| Sir Kai Ho Kai | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 March 1859 Hong Kong[1] |
| Died | 21 July 1914 Hong Kong |
| Occupation | Translator, Doctor, Barrister |
| Spouse | 1st - Alice Walkden, 2nd - Lai Yuk-hing |
Sir Kai Ho Kai, CMG, JP, MRCS (Chinese: 何啟; pinyin: Hé Qǐ, Jyutping: Ho4 Kai2), (1859–1914), born Ho Shan-kai (Chinese: 何神啟; pinyin: Hé Shén Qǐ, Jyutping: Ho4 San4 Kai2), was a Hong Kong Chinese barrister, physician and essayist in Colonial Hong Kong. He played a key role in the relationship between the Hong Kong Chinese community and the British colonial government. He is mostly remembered as one of the main supporters and teacher of student Sun Yat-sen. Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong, was named after him and his son-in-law Au Tak, though he died in 1914, long before the idea of an aerodrome was first mentioned in 1925.
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Kai Ho was the fourth son of the late Reverend Ho Tsun-shin of the London Missionary Society and brother of Ho Miu-ling (wife of Wu Tingfang, Hong Kong's first Chinese barrister and first Chinese member of the Legislative Council, later Chinese Consul-General to the USA). He married Alice Walkden (3 February 1852 – 8 June 1884), eldest daughter of the late John Walkden, Esq, of Blackheath, at St Aubyn's Congregational Church, Upper Norwood, London, England on Dec. 13 1881 and returned to Hong Kong after his studies. Alice gave birth to a daughter, but died of typhoid fever in Hong Kong in 1884. The daughter was taken to England to be brought up by Alice's relatives but she died young and was never married.[2] Kai Ho later married Lily Lai Yuk-hing (d. 1945).[3]
Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital is named for his wife Alice and sister Miu-ling.
In 1872, at the age of 13, Ho was sent to United Kingdom to study at Palmer House school, Margate, Kent. In September 1875, he registered at the University of Aberdeen. In 1879, he received his MBCM and went to St Thomas' Hospital to take up clinical training. He became the first Chinese qualified physician and graduated from Aberdeen University in the same year. He then studied law at Lincoln's Inn and was called to the bar in 1881.[1] He returned to Hong Kong in early 1882, and embarked on changing the landscape of Hong Kong's colleges and universities. The Chinese culture at that time placed a heavy emphasis on Traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese citizens of the late 19th century were largely skeptical about Western medicine.[1] Sir Kai not only gained the people's acceptance, but also helped the British make possible a number of health-related establishments that otherwise would have been misunderstood by the public. In 1887, the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese was opened. He made it an initiative that Chinese doctors too could benefit from an institution that focused on Western medicine. This College later became the basis from which the Hong Kong University was established in 1910.
In 1912 Ho went into a partnership with his son-in-law Au Tak. It was a land reclamation development project of houses and recreation grounds. The project was named Kai Tak Bund, but it was a failure and was liquidated in 1924. The land was taken back by the government, and was later used by a flying school, then a flying club, then as an airfield for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and finally as the Kai Tak airport.[2]
Throughout his lifetime, he was a vocal supporter for Sun Yat-sen and his revolution to overthrow China's Manchu-led Qing dynasty. An example of this was his defence of the 1884 Praya rioters dubiously charged by the colonial administration with the offence of refusing to accept work, the riots being an event Sun Yat-sen said cemented his determination to bring about that revolution. As a minority and Unofficial member of the Legislative Council he had effected limits to legislation that were discriminatory towards Chinese. When the Summoning of Chinese Ordinance, Cap. 40 of 1899, was being read for the second time in the Council, he made the observation that it was a "class legislation", and requested that a clause added being it was being passed. The clause added by Ho and Wei A Yuk (韋玉) places a time limit on the legislation, so that "(t)his Ordinance shall continue in operation for a period of two years from the coming into operation of this Ordinance, and for such further period or periods as may from time to time be determined by resolution of the Legislative Council."[4]
Ho was made a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1902 and elevated to knighthood in 1912.
He was a key player in many other aspects of Colonial era Hong Kong:
Sir Kai died in 1914 and was buried at Hong Kong Happy Valley Cemetery near his first wife Alice. Due to the failure of his various business projects and ill health he died heavily in debt, without a will, and his family destitute.[2]