经商起家的陈嘉庚不仅活跃于商界， 还与当时政坛的领袖人物频繁交往。厦门大学的顺利建成与他和孙中山先生之间的友谊有着密不可分的关系。

    By Chen Jinghua

    Chen Jiageng remained in close contact as a businessman with key leaders of his generation. Before Sun Yat-sen’s departure for Europe and the U.S., Mr. Chen met Mr. Sun at the Bin Chin House. The meeting covered the contentious issue of a party flag. While members had no objection to depictions of a blue sky and a white sun, they were divided about the color red. Mr. Chen proclaimed that “red is a sign of luck.” The party flag -- a white sun shining in the blue sky over a red earth -- was later adopted as China’s national flag under Kuomintang rule. 

    Mr. Chen and Mr. Sun met for the last time when Mr. Sun arrived in Singapore in 1911. Mr. Chen promised to raise $50,000 in response to Mr. Sun’s request for financial support. In turn, Mr. Sun supported Mr. Chen in his educational endeavors. 

    During Xiamen’s University’s founding in 1921, Mr. Chen was tasked with selecting the college’s first president. He offered Lin Wenqing the position, although Mr. Sun had also asked Mr. Lin to assist the National Government in Nanjing. Mr. Sun encouraged Mr. Lin to accept the post of Xiamen University president.