page_title: Goo Kim Fui
section_title: Public service
hierarchical_section_title: Goo Kim Fui / Public service
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of members of the United Chinese Society in Honolulu, Hawaii.
context_page_description: Goo Kim Fui was a prosperous and influential Chinese merchant, community leader, and philanthropist. He was a defender of the Chinese people during the anti-Chinese agitation in Honolulu in the 1880s and played an instrumental role in uniting the local Chinese people. Goo's efforts to protect their rights from anti-Chinese prejudices meant that many Chinese were able to prosper in their work and living.
  Goo Kim Fui met the young Sun Yat-sen when Sun was studying in Hawaii. They both shared the same Christian faith and were friends with the same pastor, Sit Moon. As Chinese Vice-Consul to Hawaii, Goo was able to help Sun obtain travel visas to Honolulu. Later, Goo and other members of his church financially supported Sun in his efforts to overthrow the Qing dynasty in 1911. Goo Kim Fui fully supported Sun Yat-sen's revolution toward a modern China and shared similar ideals.
  As the social work of Goo Kim Fui occupied so much of his focus, appears that these innovative programs and social engineering innovations influenced the thinking of the young Sun Yat Sen.
context_section_description: In 1882, Goo Kim Fui was elected as vice-president of the United Chinese Society (中華會館) to promote mutual aid among Chinese migrants in Hawaii. The Qing imperial government of China appointed Goo as a commercial agent with the official title of Chinese Vice-Consul to Hawaii.
  Goo later succeeded his predecessor as the president of the United Chinese Society in July, 1892. The anti-Chinese agitation in the 1880s and increasing anti-Chinese activities led Goo to organize the Mutual Defense Association ("Lein Wei Hui") in 1894 and in response to help his own countrymen when they were refused medical help at the general hospital, he set up a Chinese hospital in March 1897 (惠華醫院) to cater to Chinese patients. With the help of his long-time Christian friend, Sanford B. Dole, President of the Republic of Hawaii, Goo won the legal battle to protect the rights of the Chinese migrants living and working in Hawaii as well as the right to legally attain American citizenship.
  Following a disastrous fire on January 20, 1900 that burned down nearly all of Chinatown, Goo Kim Fui actively participated in efforts to save Chinatown and eliminate the large losses suffered by local Chinese businesses. He donated his own money to help the victims of the fire. News of this was reported back to the Qing government in China and he was honored with an award for his contribution.
  In July 1902 Goo Kim Fui was promoted from Vice Consul to Acting Consul General of the Chinese Legation in Honolulu following a US Department of State protest. Yang Wei-pin, the previous Chinese Consul in Hawaii resigned "for domestic reasons" and was immediately replaced by Goo Kim Fui.
  During his years serving in the United Chinese Society, Goo co-founded several community centers for the benefit of the people, including the Protection Bureau ("Bow On Guk"), the Mutual Defense Association ("Lein Wei  Hui"), the Chinese Christian Association, the Chinese Christian Church on Fort Street, an educational institution and a hospital. He often traveled back to his hometown in China and built houses for his extended family as well as building a church for the community.
  Following the annexation of Hawaii the Overland Monthly published an article on the Chinese Community in Honolulu:
  "Foremost in the Chinese colony is Goo Kim Fui, Chinese Consular Agent to Hawaii, President of the United Chinese Society, President of the Hospital Association, President to the Young Men's Christian Association, a merchant of tried probity, great business sagacity, great wealth, and the proprietor of extensive enterprises. He would be a man of influence anywhere. Self-made to a large extent, he combines the breadth of view, the solidity of character, and the intellectual amplitude, that mark the man of achievement."
caption: Goo Kim Fui (back row, third from left) was president of the United Chinese Society (中華會館)
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