The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
Edmonton, Alberta
Confirmation of Arms
July 20, 2012
Vol. VI, p. 151
Arms of the Wong's Benevolent AssociationBlazonGules three bezants in pale between two open scrolls palewise proper their spindles Or, on a chief dancetty Argent a Chinese dragon naiant holding in its dexter claw a pearl Gules; SymbolismRed is an auspicious colour in Chinese culture. Red and white also are the colours of the Canadian flag. The charges represent some of the accomplishments of the Wong family. One scroll represents excellence in the creative sector, honouring the contributions of Canadian Wongs to the visual arts, literature, journalism and entertainment. The other scroll celebrates academic contributions, including those in the sciences and research. Together the two scrolls record the proud history of the Wongs in Canada. The gold discs suggest coins, symbolizing the financial services provided by the Association to early Chinese immigrants and the commercial success of the Wongs since the family’s arrival in Canada. They also represent medals, commemorating the members of the Wong family who have won prestigious honours, including championship titles in skiing and figure skating and the first Chinese-Canadian invested into the Order of Canada. The colour gold, or yellow, recalls that the name Wong is related etymologically to the Chinese word for this colour. The division between the two portions of the shield forms a “W”, the initial for the English transliteration of the name. The Chinese dragon is a symbol of strength and benevolence. |
CrestBlazonA fenghuang rising Or holding in its claws a mace and gorged with a ribbon Gules pendent therefrom a torteau inscribed with the Chinese character Wong (黃) Or; SymbolismThe fenghuang, or Chinese phoenix, is a symbol of peace and prosperity. The mace symbolizes public service, both in its traditional use as a weapon and in its current incarnation as a symbol of parliamentary authority. It thus honours members of the Wong family who have served in the Canadian Forces, and those Wongs, including the first Chinese-Canadian cabinet minister, who have held elected public office at all three levels of government. The disc suspended from its neck bears the Chinese character for Wong, and suggests a medal, a further allusion to the accomplishments of the Wongs in Canada. |
MottoBlazonIN FAMILY • 情義和睦 • WE UNITE; SymbolismThe bilingual motto reflects the dual Chinese and Canadian character of the Wong family in Canada. |
SupportersBlazonDexter a panda proper its paw resting on a miner’s pick its head in base Or, sinister a polar bear proper its paw resting on a railway navvy’s hammer its head in base Or, both standing on a rocky mount Or strewn with maple leaves Gules and issuant from barry wavy Gules and Argent; SymbolismThe panda represents China and the polar bear Canada. The panda’s pick recalls the members of the Wong family who arrived in Canada as early as 1858 to work in the British Columbia gold fields. It also honours the first person of Chinese ethnicity born in Canada, whose mother, a Wong, ran a store that outfitted prospectors. The polar bear’s hammer honours the members of the Wong family who worked on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the project which brought many Wong ancestors to Canada. The compartment is a “Gold Mountain”, or Gum Shan, the name given to North America by early Chinese immigrants. The maple leaves honour the contributions of the Wong family to life in all regions of Canada, and the national focus of the Wong Associations. The water represents migration; with the mountains, it also alludes to the legendary origins of the Wong family, descended from an ancestor who won favour from the Emperor by constructing earthworks to restrain floodwaters. |
BackgroundCanada Gazette InformationThe announcement of the letters patent was made on March 23, 2013 in Volume 147, page 536 of the Canada Gazette.  |
Additional InformationCreator(s)Original concept of Forrest Pass, Saguenay Herald, and the Wong Kung Har Wun Sun Association, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. PainterLinda Nicholson CalligrapherNot applicable Recipient TypeCivil Institution
Other InformationThe recipient's emblems were originally recorded in the name of Wong Kung Har Wun Sun Association in the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada, Volume VI, page 56, 15 July 2011. |