History

Shun Tak Min Yuen Tong was founded in 1876 by a group of distinguished clansmen in Hong Kong, including Messr. Leung Hok Chou, Lee Chak Ting, Leung Lui Kai, Lau Yum Chuen and Leung Ping Nam.  In the spirit of uniting Shunde compatriots who shared a common fervent to care for the welfare of their hometown, the Association set its objective to promote the welfare, charitable cause, education, elderly care of clansmen in Hong Kong and Shunde, honour their ancestors as well as provide relief for those suffering from natural disasters and other calamities.

For over a century now, the Association holds firm to its ethos of fairly and indiscriminately contributing towards the community welfare of Hong Kong and Shunde in education, medical services, relief for natural disasters and other charitable causes.

In the 1930s, the Association established the Yeung Ching Free School at its own premises on Hennessy Road, Wanchai, which then branched out to three affiliated schools in Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island as well as Yau Ma Tei and Sham Shui Po in Kowloon, to provide free education to several hundred poor children.  The schools were, however, forced to close down during the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s.

At the end of the war in 1945, Min Yuen Tong resumed its vigour in community services, particularly in the provision of education to youngsters and free coffin homes for the deceased.  It soon founded the Min Yuen Secondary School at premises acquired on Hollywood Road in Hong Kong, and later re-located it to larger premises on Waterloo Road in Kowloon. In keeping with the Association’s long-established policy, the school only charged token tuition fees and thus provided much needed relief to those who would otherwise be deprived of the opportunity of education.

In 1961 free and compulsory education was introduced in Hong Kong. With its historic mission accomplished, the Min Yuen Secondary School was closed down. Since then, in pursuance of its vision and tradition, the Association has continued to support charitable causes in both Hong Kong and Shunde, particularly in respect of education, medical services, elderly care, and disaster relief for the welfare of the community at large.