WKHT

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WONG KONG HAR TONG OF HAWAII

In the year 1902, six men with the common surname of Wong (Huang), with roots in Zhongshan,
Guangdong, China, and making their home in Hawaii, convened and founded the Wong Society, tracing
their Wong common ancestral roots to the Jiang Xia Huang (Wong) Kingdom in what is today’s Hubei
Province, China, located on the banks of the Yanzi River. Etched forever in the Hawaii annals of the Wong
Clan, they were Wong Chow, Wong Leong, Wong How, Wong Min Hoong, Wong Bat Ting (Wong Lum),
and Wong Wing. They named the society Kong Har Gee Loo: Kong Har Home Away from Home (loosely,
a clubhouse for the Wongs of Kong Har). The main purposes of organizing the new society were for
fellowship among the Wong clansmen in Hawaii, mutual help, provide service to the Chinese community,
Hawaii’s community at large, and our country, including doing charitable works.

Background History of Our Society’s Chronological Three Headquarters

It was not until 1906 that we moved into our first headquarters building, located on North Vineyard Street
(Honolulu), adjacent, and fronting the U-shaped Buckle Lane. The headquarters consisted of a main front
wooden structure building of two stories, the first floor of which consisted of rental units for storefronts;
upstairs, centrally located was the main hall, used as club headquarters, meetings, and social gatherings.
On each side of the main hall were three rooms rented to bachelor members. Behind this main structure
was another two-story apartment building used for income, consisting of eight two-bedroom apartments.
At least two of these apartments were left unrented, reserved for itinerant Wong clansmen who passed by
Hawaii for a few days as temporary lodgings, rent-free hostels, as a courtesy and kinship gesture. The
front entrance of the second floor where our headquarters was located, was a carved horizontal plaque
made of wood that hung above the doorway, which read "Kong Har Gee Loo" and a set of traditional
Chinese vertical couplets on each side of the doorway that read, right side, "From Hubei the great bell
originally tolled;" left side, "In Hawaii, we gather as fellow clansmen." The wooden plaques were painted
with a black background; the Chinese characters were, in relief, painted in gold.

On June 19, 1914 the Charter of Incorporation was granted by then governor Lucius Pinkham (1913-1918)
and signed by the treasurer of the City and County of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. The name of our
organization officially changed from Kong Har Gee Loo to Wong Kong Har Tong.

Our original headquarters remained at the Vineyard Street address until 1956 when, by eminent domain ,
it was condemned to make room for the Vineyard Boulevard of today, the beginnings of a network of
highways and freeways to accommodate an ever-growing number of vehicles and the need for vehicular
time-saving passageways in an ever-growing community. In exchange for the land, the government
reimbursed our organization the sum to the extent of $30,000, a paltry sum by today’s real estate
standards! Meanwhile the amount was invested, and our second headquarters, a temporary one, was
housed in 1960 on the second floor of Yat Sing Department Store (mainly clothing and shoes) which also
rented floor of the building. Yat Sing Department Store was owned by Wong Lum, and for a monthly token
rent of thirty dollars, Wong Lum subleased the second floor to our society until a new location for a new
headquarters could be found. A new set of couplets was composed for the new temporary quarters. Dated
in 1960, it was presented by former presidents Henry H. Wong, Wai Kong Wong, and then president,
Joseph C.H. Wong, and vice president Kwock Hung Wong. The couplet read, right side, "Like sturdy elms
waving on these beautiful isles;" left side, "Here we closely bond with our common ancestral ties."

Meanwhile banker "CT" Chock Tong Wong learned that some apartments were available for sale and
presented a proposal to the members that our society purchase them as an income investment. This was
in 1960. The eight-apartment building is located at 824 University Avenue, between King and Date Streets.

Finally, in 1981, it was learned that the Siu Building (now officially a designated historical landmark of old
Honolulu), located across from Wo Fat Chinese Restaurant and the corner of Hotel and Maunakea
Streets, was available for sale by partner Samuel F. Wong, son of Henry Awa Wong, the Mayor of
Chinatown, both Wong Kong Har Tong members. It was first offered to the sons of Wong Lum (mentioned
above), who decided that perhaps since it was at a special bargain price, that Wong Kong Har Tong be
given the choice to purchase it instead for its "new" headquarters, the present permanent one. The owners
accepted an offer of $140,000 for the building, which was in the dire need of renovation and repairs to meet
the requirements of the city building department’s building code. The purchase was consummated in
1982, with a $40,000 down payment and a $100,000 agreement of sale payable at $1,500 per month.
Chairman of the investment committee of our society was Arthur K.Y. Wong, who followed through on its
purchase. Shortly, in 1984, our society received an offer for the building which would have yielded a profit
of $100,000, a tempting offer, indeed. After soul-searching as to whether to accept the offer or to finance a
renovation to meet the city’s building code, it was decided by the general membership that the society
keep the building and proceed with its renovation. Yuen Kong Wong was president of the society and Yuk
Moon Wong was vice president at that time, and Arthur K.W. Wong was appointed to chair the committee
to finance a renovation. A loan of $250,000 was approved at the low interest rate of 3 percent from the
branch loan officer of the Housing and Community Development of the City of Honolulu, in 1985.

Renovation of the Siu Building was completed in September, 1985. The first two of three stories were to
be rental income units, and the third floor serving as society headquarters. Because the paper on which
the second set of couplet was worn and faded, the second set of couplets was rewritten and reframed,
and hung along both sides of the ancestral shrine, where it still stands today.

To celebrate our centennial year, a new set of framed couplet was composed by member Yui Kwong
Wong, and presented by the fourteen living former and present presidents, and Yui Kwong Wong, former
assistant treasurer, and Harry C.Y. Wong, former secretary. The right side, in a gist, translated "As the
emerging centennial dragon prances up the sky;" the left side, "May our handsome, young, and talented
new generation rise fast and high."

During the last quarter of the 20th century, in 1979, the Women’s Auxiliary was formed to assist the men
in facilitating some of their activities.

In 1977, a bilingual quarterly news bulletin was published for its members that included new bits about the
society’s members, activities, calendar schedules, meeting notices, and culture talks.

In September of 2006, a Wong Kong Har Tong website was launched, coordinated by Sherman G.B.
Wong, member.

Activities and Programs of Wong Kong Har Tong of Hawaii

- Meetings: Four quarterly General Meetings are held each year.
- Installation of new officers and directors, in January
- Annual Spring Banquet for members and guests is held in March.
- Qing Ming (Baisan) traditional rites held during the last weekend of April at Manoa Chinese Cemetery.
- Mid-Autumn Festival "Chasing the Moon" gathering luncheon
- Annual Christmas Party
- Education Aid to members, scholarships
- Participation in Chinatown parades
- Excursions, bowling, line dancing, mah jong, ukulele, cooking: monthly activities
- Travel to China; cruises
- Participation in Chinese Conventions and summer study for young adults in China.
- Participation in Dragon Boat Races
- Sponsoring Charity walk-run teams
- Donation to Palolo Chinese Home and participation in Invitational Benefit Golf Tournament.
- Charity donations to disasters and emergencies both at home and abroad.
- Salvation Army Christmas kettle bell ringing.

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