Singapore - headquarters of Dr Sun Yat Sen for his Campaigns to overthrow the Manchu dynasty.

Sun Yat Sen was born on 12 November 1866 in the province of Kwantung. He studied in a High School in Honolulu and graduated as a doctor in 1892 from the University of Hong Kong.

Sun Yat Sen Villa is situated at 12 Tai Gin Road. It became the Headquarters of Dr Sun Yat Sen for his campaign against the Manchus. Some of his military operations were planned in the Villa. He made 9 visits to Singapore and stayed at the Villa on three occasions.

The land occupied by the Villa was previously a sugar plantation owned by the first American Consul to Singapore. The Villa was formerly known as Bin Chan House owned by a Cantonese businessman. In 1937 Lee Kong Chian and Tan Ean Kian pooled their wealth and acquired the Villa.

Dr Sun first visited Singapore in 1900 and during his stay here he traveled to the Malay States, Penang and Malacca to get support for his chouse and raise money for the campaign. He visited Singapore again in 1905 and during his third visit in 1906 he founded the Singapore Branch of the also set up branches in Malaya.

Dr Sun was in the United States where he remained until the revolution succeeded. As a result of the revolution, the Kuomintang was formed on 13 August 1912; it was a fusion of 5 societies including the Tung Ming Hui. Dr Sun became the President of the Republic of China. In 1913 the Singapore Branch of the Kuomintang was registered and one of its members was the eminent Dr Lim Boon Keng.

Dr Sun Yat Sen died at the age of 59. He is recognized as a great reformer.

In 1942 the Japanese converted the Villa into a military camp. After the Japanese Surrender in 1945 renovations were carried out the Villa became the branch office of the Kuomintang until 1951. Later it fell into disuse and after 15 years, on the centenary of Dr Sun Yat Sen's birthday. It was restored for the fourth time by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Villa is architecturally classified as a colonial bungalow - a mixture of East and West - blending the Palladian style in Europe with Chinese and Malay influences.

The Chinese in Singapore before the outbreaks of the Pacific War in 1941 were broadly classified as supporters of the Kuomintang, the Chinese Communist Party and the Peranakan Chinese who had largely settled in Singapore and were generally English speaking. Some of the Peranakan Chinese were supporters of Kuomintang cause like Dr Lim Boon Keng, an acknowledged Chinese community leader in Singapore.

On the ground floor of the Villa are displayed photographs of and documents on Dr Sun Yat Sen and his revolutionary colleagues. On the first floor are photographs and newspaper cuttings of the Japanese Invasion of Malaya and Singapore and the Occupation years. In glass cases around the room which is also a library are artifacts collected from graves of victims of Japanese torture during the three and half years of Syonan (Singapore). These gruesome reminders include jewellery, dentures and even stethoscopes of doctors!

A sub-committee of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry manages the Villa. It is open to the public. There is no admission fee.