Lily Sun Sui-fong
Lily Sun Sui-fong, 68, granddaughter of Sun Yat-sen, was in Hong Kong last month to give speeches at several schools about her grandfather's theories. Dr Sun, who lives in Hawaii, says it is still important for young people to study her grandfather's Three People's Principles - nationalism, democracy and people's livelihood.
It is difficult being a woman, but it is more difficult being the granddaughter of a great man. The unique status of being Sun Yat-sen's granddaughter has brought me sorrow and responsibility, ever since I was in Shanghai Shijie primary school in 1941.
My mother told me to behave as a model for my peers. So I studied hard and was always ranked first in my class. I was often afraid my grandfather would be sad if I didn't extend myself.
I participated in various patriotic activities, but I was rejected by the Communist League of China because of my family background. Despite scoring highest in my school in the college-entry exam, no university would accept me until Song Qingling, my grandfather's second wife, helped me get into Tongji University.
These experiences showed me one had to suffer because of the position granted to them by heaven, just as my grandfather endured 10 failed revolutions before success in 1911.
I studied architecture in university and got a doctorate in business management, which helped me become a successful property developer in Hawaii. But I gave up my career after Song's funeral in 1981.
My grandfather has appeared twice in my dreams, telling me to promote his theory.
I began to review his theory and collect more historical relics related to him. Actually, I've been collecting his pictures since I was nine. My aim was to write a comprehensive book about him, and his Three People's Principles.
But my Putonghua was very poor at that time, because I had been in the US for 15 years. So I went into a Guanyin temple in Honolulu and spent 10 years there until I came up with an album in memory of my grandfather in 1995.
The book includes about 400 pictures of my grandfather and 800 examples of his calligraphy.
I travelled around the world, making speeches about my grandfather and his principles. I've made over 700 speeches, 49 in Taiwan. But my promotion work has just begun on the mainland and Hong Kong, where I have found people do not know enough about him. Some students have never heard of his theories, which leaves me with a feeling of loss.
I think the Hong Kong government should build more monuments and museums in memory of my grandfather, letting young people know his contribution and historic status.
I also feel sorry about the current tense situation across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's leaders deviated from my grandfather's principles that Chinese people should unite as a whole family. I'm sure people advocating Taiwanese independence will fail in the end.
I became more impressed by my grandfather's morality as I came to understand him more.
He was a modest and frugal man. His lunch allowance as the temporary president of China was 2 yuan every day, but he used only 40 fen. He was once stopped by a new guard at the president's office because he wore such plain clothes and didn't take a car. Under his influence, I don't pay attention to wealth any more.
I co-established the Sun Yat-sen Cardiovascular Hospital in Shenzhen, where my grandfather used to practice medicine. I have also donated more than 10 million yuan to various charity groups.
I'm not a rich woman but I think I enjoy much spiritual wealth.
I have little sense of having a constant home, since I travel so much following my dream to help more people from different countries understand Sun Yat-sen and what a great man he was. It is my mission to simply be his granddaughter.
