The remarkable life of Dr. Sun Fangzhong, the founding supervisor of the school (1927-2026)

Women's Day on March 8th has just passed, and today we would like to introduce an outstanding woman, Dr. Sun Fangzhong, the founding supervisor of our school. We have created a short film about her life.

Sun Fangzhong, whose ancestral home is Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, has loved writing since childhood, is concerned about international affairs, and possesses a strong sense of justice. She wrote an article urging Italian dictator Mussolini to stop his aggression; the article was published in the *Wuxi Education Monthly*. And she's only a second-year junior high school student!

After Japan's full-scale invasion of China, Sun Fangzhong submitted a poem to the Shanghai Da Mei Evening News, expressing her determination to resist the Japanese invaders. This demonstrates that Sun, the school principal, possessed a strong sense of national pride and concern for the country from a young age. At the time of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan, Shanghai newspapers vied to recruit female reporters, becoming a hot topic. Sun Fangzhong, with her prestigious university degree, was one of the most prominent. A top student at St. John's University in Shanghai, she wrote an interview for the Wuxi Da Feng Daily before even graduating. Her fluent English interview with American military personnel attracted the attention of the press, leading to a bidding war for her. She was hailed as a "red reporter," and was assigned to cover important news in Shanghai and Nanjing. She also wrote features and novels for the Hong Kong Sing Tao Daily.

After graduating from university, Sun Fangzhong got married and moved to Hong Kong with her businessman husband, Zhou Zhenhuan, entering the education sector and starting a new chapter in her life.

In 1953, at the age of 25, Sun Fangzhong was appointed as the founding principal of Hong Kong Su Zhe Primary School. The school believed that although Sun Fangzhong was young, his outstanding academic qualifications and experience made him the best candidate for principal.
Sun Fangzhong lived up to expectations, leading Su Zhe Primary School to become a renowned school in Hong Kong Island. Its distinctive feature was the use of Mandarin as the language of instruction. Principal Sun retired in 2001, having served as principal for 48 years.

Ms. Sun Fong Chung firmly believes that teaching in Mandarin can cultivate students' sense of belonging to the country and help improve their Chinese language and writing skills. In recent years, Mandarin teaching has been widely accepted in Hong Kong. This is also the mission of our Sun Fong Chung College.

In the 1950s and 60s, Hong Kong faced serious youth problems, with many students going astray. In response, Sun Fangzhong founded the "Hong Kong and Kowloon Neighborhood Women's Association" and launched the first "Youth Moral Education Movement" in 1966. During the summer, the association offered technical classes such as radio technology and various recreational activities, hoping to cultivate healthy hobbies and develop correct values among young people. This pioneering movement was quickly adopted by other community organizations. The Hong Kong and Kowloon Neighborhood Women's Association later expanded its services to include women and the elderly.

Principal Sun Fangzhong was highly regarded by the Hong Kong government. In 1966, she was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the Commonwealth) and in 1974, she was appointed a Justice of the Peace. Sun Fangzhong held various public offices and dedicated herself to community service. Her news frequently appeared in the media. In 1984, she was invited to attend the 30th anniversary National Day parade of the People's Republic of China in Beijing. Later that year, she was selected as one of the 100 members of the delegation to witness the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration in Beijing.

Sun Fangzhong led and participated in the Hong Kong Eastern District Schools Liaison Committee, the Hong Kong Island Eastern District Buildings Association, and the Hong Kong Eastern District Recreation and Sports Promotion Association, contributing tirelessly to society. She also served as a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and held positions in the All-China Women's Federation.

After Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Tung Chee-hwa, the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong, awarded her the Bronze Bauhinia Star. The Education University of Hong Kong and Shue Yan University subsequently conferred upon her honorary fellowship and honorary doctorate in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Hong Kong society and education.

In the 1980s and 90s, women's associations in Hong Kong and Kowloon opened many kindergartens and primary schools. Sun Fong Chung College, founded in 2002, is located in Mid-Levels, Tai Po. It was the first subsidized secondary school in Hong Kong to fully implement Putonghua teaching, and Ms. Sun Fong Chung served as the founding supervisor.

Principal Sun Fong Chung passed away peacefully on February 18th of this year, and a memorial service is being held today, March 16th, at the Hong Kong Funeral Home. All of us, the teachers and students, express our deepest condolences to Principal Sun and will forever remember your contributions to the founding of Sun Fong Chung College.

bibliography:
Sun Fangzhong: A Thousand Threads of Unending Love (Hong Kong: Tiandi, 2006).
Sun Fangzhong, The Years of Steer the Waves (Hong Kong: Tiandi, 2008).