wife of Chiang Kai-shek

wife of Chiang Kai-shek

Song Meiling (from March 4, 1898 to October 24, 2003; it is also reported that she was born in 1897) was born in Wenchang, Hainan Province. She was an influential and well-known figure in modern Chinese history. She had devoted herself to the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japan, opposed the division of the country, and looked forward to the peaceful reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and the prosperity of the Chinese people.

In addition to her excellent command of English, Song Meiling also speaks six languages, has considerable attainments in traditional Chinese painting, and writes well. It is said that Song Meiling's piano performance is quite good, so Song Meiling is a master of piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and is Chiang Kai Shek's diplomatic assistant.

Song Meiling, song Ailing and Song Qingling are called the three sisters of the Song family. Her father is song Jiashu, a wealthy businessman. With the strong support of the Kong and song families and the background of studying in the United States, he was active in politics, diplomacy and other fields, which had a profound impact on Modern Chinese history and Sino US relations. Song Meiling, who lived in the United States for a long time in her later years, died in New York on October 24, 2003, Beijing time, at the age of 106.

After the death of Song Meiling, Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese people's Political Consultative Conference, sent a telegram of condolence to her relatives, expressing deep mourning for her death. Jia Qinglin also said in a statement that Ms. Song Meiling is an influential celebrity in modern Chinese history. She was committed to the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression, opposed national division, and looked forward to the peaceful reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and the prosperity of the Chinese nation.

Life of the characters

Early life

I learned English at home when I was young. In 1910 (or 1907), Soong Mei Ling went to the United States with her second sister Soong Ching Ling, who went to study in the United States. Later, she studied at Wesleyan women's college. At this time, Song Meiling had westernized her thoughts, manners and speech.

In August 1917, Song Meiling returned to Shanghai from the United States. She was determined to master fluent Chinese and the classical literature of her motherland, so she invited a private school teacher. This played an important role in her later writing and public speech. Due to her strong social skills, Song Meiling soon became the goal of men in Shanghai Celebrity circle.

One day in December 1922, Song Ziwen, the elder brother of Song Meiling, held a special party at Sun Yat Sen's residence on Moliere road in Shanghai, and Chiang Kai Shek was also invited to attend. It was at this party that Chiang Kai Shek met Song Meiling for the first time. He was determined to marry her at all costs, but Song Qingling resolutely opposed her.

(the general picture is from, and the photo album of Song Meiling's life is from)

Career

Song Meiling returned to Shanghai in August 1917, eager to serve in society, but her father song Jiashu firmly opposed. It was not until song Jiashu died in 1918 that Song Meiling, with the help of her second sister Song Qingling, began her first job as an English teacher in Shanghai YMCA. Two days a week to the YMCA to speak English, at the same time also participate in some other social activities organized by the YMCA.

Song Meiling gave a good lecture in the YMCA. When Song Meiling was studying at Wesleyan women's college, she often read English texts in public, so she didn't have stage fright when she was a teacher. At that time, the young people who came to the Youth Association for lectures were all famous ladies from Shanghai women's circles, as well as the daughters or wives of some senior officials.

A senior official's wife who had heard Song Meiling's lecture in the Youth Association recommended it to the Shanghai Social Bureau. Therefore, the social security bureau sent officials to investigate, and the officials told Song Meiling: Chinese films have set up a Film Censorship Committee in Shanghai, which will be an integral part of the government in the future. In March 1919, Song Meiling joined the National Film Censorship Committee.

Half a year after Song Meiling worked for the Film Censorship Committee, a group of friends from the alliance in the Shanghai Municipal Council began to pay attention to and understand Song Meiling's situation, and strongly advocated that Song Meiling should be hired to work in the Shanghai Municipal Council. They believed that there were at least two benefits of song's coming to work: first, the arrival of Song Meiling could be closely linked with Sun Yat Sen who had already gone to Guangzhou; second, at that time, such excellent English translators as Song Meiling were rare in Shanghai.

When the news came to Song Meiling's ears, she was very disgusted. However, the Song family did not approve of Song Meiling's idea. Her elder sister, song ailing, was the most obvious one. Song Ailing is the main force for Song Meiling to enter politics. Song ailing believes that the three younger sisters entering the Shanghai Senate may change their future destiny. It's hard for Song Meiling to give up on this. Finally, Song Meiling agreed to quit her job as a full-time interpreter of the Film Censorship Committee and joined the Shanghai Senate. In the autumn of 1919, Song Meiling became the executive secretary of the Shanghai Children's Labor Committee.

But in the summer of 1920, for some unknown reason, Song Meiling suddenly resigned from all her occupations, including the children's Labor Secretary of the Shanghai Senate, and quietly went to Guangzhou alone. There, Soong met Chiang Kai Shek, who later changed her life.

National period

In March 1927, after Chiang Kai Shek led the Northern Expedition army to Shanghai, she pursued Song Meiling. Song ailing, the only elder sister who supported Song Meiling, grasped the vanity of her younger sister and counted the advantages of marrying Chiang Kai Shek. Under the persuasion of her sister, she finally made up her mind to marry Chiang Kai Shek on December 1, 1927. First, she followed the Christian ceremony and was married in Song house by Dr. Yu Rizhang. The next day, she was married in Shanghai Dahua hotel by Cai Yuanpei.

With her talent and beauty, Song Meiling followed Chiang Kai Shek in a series of activities in different historical periods and played an important role for a long time.

In 1936, Song Meiling became Secretary General of the Aviation Commission. In order to set up the air force, she played her diplomatic ability in purchasing aircraft from foreign countries and hiring foreign consultants. In addition, she also spent a lot of time studying aviation theory and aircraft design.

In 1936, Song Meiling stepped up the expansion of the air force; the Xi'an Incident broke out and rescued Chiang Kai Shek.

In the spring of 1937, Chiang Kai Shek authorized Song Meiling to take charge of the air force; Song Meiling invited us general Chennault to China as an air force consultant, and formed the "flying tiger team". With the help of Chennault, Soong Meiling mastered the internal leadership of the air force in a very short time. And became the nominal commander in chief of the Chinese air force. As a result, it is also known as "the mother of the Chinese air force". At the same time as Chiang Kai Shek, he was selected as the person of the year of time.

In 1938, Song Meiling published the war and peace bulletin, organized women's factories and wartime schools, took the "women's work Steering Committee of the new life movement Promotion Association" as the highest guiding organ of the National Women's movement, and played a great role in soliciting consolation during the eight years of the Anti Japanese war, and served as the general communicator of China's foreign propaganda.

In 1942, he left Chongqing secretly, flew to New York for medical treatment, visited his alma mater Wesleyan College, and secretly sought American assistance.

In 1943, he delivered a speech at the joint meeting of the two houses of Congress; in March, he met with President Roosevelt and held a press conference together; in April, he went to Canada to make a speech calling on the United States to turn its consideration of Europe to Asia; in May, he returned home to accompany Chiang Kai Shek to attend the meeting of the four giants and worked as an interpreter for Chiang Kai Shek.

In 1944, he left China and went to Brazil to transfer funds. He bought some property in Sao Paulo. In September, he went to New York to treat severe neurasthenia. In 1946, the civil war broke out, and Chennault formed a civil transportation airline; in September, he was involved in gold speculation.

In 1948, Truman was elected president of the United States, which greatly reduced the amount of aid to China; in November, she flew to Washington again to seek U.S. aid, which was reversed by the mainland situation; Truman mocked her for "coming to the United States to get some more handouts".

In 1949, Chiang resigned as president, and the couple went to Xikou. In April, they met with Tang Enbo, commander-in-chief of Jiangfang, and secretly transferred gold, silver and cultural relics through the Qing Gang. In May, they went to Taiwan by gunboat.

(photos of Song Meiling and Chiang Kai Shek are from, photos of Song Meiling's trip to the United States are from)

The period of Liberation

In April 1950, Song Meiling established the "Chinese women's anti Communist and anti Russian Federation" with her as the core in Taiwan. With this as the beginning, several departments close to her have been added. These organs around her make Song Meiling more and more powerful.

At the same time, Soong Mei Ling was also obsessed with "diplomacy.". In August 1950, she and some American friends and pro Taiwan personages organized the so-called "foreign aid group"; in August 1952, she flew to Washington and stayed until March of the next year. During this period, she set up the "China lobby" in the United States, also known as the "Committee of millions", whose purpose is to prevent the people's Republic of China from returning to the United Nations. In 1954, Song Meiling flew to the United States again and stayed for six months, strongly inciting the United States to prevent the restoration of the legitimate seat of the people's Republic of China in the United Nations.

In the 1960s, Song Meiling's enthusiasm for "diplomacy" remained unchanged. In 1965, she and Jiang Jingguo visited the United States, hoping that the United States would support the "counter offensive against the mainland.". By the early 1970s, Taiwan's seat in the United Nations was in jeopardy. The United States advised the Taiwan authorities to accept the "two China" arrangement. The situation at that time was that although most members of the United Nations believed that the people's Republic of China should be accepted, some countries were not willing to expel the Taiwan authorities. This proposal was fully approved by Taiwan's "Ministry of foreign affairs". Unexpectedly, when the proposal was put forward at the highest level meeting of the Taiwan authorities, Song Meiling, who has always been regarded as a pro american faction, was the first to oppose it, she said solemnly

Chinese PinYin : Song Mei Ling