120th Anniversary of Tung Sin Tong Charitable Society

As a name well-known to all citizens of Macao, Tung Sin Tong is one of the most time-honored charitable societies in Chinese communities in Macao and it has been 120 years since its establishment.

Origin: Tung Sin Tong is a charitable organization sponsored by a group of Chinese merchants in Hong Kong and Macao and is dedicated to promote the charity and public welfare activities. In the 18th year of Emperor Guangxu of Qing Dynasty (year 1892), the “Administrative Section of Chinese Affair Government” issued a document, approving the establishment of “Tung Sin Villa” (the predecessor of Tung Sin Tong), the deacon of which was authorized to perform charitable activities such as “provision of free medical treatment, donation of medicine and preach of good books”. The oftice was located at St. Domingos and then moved to Largo do Senado. Later, due to land acquisition by the government, Tung Sin Tong was constructed on 1924 at its current location and continued its efforts lo help the poor and the weak till now.

Objective: The objective of Tung Sin Tong is ‘Common wish to benefit society, virtuous atmosphere to welcome all.”, which means, we shall be of one heart and one mind, serving the society through joint efforts and treating others with a caring and kind heart.

Services: Since its establishment, with the supports from philanthropists and the society. Tung Sin Tong kept expanding all kinds of charity works. In the 20th year of Emperor Guangxu (year 1894), it set up the first confraternity, Delivery Assistance Confraternity. Then, it established other kinds of confraternities, including free coffin carriers, free medicine, pension and soul turning, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying, bringing benefits to all mankind. The charity services include free medical treatment, free medicine, child delivery, funeral and internment, tea provision, rice donation, disaster relief and poverty alleviation. etc. The targets of services are flot limited to any certain nationality.

Evolution: Now, the daily services of Tung Sin Tong mainly include four categories: Free Nursery Services, Free Education. Free Clinic and Medications and Help the Needy.

I. Free Nursery Services: Reduce the pressure of child care for working families and bring formative education to the young children promptly. Tung Sin Tong has been providing free child care service since 1976 and established two nurseries under the name of “Tung Sin Tong” successively. Later, as the demands for child care increased with the economic growth of Macao, two more nurseries were established in 1998 and 2002 respectively. The staffs in all our nurseries are working hard for healthy growth of the young children.

II. Free Education: In 1924, Tung Sin Tong established “Tung Sin Tong Free School for the Poor” and only dozens of boys were enrolled at first. “Tung Sin Tong Primary School was established in 1965 and later the kindergarten and adult night school were established. After the painstaking efforts, “Tung Sin Tong Middle School” was finally set up in the autumn of 1991 and became the first school in Macao providing 15-year free education. The school has also established scholarship and grant-in aids, supporting middle school graduates to pursue further education in universities and encouraging the motivated young people to continue their study.

III. Free Clinic and Medications: Tung Sin Tong has been providing free medical treatment and medicine since its establishment and two Chinese medicine doctors were engaged for diagnosis and treatment. The scope of service is expanded as the demands increase. In l950s, eight more Chinese medicine and western medicine disciplines were added to further expand the scope of service. After the returning of Macao, with the support from the society and the governmment of Macao SAR, great developments have been obtained, the medical quality has been improved and the service measures are getting more and more complete. At present, over fifty medical staff in the three subsidiary clinics and Tung Sin Tong Drug Store provides all kinds of Chinese and Western medicine services.

IV. Help the Needy: The targets of our aids are mainly old, weak, disabled, ill people and single-parent families with financial difficulties. At the beginning, it mainly distributed congee and winter clothing. In 1968, it was changed as rice distribution in every month, which has also become one of the symbols of Tung Sin Tong. It distributes rice, cooking oil or biscuits to people with difficulties every month, sends out gifts on holidays, distributes quilts and clothing in winters, provides free funeral and internment services and gives aids and consolations to people  suffering front injury or death. It also utilizes “The Ho Kam Yung Fund” to assist the disabled and rehabilitation organizations.

Tung Sin Tong Charitable Society

Translation: C&C - Translation Centre, Ltd.

The Stamps:

The Sheetlet:

The Souvenir Sheet:

The FDC with Stamps:

The FDC with Souvenir Sheet:

The Post Mark:

Dados Técnicos/Technical Data

Valor dos Selos/Stamps Value: stamps of 1.50, 2.50, 3.50 and 4.00 Patacas

Folha Miniatura com quatro séries/Minisheet with four sets

Valor do Bloco/Souvenir Sheet Value: 10.00 Patacas

Desenho/Design: Ng Wai Kin

Data emissão/Issue date: 08.08.2012

Impressor/Printer: Joh. Enschedé Security Print, Netherlands

Papel/Paper: Paper with Security Fibers

Picotagem/Perforation: 14 x 13¼