Dr. Tan Named Honorary Citizen of Victoria
Dr. Tan with Mayor Alan Lowe
at 2006 Honorary Citizens Award Ceremony
on Novemeber 21, 2006
STATEMENT OF NOMINATION
Dr. Wee-chong Tan is an outstanding multicultural activist in Victoria motivated by his Chinese heritage and his love and loyalty for his native land. Dr. Tan has single-handedly established a bridge between Victoria and China through the activities of the Canadian College for Chinese Studies in Victoria. He has also enhanced the multicultural nature of Victoria through his unique international experience and perspective and his support for immigrants and refugees.
Dr. Tan has lived in Victoria for thirty-two years. He was born and raised in Fujian, China, was educated in the US and England, and has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and North America on lecture and study tours. He is fluent in Mandarin, English, German and Greek. His multicultural activities reflect his academic background and interests and Christian worldview. His efforts are enabled by his exceptional wisdom, integrity and compassion and also his ability to connect with people and exchange information and perspectives with them.
Dr. Tan has made, and continues to make, significant multicultural contributions as a research scientist (PhD in biochemistry), priest (ordained Church of England), teacher (founding faculty, Pearson College and founder, Canadian College for Chinese Studies), philosopher, environmentalist, humanitarian and community activist.
Research scientist
Dr. Tan immigrated to the US from China to pursue a university education. In 1966 he received a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Indiana University. His post-doctoral work included research to distinguish breast cancer proteins from milk proteins on the membranes of the mammary glands. He has thirty-five scientific publications. Dr. Tan became a Fellow of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London in 1970, and in 1974 was elected Life Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society in Oxford. Dr. Tan was a Visiting Fellow of the Biochemistry Department of Oxford University for two terms in 1980/81.
Dr. Tan is currently conducting a desert reclamation experiment with alfalfa by growing alfalfa in artificially created desert. He has documented the results and forwarded them to the Government in China where they are being seriously considered for application in the Gobi desert.
Priest
Dr. Tan studied theology at St John's Hall, London and was ordained at St Paul's Cathedral. In 1970, he served his first curacy at St James Sussex Gardens, Westminster.
For thirty-two years (1973 to 2005), he served as Honourary Assistant at St John the Divine Anglican Church in Victoria. During that time, he contributed to the life of the congregation in a myriad of ways, including the celebration of sacraments, preaching, teaching, and outreach. He is a man of tremendous warmth, wit, and intelligence and as such has been a beloved and well-respected member of that community. While at St John's, he continually advocated for a greater tolerance and understanding of China, particularly on the issue of Tibet independence.
Dr. Tan has written several theological publications, most recently an interpretation of the life and teachings of Jesus in the context of Chinese history and classics entitled, Jesus in China (2004). He has also lectured extensively in the area of theology. In 2000, Dr. Tan traveled to China to become a visiting professor at Nanjing Union Theological Seminary. He is a regular participant in the Chinese Christian Scholars Association in North America and is a member of the Episcopal Asian American Ministry. In 2006, he hosted a Christian delegation from Hupei Province and was made Honorary President and Professor, Zhongnan Theological Seminary.
Currently, Dr. Tan is attending All Saints of Alaska Russian Orthodox Church in Victoria. He enjoys contributing to the community life of the Romanian, Russian and Greek Orthodox families there and has recently translated the Orthodox liturgy from English and Greek into Chinese and has distributed it to Orthodox churches and seminaries in China and Russia.
Educator
Dr. Tan came to Canada from England in 1973 at the invitation of the Lord Bishop of London who had been asked to recruit faculty members for a new United World College in Canada. Dr. Tan taught biochemistry at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific for twelve years before taking early retirement in 1985. The College is a unique multicultural International Baccalaureate program. As an extra-curricular activity for students, Dr. Tan started a 'social services' program that involved students visiting the elderly and assisting disabled persons in the community. This program was endorsed by HRH Prince of Wales during his visit to the College in April 1979 and, as a result, ultimately became a mandatory component of the program at all United World Colleges. The spirit of volunteerism was thus planted in an influential multicultural environment.
Following his early retirement from Pearson College in 1985, Dr. Tan founded the Canadian College for Chinese Studies to enrich the cultural life of Victoria and increase awareness and understanding of the contributions China has made to the world. Among other things, the College had a museum of ancient Chinese discoveries and offered courses in Chinese brush painting, Mandarin, and traditional Chinese medicine. The latter broke new ground as the 4-year diploma program became the first school of traditional Chinese medicine in Canada. The school was located behind the Ministry of Health building on Cormorant Street and played a seminal role in the eventual legalization of the practice of acupuncture in the Province in 1996. In 1991, Dr. Tan retired as administrator of the school and a non-profit organization, the East West Medical Society, was formed to assume that responsibility. Today, the school continues to thrive in Victoria on Chatham Street as the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Its graduates bring healing and well-being to people literally around the world. As founder, Dr. Tan's photograph hangs in the foyer. He is a regular speaker at its annual graduation ceremony and keeps in touch with many of the students he has mentored over the years.
Another major activity of the Canadian College for Chinese Studies has been hosting delegations from China. Over one hundred delegations of ten to twenty Chinese officials have visited Victoria and participated in a program of lectures and tours in diverse fields of study, including public security, agriculture, aviation, and commerce. Dr. Tan organizes the itinerary and functions as host and interpreter for the groups. Apart from the educational opportunities and goodwill these visits have created, they have also led to purchases of Canadian products and services, including a Candu nuclear reactor.
Dr. Tan has lectured extensively in Canada, China, Europe and the Middle East as a visiting professor on topics in the area of philosophy, religion, and environmental issues. For example, during a sabbatical at Strasbourg, he gave many lectures on the philosophy of dialectics in Poland and East Germany while they were still under communist rule. Dr. Tan uses these opportunities to disseminate ideas to young people who have limited exposure to Western thinking.
Last year, Dr. Tan gave a series of lectures for Eldercollege at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo on Chinese history and philosophy. He has recently been given the opportunity to disseminate his views to the Russian community on Vancouver Island through a regular column in a Russian newspaper.
Philosopher
Dr. Tan is self-taught in the area of Chinese classics and philosophy. He has written and lectured extensively on the dialectics of reconciliation. He became a guest professor in Philosophy and Life Fellow at the China Cultural Academy, Peking University in 2000 and has been made an honorary professor at many Chinese universities.
Environmentalist
Dr. Tan's interest in organic agriculture was sparked by his discussions with an agricultural delegation from China in 1997. Since then he has been an active advocate of organic farming. He has written and lectured extensively on the subject and has undertaken lengthy study tours in Canada, China (2000/01) and Europe (2003). In 2005, he visited cattle and grain farms in northern Alberta (March 2005). Topics of his research papers include: the effects of chemical fertilizers on soil and food; undesirable properties of genetically modified organisms; the effects of pesticide use on human fertility.
Dr. Tan formed the Canada-China Organic Agriculture Centre within the Canadian College fer Chinese Studies to promote organic farming methods around the world. During his study tour of China in 2000/01, he became a Fellow and Professor at China Agricultural University in Beijing.
He is well-known in the local organic farming community in Victoria as host of the local meetings of the South Island Organic Producers' Association. Dr. Tan became an associate member of the National Farmer's Union in 2004.
Humanitarian and community activist
Dr. Tan's humanitarian efforts reflect his kindness, compassion, and generosity. During 1979 and 1980, Dr. Tan was instrumental in finding sponsors in Victoria for Vietnamese boat people. Through his efforts, at least 200 Vietnamese were sponsored in Victoria. He personally sponsored a family who lived with him for three years. He subsequently sponsored another family of political refugees from Guatemala that eventually grew to include several families.
Dr. Tan has served on boards and committees for a number of community organizations in Victoria, including the Greater Victoria Library Board, the Victoria Conservatory of Music and the Asian Art Society. In all these venues, he continued to advocate for multicultural interests.
Dr. Tan has a heart for newcomers to Victoria and for young people. He has been a mentor to countless immigrants and students and has made a difference in their lives by giving advice, encouragement, financial support, and letters of reference. He truly reflects Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan — meeting the needs of those whom he encounters in his daily life.
Summary
Dr. Wee-chong Tan embodies the spirit of multiculturalism in Victoria. He is Chinese in origin and has lived in Victoria for thirty-two years. During that time, he has taught at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific and founded the Canadian College for Chinese Studies. The latter College was the first school of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine in Canada and its activities lead to the legal recognition of the profession in this Province.
Among other things, the College hosts visiting delegations from China. He puts together an educational program for each visit tailored to their area of interest (for example, aviation, public safety, or theology) to share with them knowledge of the Canadian experience in that area. These visits not only benefit the Chinese delegates themselves but also enhance the cross-cultural understanding of those in Victoria who lecture to them and attend the graduation banquets at Don Mee's restaurant!
Dr. Tan is an extremely erudite and active scientist, theologian, and philosopher. He has published and lectured extensively on environmental issues, Christian theology, and Chinese Classics over the years. These publications have been widely distributed in China as well as in Canada. He has been an active supporter and mentor of many immigrants and refugees to Victoria.
