典藏單位:國立中正紀念堂管理處
館藏編號:CR05200900
民國52年10月31日旅荷華僑總會所贈,外罩鏡框,黑色木質底座,上襯紅色緞面,銀質寶塔置於中央,塔呈六面,高7層,每層屋簷簷角均綴有鈴,塔最頂端為細長錐體,下以四條銀線包圍著一球狀體,後再接2個球狀體,外圍以紅色緞帶繫蝴蝶結裝飾。寶塔下層並有雕飾階梯,底座前有銀牌,銀牌下方有腐蝕痕跡,字體無法完全看清,中書「萬壽無疆」,上款為「蔣中正總統七秩晉七華(誕)」下款為「旅荷華僑總會(敬獻)」。
1960年代華僑旅居荷蘭的並不多,約4、5萬之間,僑團、僑胞分散於各地,沒有特定聚集於唐人街之情況,大部分僑團亦無固定會所。早期移民因多經營餐飲、旅遊業,故聚居於阿姆斯特丹與鹿特丹兩大城市;籍貫以廣東省籍之粵裔與客裔僑胞為主,次為江蘇及浙江省籍。
在佛教觀念中建塔是添福添壽的功德,因此每有為尊長建塔祈福添壽之說,民國52年蔣中正總統七秩晉七華誕,因此特別製作7層寶塔,向蔣中正總統獻壽。
N.G. Chinese Vereniging in Nederland presented this silver pagoda as a birthday gift on October 31, 1963. It is set in a glass display case with a black wood base overlaid with red satin, and placed in the center of the case. The six-sided pagoda has seven floors, and each floor's eaves are embellished small bells. The crown of the pagoda is a slender cone raised on a spherical body formed by encircling four silver wires, which is further connected to two spheroids decorated with red satin ribbons and a bowknot. There are carved steps underneath the pagoda, and in front of the base, a silver plaque with corroded lower part and unrecognizable inscriptions. The plaque is inscribed with a celebratory message "Very Many Happy Returns of the Day," a dedication "In celebration of President Chiang Kai-shek's 77th birthday," and a lower part, "Respectfully, N.G. Chinese Vereniging in Nederland".
In the 1960s, overseas Chinese living in the Netherlands were not many, about forty or fifty thousand. Chinese groups were scattered around across the country, and did not have specific Chinatown for gathering. Overseas Chinese groups also did not have permanent clubs. Because early immigrants engaged in the businesses of catering and tourism, they settled in large cities, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The majority of them were natives of Guangdong province or Hakka from Guangdong, followed by Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
From the Buddhist concepts, building a pagoda is a merit that could increase donators' fortune and longevity; therefore, it was quite often being suggested to build a pagoda to bless elders. The year of 1963 was Chiang Kai-shek's 77th birthday, and they presented a seven-storied pagoda to celebrate his birthday.