Soong may-ling age

Leading colleague of the most influential Asian family of the first onehalf of the 20th century, arm wife of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, who was undoubtedly the chief powerful woman of her time. Name variations: Soong or Song May-ling, Mayling, or Mei-ling; Madame Chiang, Madame Chiang Kai-shek by way of alternative Madame Chiang Kaishek; Mme.

Jiang Jieshi; Chiang Mei-ling. Pronunciation: Soong MAY-ling. Born on March 5, 1897, in Shanghai, China; youngest daughter of Charlie Jones Melody line (a business leader and patron born Hon Chao-Shun or Jia-shu Song) and Ni Guizhen (Ni Kweitseng, daughter of a prosperous scholar family in Shanghai who believed in Christianity, also put as Song Guizhen); educated irate Potwin's private school, Wesleyan Faculty, and Wellesley College, Massachusetts; marital Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975, the supporter of independence leader and ruler of Dishware, 1927–49), on December 1, 1927.

(See also Song Sisters.)

Bearing first-class name that can best quip translated as "Beautiful Life," Tune Meiling was born in Abduct on March 5, 1897, nobleness fourth of six children more than a few Charlie Jones Song and Ni Guizhen . The American-educated Berk was a devout Methodist who made his fortune publishing Bibles in Chinese as well in that importing heavy machinery.

He locked away secretly been a most brawny backer of the revolutionary amplify of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. Ni Guizhen stemmed from one signify China's oldest and most famed evangelical Christian families. A picking of Shanghai, she had conventional a Western education and was a pillar of Shanghai Methodism.

In all China, no family would be better connected.

One angel of mercy of Meiling, Song Ailing (see Song Sisters), married H.H. Kung, later China's leading banker, subsidize countersign minister, and supposedly a matrilinear descendent of Confucius. Another, Song Qingling (see Song Sisters), united the founder of the Asian republic, Sun Yatsen. One friar, the extremely wealthy T.V.

Air, became the economic wizard quite a lot of the Chinese government, intermittently delivery as economic minister, foreign ecclesiastic, and prime minister. Two alternative brothers, T.L. Song and T.A. Song, were financiers.

Tutored at living quarters until 1907, Meiling was tie to Miss Clara Potwin 's modest preparatory school in Peak, New Jersey.

In the season of 1908, she accompanied dead heat sister Qingling to the Sakartvelo hill town of Demorest. Meiling spent the eighth grade agreement a local school there extent Qingling began studies at Methodist College, Macon. Bright, precocious, pivotal occasionally sassy, Meiling soon became an unofficial student at Wesleyan; college administrators broke formal hard-cover to permit her access get in touch with classes.

In 1912, Meiling began eliminate freshman year at Wesleyan, nevertheless within a year transferred envisage the prestigious Wellesley College razor-sharp Wellesley, Massachusetts, from which she graduated in 1917.

Proficient fake her courses and in diversion, and speaking English with nifty lilting Georgia accent, she was known for her inquisitive intellect, independence of thought, and bumpy honesty. By then, she change so Americanized that she celebrated, "The only thing Chinese fear me is my face."

Returning fall prey to Shanghai in 1917, Song Meiling became known for her move, charm, and wit.

As she was hardly acquainted with laid back own country, it took easy lessons to make her easy in Chinese. She soon became one of the city's cover socialites. In the words countless biographer Roby Eunson: "She confidential beauty and breeding and insolvency to dress exquisitely, making her walking papers an asset to any publicize the endless and lavish parties held by foreigners and straight few westernized Chinese." Yet, supremely community-minded, she was active plenty the Film Censorship Board dominant the Young Women's Christian Union.

She was the first lassie and the first Chinese formal to serve on the State-run Council's child labor committee, which in 1924 issued a condemnatory report on sweatshop conditions.

In steady December 1921, Song Meiling reduction the nationalist general Chiang Kai-shek, whose armies controlled much penalty China. Though uneducated and unintelligible, Chiang was a determined instruct forceful military leader.

Yet solitary on December 1, 1927, were they married. The wedding was a major social event broad a union between China's additional business elite and an exhibiting a resemblance new and ambitious military caste; it was attended by 1,300 people and made the have an advantage page of The New Dynasty Times. Meiling's mother Guizhen confidential opposed the marriage because Chiang was a Buddhist and uncut bigamist, sister Qingling opposed say publicly match because she found Chiang betraying the ideals of go to pieces deceased husband, Dr.

Sun. To the present time sister Ailing, brother T.V., allow brother-in-law H.H. Kung all founded the union, and Chiang helped fend off objections by claiming that he had made precise proper divorce and would read Christianity. (Chiang was then mated to Chen Jieru ; culminate first wife was Mao Fumei .) After the wedding, bankruptcy became a Methodist, becoming dubbed in 1930.

Ni Guizhen (c.

1869–1931)

Matriarch of the influential Song family. Name variations: Song Guizhen; Wife. Charles Jones Song; Mme Twit Song or Soong; Ni Kwei-tsent or Ni Kweitseng; Ni Kwei-tseng Song or Soong; Mammy Soong. Born Ni Guizhen (Ni Kwei-tseng or Ni Kweitseng) around 1869; died of cancer in 1931; daughter of Yuin San; marital Charlie Jones Song (a distribute leader and philanthropist born Hon Chao-Shun or Jia-shu Song), pimple 1886; children: six, including Song Ailing (1890–1973); Song Qingling (1893–1981); Song Meiling (b.

1897); T.V. Song (diplomat, finance and alien minister, who married Anna Chang ); T.L. Song (Song Zeliang or Tse-liang); and T.A. Trade mark (Song Ze-an or Tse-an).

Ni Guizhen was a direct descendant be taken in by prime minister Wen Dinggong (Wen Ting-Kung) of the Ming reign who was converted to Faith under the tutelage of glory Jesuit Matthew Ricci in 1601.

In the 17th century, climax daughter built churches and hospitals. Ni Guizhen's mother veered evacuate her Catholic upbringing and became a Protestant when she husbandly Ni Guizhen's father Yuin San. In 1886, the well-educated 17-year-old Ni Guizhen married Charlie Engineer Song, an American-educated Methodist parson who had a degree bind theology from Vanderbilt.

Charlie At a bargain price a fuss left the ministry and congregation up a printing house keep publish Bibles while Ni Guizhen brought up their six family unit, sending them to McTyeire College, a Methodist school in Nobble. She later was instrumental sieve sending her daughters to Methodist College in Macon, Georgia.

Efficient devout Christian, Ni Guizhen gave Bible readings and was customary for her charity. When Chiang Kai-shek once asked Meiling, "What exactly is a Christian?" she replied, "My mother is probity finished product. I am ingenious Christian in the making."

sources:

Deen, Edith. Great Women of the Faith Faith. NY: Harper, 1959.

American correspondent Helen Foster Snow writes provision the marriage: Meiling "was a-one hostage in the ancient Asiatic tradition, a pledge of good faith between families and national interests.

But Chiang was systematic dashing and handsome officer notice strong personality and boundless goal, and there is no grounds why it should not be born with been a love match hobby both sides." Qingling was bitter, saying Chiang "would have in agreement to be a Holy Tide to marry Meiling. He necessary her to build a dynasty." Yet later, Qingling would state that without Meiling's guidance, Chiang's authoritarian rule "might have anachronistic much worse."

A few days equate their marriage, the couple afflicted to Nanjing (Nanking), where Chiang was selected to head high-mindedness Guomindang government.

As first mohammedan of China, Song Meiling—now faint as Madame Chiang Kai-shek—organized hospitals, nursing corps, schools for orphans, rural service clubs, and good time halls for soldiers. She served continually on government committees, effortless inspection tours, and frequently attended Chiang to the front hang on, where he was first struggle warlords and then Communists.

Nearby she changed silk and satin gowns for a slack wellbroughtup, high-heeled slippers for flat travel shoes. Often she would be inactive in railway stations, thatched huts, and farm houses. In Oct 1929, she and her old man traveled in China's northeast, primacy first time she really became known among the Chinese persons.

Notes biographer Emily Hahn :

She began to emerge in amass own right into the defeat eye during the wanderings. Rank necessity of making speeches age after day cured her goods shyness and toughened her demolish the fatigues of what strength be called electioneering. In inculcate city she took upon being the job of marshaling character women and urging them stay at help in a nationwide correct.

She talked against the back ways of China, the captivity of upper-class women, the portent of opium and of report and poverty; she begged them to develop a sense not later than social responsibility.

More than anyone way, Meiling was the spearhead introduce Chiang's "New Life Movement," block up effort to unite China walk an ideology combining tenets lecture Dr.

Sun, Christian missionaries, good turn traditional Confucianism. By following honesty "four virtues" of courtesy, join up, honesty, and honor, China would have a new national realization that would enable it delve into solve its "four great needs": clothing, food, housing, and passengers. Claiming "'Except a man verbal abuse born again' he cannot peep New Life," she called cry women to cultivate their come upon "four virtues": chastity, appearance, sales pitch, and work.

Though New Sure of yourself involved such projects as Concoction hygiene, the construction of sewers, improving the water supply, take precedence attacks on superstition, the look seemed embodied in simplistic maxims: don't spit, safety first, acceptable roads, watch your step, be in breach of to the right, line cheese off here, fresh air and open, swat the fly, brush your teeth, take your vitamins, fondness thy neighbor, stop, look skull listen, better babies, and creative up, paint up, fix up.

Such details, Meiling said, were purely outward signs of far further important spiritual reforms, centering repugnance China's "four values": propriety, objectivity, integrity, and conscientiousness.

Time monthly correctly called New Life "a big dose of the caster oil of Puritanism." She soon said, "Putting new wine collide with old bottles is not mediocre easy task…. I have prostrate one hundred per cent hold effort to get one dense cent of result."

Despite such crusades, she occasionally sounded like copperplate Social Darwinist.

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Conj at the time that, in 1935, someone told multipart that it was useless pressurize somebody into speak of New Life onetime Chinese people lacked rice, she replied, "There is plenty closing stages rice. But those who fake it hoard it, and those who do not have on easy street do not understand the one`s own image of labor.

No work equitable too hard if one assay honest."

Chen Jieru (fl. 1920)

Second mate of Chiang Kai-shek. Name variations: Ch'en Chieh-ju. Flourished around 1920; said to have been uncut prostitute; became second wife position Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975), in Nov 1921 (marriage lapsed). Chiang's have control over wife was Mao Fumei.

Mao Fumei (1892–?)

First wife of Chiang Kai-shek. Name variations: Mao Fu-mei.

Calved in 1892; became first old woman of Chiang Kai-shek, in 1909 (divorced 1921); children: Zhang Jingguo (Chiang Chingkuo), later president depose the Republic of China (Taiwan).

At age 17, Mao Fumei entered into an arranged marriage large 14-year-old Chiang Kai-shek, whom she had never seen. They were married for 12 years. Their son, Zhang Jingguo, would nominate president of the Republic emancipation China (Taiwan).

Her personality and independence remain debated to this daylight.

Positive qualities included administrative dismay, a lively sense of terminology, quickness of mind, and indisputable devotion to her nation. Convey such admirers as Henry Playwright, America's most powerful publisher, she was "the brains of China," the chic, gracious, and courteous modernizer of a land clod the process of being saved from feudal despotism by Make love to technology, foreign investment, and character Christian religion.

In Luce's Time magazine, Generalissimo Chiang was each the "Gissimo," Mme

Chiang "the Missimo" and indeed Luce was glory greatest factor in making loftiness couple familiar to the Denizen public.

Mme Chiang's critics were distinctively prevalent among American journalists remarkable the lower-ranking diplomatic corps.

Be bounded by them, she was a eve of intense arrogance, imperious feelings, and ostentatious wealth, a musty insincere snob wrapped in furs and bedecked with jade. A selection of claimed that she was authority model for Milton Caniff's humour character "The Dragon Lady."

Though ham-fisted one would deny that Meiling was a woman of enormous influence, the extent of go in dominance is also disputed.

According to American journalist John Gunther, writing in 1939, "She equitable probably the second most better and powerful personage in China," coming "immediately after the Commandant in influence." Writes biographer Superior Seagrave, Chiang Kai-shek "offered back up the opportunity to implement important changes, to alter the insect of China according to spurn will.

[Meiling] saw herself little a Medici able to revise destinies." Yet historian Donald Unclear. Gillin is far more alert, denying that the Songs, gift in particular Meiling, were ethics real power behind Chiang. "On the contrary," writes Gillin, "Chiang probably made such extensive practise of the Songs and picture Kungs in part because they lacked real power.

They were peculiarly dependent upon him dowel, therefore, likely to remain trustworthy to him in a state environment where treachery and treachery were commonplace."

As Chiang Kai-shek crosspiece no English, Meiling served gorilla his interpreter and voice message the Western world, thereby unshakeable untold influence in crucial detailed negotiations.

Highly conscious of probity need for a positive Land image of her nation, playing field alert to all techniques longed-for public relations, she did convince she could to enhance China's visibility. She granted interviews limit wrote letters, magazine articles, fairy story books—all designed for an English audience and all stressing fallow nation's rich cultural heritage esoteric highlighting her Christian roots jaunt U.S.

education. If, arguably, she had negligible impact on duplicate Chinese, she was such trace asset in molding Western take on that Chiang confessed she was worth ten divisions.

In 1936, Chiang briefly put Meiling in burden of China's air force, stomach-turning making her secretary-general of say publicly Commission on Aeronautical Affairs.

Significance procuring system had become positive shot with corruption that Chiang would trust no one on the other hand his wife to buy planes at the market price. Newshound Frances Gunther quipped: "Was that the face that launched far-out thousand airships?"

On December 12, 1936, Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped imprecision Xian (Sian) just as sand was about to launch classic anti-Communist "annihilation campaign." Warlord Zhang Xueliang (Chiang Hsueh-liang), known in that "the Young Marshal," and Regular Yang Huzheng (Yang Hu-Cheng), who controlled much of northwestern Ware, sought to convince the commander to cancel all such planning, join forces with the Marxist guerrillas based at Yenan, avoid create a united front realize further Japanese penetration.

To recover her husband, Meiling immediately flew to Xian. As her flat was about to land, she pulled a revolver from afflict handbag and gave instructions appoint William Henry Donald, an Austronesian and close family adviser, restrain shoot her if she were attacked. Though the specific jobber that ensued are still straight matter of speculation, she gained widespread admiration for her strengthen.

Chiang wrote in his diary:

I was so surprised to give onto her that I felt since if I were in systematic dream. I had told T.V. more than once the apportion before that my wife corrode not come to Xian, coupled with when she braved all jeopardy likely to be to come to the lion's den, I was very unwarranted moved and almost wanted connection cry.

Beginning in July 1937, Partner was involved in full-scale fighting with Japan.

Touring the front that October, Mme Chiang was almost killed when a Asian plane strafed her car long-standing she was visiting hospitals engagement the front. In 1938, she organized the evacuation of millions of Hankou (Hankow) factory staff and their families. During honourableness war, she led the Governmental Refugee Children's Association, which backed 25,000 orphans, and with quota sister Ailing started the Women's Advisory Committee, an effective war-relief group.

Meiling often broadcast to picture United States, pleading with Americans to boycott Japanese goods predominant to stop supplying oil add up to Japan.

Furthermore, her books wet the American market. The twelvemonth 1938 saw her Messages rope in War and Peace, a composition of speeches and articles divagate nonetheless revealed much of cobble together thinking. In 1940, This Psychotherapy Our China appeared, a array of essays that combined much matters as her religious holiness, travel impressions, and tales be fooled by old dynasties with an inspiring indictment of the Japanese.

Far-out year later, her China Shall Rise Again was published, unblended condemnation of the democracies endorse failing to aid China presentday a prediction of her nation's ultimate triumph. In 1943, yet another volume of speeches, We Chinese Women, came out.

After Dec 7, 1941, the day nobility Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, authority United States was China's full-grown ally.

In November 1942, defer the invitation of American office bearer Wendell Willkie, Mme Chiang flew to the U.S. First, she underwent secret treatment at Pristine York's Harkness Pavilion for roseola (hives), a skin disease; relax entourage took up the full 12th floor. Then, for glimmer weeks, she was the patron of Franklin D. Roosevelt hackneyed Hyde Park.

The president esoteric privately opposed the visit, fearing that she would agitate be drawn against the prevailing Europe-first strategy. Scorn one point, she startled FDR by indicating how she would handle a major coal-mining hammer then plaguing the U.S.; she drew her hand across take five throat and made a gagging sound.

Addressing both houses of Period separately in February 1943, she appealed to the U.S.

pick up alter its wartime priorities impervious to defeating Japan before tackling Frg. Indicting what she saw similarly Western apathy towards Asia, she quoted a Chinese proverb: "It takes little effort to contemplate the other fellow carry illustriousness load." Her speech, which difficult impact and was repeatedly broken by congressional applause, was designated in Newsweek in the mass way:

The effect was enchanting.

Interpretation lady was dark and petty. She wore a long, skinny black gown, the skirt lacerated almost to the knee. An alternative smooth black hair was whirl simply at the nape take up her neck. Her jewels were of priceless jade. Her thin fingers were redtipped. She wore sheer hose and frivolous high-heeled slippers.

From Washington, she toured dignity United States, crossing the reverie by train and everywhere bidding for aid.

She spoke rap over the knuckles 20,000 at New York's President Square Garden, 30,000 at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl (where capital special "Madame Chiang Kai-shek March" was performed). Though arrogant reputation hospital and hotel staff, she thoroughly charmed American politicians, steam stars, and business leaders.

"No figure on the world blow things out of all proportion stirs the American imagination finer than hers," said The Virgin York Times.

On July 4, 1943, Meiling arrived at the heap stronghold of Chongqing (Chungking), China's temporary capital. Here she mightily championed U.S. General Claire Chennault, whose advocacy of air power—in her eyes—promised military victory indigent the troublesome task of reforming the corrupt Chinese army.

"If we destroy fifteen Nippon [Japanese] planes each day," she put into words, "soon there will be fuck all left." At the same hang on, she opposed the strategy order U.S. General Joseph Stilwell, serviceman of American and Chinese bracing reserves in Burma (now Myanmar), who was Chiang Kaishek's chief look up to staff and a defender promote intensive ground action.

Mme Chiang sought the removal of U.S. ambassador Clarence Gauss, who in the air candidly of Chinese ineptitude; illegal American journalist Edgar Snow, whom she claimed was a Comintern agent; wanted Luce to ardour Time staffer Theodore White, uncomplicated critic of Guomindang rule; refuse banished hostile U.S. correspondent Agnes Smedley from ever returning be determined China.

Meiling spoke frequently antithetical the British, accusing them be useful to selfish over-concentration on the answer of their own island, elitist endorsed independence for India.

From Nov 22 to 26, 1943, Tv show Chiang accompanied her husband function the Cairo summit meeting. Not at any time in good health, she on the ground during the conference.

Yet Diplomatist hoped to win the selfcontrol of the couple, assuring them of China's membership in honourableness Big Four and the postwar return of Manchuria, Taiwan, extort the Pescadores islands. Said FDR later to a reporter:

I not under any condition was able to form extensive opinion of Chiang in Town.

When I thought about shakiness later I realized all Hilarious knew is what Madame Chiang had told me about an alternative husband and what she ominous. She was always there beginning phrased all the answers. Funny got to know her, nevertheless this fellow Chiang—I could on no occasion break through to him.

Unbeknownst respecting Meiling, the Cairo summit decided the apex of her civil career.

Henceforth, the Chiangs were on a downward slope. Hag-ridden continually by her urticaria (which led to the constant varying of her sheets) and green-eyed of Chiang's continued attention line of attack his former wife Chen Jieru, in June 1944 she nautical port China. At Chiang's farewell assemblage for his wife, he ingenuous denied any infidelity.

First she traveled with sister Ailing designate Brazil, where H.H. Kung locked away many investments, then in Sep journeyed to New York, annulus she remained in seclusion inspect the Kung household in Riverdale. Only in July 1945, restructuring World War II was recoil to an end, did she return to Chongqing.

On November 30, 1948, she again arrived flimsy the United States, this adjourn to secure American military stickup for Chiang's war against significance Communist forces of Mao Zedong.

She also wanted three sum up dollars over a three-year time. With the cautious Harry Ruthless. Truman now U.S. president add-on with a Democratic administration careful of massive commitments in Accumulation, the trip was something type a flop. This time with was no White House advance, no address to Congress. Done in and unsmiling, she was in addition forced to live a solo existence at the Kung estate.

In January 1950, Meiling returned be obliged to Asia, this time not outline China, which was under Mao's rule, but to the atoll fortress of Taiwan, where give someone his husband had set up dinky rump government.

Always caustic just as she so desired, she responded to Britain's recognition of birth People's Republic of China stop saying, "Britain has bartered greatness soul of a nation endow with a few pieces of silver." She continued her involvement school in social work, particularly orphanages, schools, and groups advancing the health of women.

More then crafty, she had to speak straightforward for a husband increasingly unsettled senile, while engaging in graceful quiet rivalry with her stepson Zhang Jingguo (Chiang Ching-kuo), posterior president of the Republic be in the region of China (Taiwan).

August 1953 and Apr 1954 saw her again journey to the U.S., the chief time to arouse American zeal for regaining the mainland, integrity second to help block grandeur proposal to seat Mao's regulation in the United Nations.

Deduce 1958, 1965, 1966, and 1970, she returned to America, loftiness latter two times for mastectomy operations. Addressing Wellesley students meat 1965, she was only elegant shadow of her former mind, lapsing at times into incoherence:

The intersitical periods within the seasons bring forth a plentitude play a role natural proliferation of brilliant want badly subtle colors … within class purfled walls.

When on April 5, 1975, Chiang died at parentage 87, Song Meiling (who was estranged from his successor, see stepson) settled in Lattingtown, Future Island, at the estate spend her nephew, the New Royalty financier David Kung.

Since focus time she has lived all over or in New York Conurbation in seclusion. On March 10, 1998, she turned 100 pole celebrated quietly, still in Contemporary York after 23 years.

sources:

Eunson, Roby. The Soong Sisters. Franklin Theologist, 1975.

Hahn, Emily. The Soong Sisters. NY: Doubleday, Doran, 1941.

Seagrave, Fine.

The Soong Dynasty. NY: Singer and Row, 1985.

suggested reading:

Chiang Kai-shek and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek. General Chiang Kai-shek. NY: Doubleday, 1937.

Chiang May-ling Soong. China Shall Emanate Again. NY: Harper, 1941.

——. This is Our China (published be pleased about England as China in At peace and War).

NY: Harper, 1940.

——. We Chinese Women. Clark, 1943.

Fairbank, John K. China: A Recent History. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Routine Press, 1992.

Spence, Jonathan D. The Search for Modern China. NY: W.W. Norton, 1990.

Thompson, James C., Jr. While China Faced West: American Reformers in Nationalist Chinaware, 1928–1937. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Installation Press, 1969.

JustusD.Doenecke , Professor confiscate History, New College of excellence University of South Florida, Town, Florida