[Civilian] Hua Tse Jen
Description:
Birth:
1901, Tianjin
Death:
1980s, Hong Kong
Pre-war:
Dr. Hua Tse Ten was raised by his mother in Tianjin, where he received his early education at Nankai Middle School and Nankai University. He later studied at the University of Hong Kong with funding from the Hebei, graduating with a medical degree in 1927. After graduation, he briefly worked at the Hong Kong Government Medical Services before returning to North China in 1929 to become a medical officer at the Kailan Coal Mine in Hebei. After Japanese forces took control of the mine during the Sino-Japanese War, he briefly worked with the League of Nations Health Organization conducting relief and medical work in China. In 1938, he came to Hong Kong and became the superintendent of Lai Chi Kok Hospital, and was later appointed as the superintendent of Kwong Wah Hospital in 1940. Between 1940 and 1941, Kwong Wah Hospital provided both regular and free outpatient and inpatient services, traditional Chinese medicine services, and assisted the government with relief and sanitation work. Air Raid Precaution Warden training for Kowloon was also conducted at Kwong Wah Hospital. Dr. Hua was also a member of the Nurses' Board and the Hong Kong Eugenics Association before the war.
Wartime:
During the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December 1941, when Kowloon fell into chaos, Dr. Hua prevented looting at the hospital and, together with his Japanese-speaking friend Yau Chin Li, stopped Japanese troops from entering the hospital premises. During the early occupation period, when communication between Kwong Wah and Tung Wah directors was difficult, Dr. Hua continued operating the hospital with assistance from the Director of Medical Services Selwyn-Clarke and the Japanese military administration's medical officer Dr. Eguchi, caring for over a hundred staff and thousands of patients. Possibly due to Eguchi's assistance, Kwong Wah Hospital did not lose many instruments and equipment during the war, only losing their ambulance, while the Japanese exchanged their advanced microscope for an inferior one.
At that time, the Japanese army occupied Kowloon Hospital, and no large public hospitals were available on the Kowloon Peninsula. Kwong Wah Hospital also took in patients and staff from Lai Chi Kok Hospital, Kowloon Hospital, and Precious Blood Hospital. As a result, Kwong Wah Hospital took on the heavy responsibility of caring for Kowloon residents. In the spring and summer of 1943, the Japanese military police conducted mass arrests of those suspected of underground resistance with the Allies. After Eguchi was transferred away and Selwyn-Clarke was arrested, Dr. Hua himself was also arrested by the Japanese military police and was released after several days of interrogation. Although Dr. Hua's health had deteriorated due to overwork, he continued working until May 1945 before stepping down to recuperate.
Post-war:
After the war, Dr. Hua resumed his position as superintendent of Kwong Wah Hospital and participated in difficult post-war reconstruction work. In 1948, Dr. Tam Ka Si of Tung Wah Hospital and Dr. Hua received an OBE, while Kwong Wah's Matron Chu Chung-luen received an MBE. After the war, he continued his medical and social work, maintaining private practice while participating in tuberculosis prevention work and founding the Shanghai Street Children's Center (later becoming the Society of Boys' Centres). He also served as president of both the British Medical Association (Hong Kong and South China Branch) and the Chinese Medical Association and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hong Kong in 1969.
Dr. Hua passed away in the 1980s. His former residence at 15 Cumberland Road is now part of the Hong Kong Theological Seminary.
Birth:
1901, Tianjin
Death:
1980s, Hong Kong
Pre-war:
Dr. Hua Tse Ten was raised by his mother in Tianjin, where he received his early education at Nankai Middle School and Nankai University. He later studied at the University of Hong Kong with funding from the Hebei, graduating with a medical degree in 1927. After graduation, he briefly worked at the Hong Kong Government Medical Services before returning to North China in 1929 to become a medical officer at the Kailan Coal Mine in Hebei. After Japanese forces took control of the mine during the Sino-Japanese War, he briefly worked with the League of Nations Health Organization conducting relief and medical work in China. In 1938, he came to Hong Kong and became the superintendent of Lai Chi Kok Hospital, and was later appointed as the superintendent of Kwong Wah Hospital in 1940. Between 1940 and 1941, Kwong Wah Hospital provided both regular and free outpatient and inpatient services, traditional Chinese medicine services, and assisted the government with relief and sanitation work. Air Raid Precaution Warden training for Kowloon was also conducted at Kwong Wah Hospital. Dr. Hua was also a member of the Nurses' Board and the Hong Kong Eugenics Association before the war.
Wartime:
During the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December 1941, when Kowloon fell into chaos, Dr. Hua prevented looting at the hospital and, together with his Japanese-speaking friend Yau Chin Li, stopped Japanese troops from entering the hospital premises. During the early occupation period, when communication between Kwong Wah and Tung Wah directors was difficult, Dr. Hua continued operating the hospital with assistance from the Director of Medical Services Selwyn-Clarke and the Japanese military administration's medical officer Dr. Eguchi, caring for over a hundred staff and thousands of patients. Possibly due to Eguchi's assistance, Kwong Wah Hospital did not lose many instruments and equipment during the war, only losing their ambulance, while the Japanese exchanged their advanced microscope for an inferior one.
At that time, the Japanese army occupied Kowloon Hospital, and no large public hospitals were available on the Kowloon Peninsula. Kwong Wah Hospital also took in patients and staff from Lai Chi Kok Hospital, Kowloon Hospital, and Precious Blood Hospital. As a result, Kwong Wah Hospital took on the heavy responsibility of caring for Kowloon residents. In the spring and summer of 1943, the Japanese military police conducted mass arrests of those suspected of underground resistance with the Allies. After Eguchi was transferred away and Selwyn-Clarke was arrested, Dr. Hua himself was also arrested by the Japanese military police and was released after several days of interrogation. Although Dr. Hua's health had deteriorated due to overwork, he continued working until May 1945 before stepping down to recuperate.
Post-war:
After the war, Dr. Hua resumed his position as superintendent of Kwong Wah Hospital and participated in difficult post-war reconstruction work. In 1948, Dr. Tam Ka Si of Tung Wah Hospital and Dr. Hua received an OBE, while Kwong Wah's Matron Chu Chung-luen received an MBE. After the war, he continued his medical and social work, maintaining private practice while participating in tuberculosis prevention work and founding the Shanghai Street Children's Center (later becoming the Society of Boys' Centres). He also served as president of both the British Medical Association (Hong Kong and South China Branch) and the Chinese Medical Association and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hong Kong in 1969.
Dr. Hua passed away in the 1980s. His former residence at 15 Cumberland Road is now part of the Hong Kong Theological Seminary.
Sources: Wong Man Kong, Law Yuen Han, Fan Wing Chung, Tidengzhe yan: Guanghua yiyuan huli jiaoyu lishi (Hong Kong: Chunghwa Books, 2022); South China Morning Post, 15/4/1940, p. 5; South China Morning Post, 14/9/1945, p. 4; South China Morning Post, 2/6/1948, p. 6;"69th Congregation (1968) HUA Tse Jen," Hong Kong University Website.
