She specifically focused on addressing women and women's organizations. Along with her family, she moved to America, leaving China behind and creating for herself a wealth that made her one of the richest women as well as one of the most hated in China (Seagrave, 409, 451).įor Meiling, the new Madame Chiang, her life naturally was defined by the emerging Second Sino-Japanese War, and she often used her role to garner support against the Japanese. Ailing and Kung continued to engage in illegal activities (Lee, 477-478). Despite Ailing's public appearance as a patriotic leader, she and her children were accused of corruption, black marketeering, and using insider information to make investments. Her marriage to Kung, who held the positions of Minister of Finance and Premier of the Republic of China, meant that she was closely tied to China's political and economic situation. Ailing, along with her sisters, was particularly involved with the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives, organizations that aimed to gain support and help the Chinese industry (Lee, 477). When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, she found multiple ways to become involved, from sitting on the Committee of the National Friends of the Wounded Soldiers to working with the National Refugee Children'sĪssociation.
![soong world for two soong world for two](https://64.media.tumblr.com/a5216bd7504437dbcf4fa52aaeb6022f/tumblr_o3q4r1QyBg1uofzy5o1_250.jpg)
Soong Ailing married Kung Hsiang Hsi, who is a banker and politician.
![soong world for two soong world for two](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tJdXRch93MM/hqdefault.jpg)
The youngest Soong daughter met Chiang, and the two of them married in 1927, partly for political reasons.Īs World War II drew closer, their lives became more and more entangled with Chinese politics, especially as they were directly connected to prominent political leaders through marriage. Life in China, however, changed when Sun Yat-sen died in 1925, leading to political divides and the rise of Chiang Kai-shek (Leong, 114-115). She engaged in Chinese nationalism, reform efforts, and various organizations throughout the late 1910s and 1920s. Meiling was active as well, having returned from her studies in America. Sun was the one man who could do it, so I wanted to help him." (Pakula, 64). Chingling then married Sun, despite her parents' opposition, and said, "I wanted to help save China, and Dr. Ailing had been working as Sun's secretary a position Chingling would take over. When Yuan Shikai became President of the new Republic of China, Soong and his family stayed loyal to Sun, who was living in exile in Japan and moved to Tokyo to help the Kuomintang re-strategize. Charlie met Sun Yat-sen in 1894 and became close friends with him, helping him publish revolutionary material (Pakula, 49, 52). Nevertheless, Ailing and Chingling attended Wesleyan College, and Mei-ling finished school at Wellesley College (Leong, 108-109).Įven before World War II, the Soong family was politically involved. The couple strongly valued education, especially for their daughters, which was unorthodox for many traditionally patriarchal families at the time.
![soong world for two soong world for two](http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0000/181/MI0000181788.jpg)
They married in 1887 and soon started a family: Soong Ailing, Soong Chingling, Soong T. The Soong family story begins with businessman Charlie Soong and "Katherine" Ni Kwei-Tseng, a descendant of a famous Ming Dynasty scholar and minister.