Zheng Liwen, chairwoman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT), continued her mainland visit on Saturday by going to the Biyun Temple at Fragrant Hills in western Beijing to honor Sun Yat-sen at his clothing tomb.
According to ETtoday News Cloud and United Daily News, Zheng Liwen led the KMT delegation to Biyun Temple around 9 a.m. Security arrangements were stringent, and local residents seemed to sense that a “big figure” was coming; by 8 a.m., many were already standing outside their homes with their phones ready to take pictures. As for inside Biyun Temple, there were reportedly no sightseers that day, suggesting the venue was reserved exclusively for the KMT delegation.
During the visit, the group went to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, bowing before his statue and viewing calligraphy, writings, and even his testament to the Soviet Union. Inside the hall were floral wreaths, along with ribbons inscribed in traditional Chinese characters and signed by “Zheng Liwen, Chairwoman of the Kuomintang, on behalf of all party members.” The group then ascended the steps toward the clothing tomb.
Before the tomb, Zheng Liwen took the initiative to request a ceremony. KMT Vice Chairman Chang Jung-kung officiated as master of ceremonies, leading a three-bow salute. The group then enjoyed the surrounding scenery.
Sun Yat-sen passed away in Beijing on March 12, 1925. The funeral committee decided to temporarily place his remains in the stone-vaulted gate of the Vajra Throne Pagoda at Biyun Temple. The casket was later moved from the city center to Fragrant Hills, escorted by tens of thousands of Beijing citizens. Not until 1929, when the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum was completed in Nanjing, was the casket transferred to Nanjing for burial. Zheng Liwen had earlier visited Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum in Nanjing.
Prior to moving the remains, the original nanmu casket was replaced by a copper one; the ceremonial attire and hat that were removed were carefully placed back in the original casket and stored in a niche of the Vajra Throne Pagoda, creating Sun Yat-sen's clothing tomb.
The delegation also saw the white-barked pine tree in the temple grounds, planted by former KMT chairman Lien Chan when he visited Sun Yat-sen's clothing tomb 20 years ago. Zheng Liwen specifically invited delegation member Sean Lien, Lien Chan's son, to join her for a photo in front of the tree.
Zheng Liwen asked Sean Lien, "Were you here when the tree was planted?" Sean Lien replied, "I didn't come then." Zheng Liwen smiled and said, "Your dad planted it," to which Sean Lien responded that there is a photo at home from that day.
Zheng Liwen then remarked that the tree "has grown quite large," while others recalled, “It really was just a little sapling back then.” The report stated that someone encouraged Sean Lien to hug the tree for a photo, but was quickly stopped by another delegation member, Communications Committee Chairwoman Yin Naijing.
In addition to Biyun Temple, Zheng Liwen also visited Zhongguancun Exhibition Center on Saturday morning and met with Yin Li, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee of the Communist Party of China. In the afternoon, she planned to visit the Forbidden City.