when ordinary people can use the machine easily, then our idea of civil rights can be turned into reality. “
The up-to-date (1912) airships of the various countries. Ru Feng’s (37) biplane was majestically flying. Source: “Oriental Magazine” Volume 9, Issue 5, Pages 20-21
Today, at the place where Feng’s aircraft crashed, in the Peanut Liao community, Linhe Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, a vivid statue of Feng wearing a flying suit and a flying cap, stands proudly and looks firmly into the sky…
Feng’s short but heroic life has inspired many aviation enthusiasts and historians. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his historic flight in 1909, Chinese Americans in Oakland, California, USA held a grand commemorative event at Laney College on September 19, 2009.
The bronze bust of Feng by sculptor Long Xiang (1959-) of the China Academy of Art and funded by the “Qianjiang Evening News” of Zhejiang Province, was unveiled at the commemorative event and was permanently displayed in Lenny College.
Bronze Bust of Ru Feng at Beijing Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Source：Rainoo from Tokyo, Japan，CC BY 2.0，https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7684429
At the commemoration, Mr. Frank Chong, president of Lenny College and from Chinatown in New York, spoke highly of Feng for his outstanding contribution to aviation.
“We hope that this monument will be a symbol to all people that there is creativity in all of us and that when these advancements are achieved and honored it will inspire others to venture forth, and follow their dreams,”
In order to confirm Feng’s historic first flight on the West Coast of the United States, Steve Lavoie, an Oakland History Research librarian at the Oakland Public Library in California, visited many libraries in Orange County, Los Angeles, and Berkeley University searching for information from various sources about Ru Feng. Lavoie conducted meticulous research on all the historical data he collected. The Oakland Public Library is the former residence of American writer Jack London and also has a large collection of Ru Feng’s works.
In the end, Steve Lavoie was convinced that this historic flight was carried out by Feng and the honor belonged to Feng. He stated in his remarks that the flight over Oakland-Piedmont on September 21, 1909 was indeed the first time. However, Feng’s accomplishments were dismissed by the US aviation community of his era because of racial discrimination 【15】
Thomas C. Reed, former Secretary of the Air Force; Cindi Edwards, the great grandson of the Wright brothers; members of the Amelia Earhart Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol; and other special guests attended this grand ceremony.
The American writer and journalist James Fallows published a new book “China Airborne” (Chinese translation “中国航空”) in 2013. He described with great detail the development of Chinese modern aviation industry, especially the extremely difficult early days, from the American perspective. In his book, Fallows specifically mentioned several Chinese aviation pioneers who had deep ties to the United States: they all studied aviation technology and lived in the United States. Feng Ru was one of them. 【16】
A young Chinese man traveled thousands of miles to the United States, carrying the dream of his generation. With his unyielding spirit and talent, he flew into the blue sky fearlessly and created world-renowned miracles. To liberate and rejuvenate his home country China, he resolutely returned home and joined in the anti-feudal democratic revolutionary movement.
Ru Feng, a pioneer in Chinese aviation, showed the world the ideals, beliefs, wisdom and capabilities of the Chinese people. He was a role model for the younger generation of China. All Chinese descendants all over the world should commemorate this great man for his important role in the Chinese aviation history.
Index
【1】“Glenn H. Curtiss”
https://www.centennialofflight.net/essay/Explorers_Record_Setters_and_Daredevils/Curtiss/EX3.htm
【2】“中国飞行家冯如行状？《东方杂志》内外时报第9卷第五号20-21页
【3】“中国航空之父 冯如” http://www.china.com.cn/aboutchina/zhuanti/zg365/2009-08/24/content_18387434.htm
【4】维基百科“冯如”https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%86%AF%E5%A6%82
【5】“I’ll finish my Airship, then I’ll Show China” 《The San Francisco Call》 May 23, 1909, page 6
【6】“He Will Fit the Wing to the Chinese Dragon”《The San Francisco Call》March 19, 1911, page 3
【7】《中国近代航空工业史》（1909-1949），第二节 中国人设计制造飞机，一、冯如首次驾驶自制飞机上天。
【8】百度“冯如 （中国第一位飞机设计师）”https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%86%AF%E5%A6%82/162530
【9】“Mongolian May Make New Record in Aerial Flight”,《The San Francisco Call》 Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1909
【10】“The Father of Chinese Aviation” https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/the-father-of-chinese-aviation-7979767/
【11】“Oakland CA Chinatown Makes Aviation History”https://blog.sfgate.com/wwong/2009/09/18/oakland-ca-chinatown-makes-aviation-history/
【12】“Feng Ru: Conquering Pacific Skies”
https://web.archive.org/web/20110102194719/http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/PR/pr090309feng.htm
【13】“中国第一个造飞机的冯如” 摘自《冯如》黄庆昌著，广东中华民族文化促进会。
http://www.flyingtiger-cacw.com/gb_629.htm
【14】“张聚恩老师心目中的12位近代中国航空先驱”https://www.sohu.com/a/167473112_332162
【15】“Aiming for the sky” http://www.china.org.cn/living_in_china/news/2009-09/21/content_18566153.htm
【16】“中国航空之父”冯如与美国的因缘”https://share.america.gov/zh-hans/fengru/
Acknowledge
Many thanks to American researchers, Mr. Li Zhongze and Ms. Huang Qian for providing a large number of historical newspapers and photos as well as participating in the article review!
