IN TilEINORY OF SOONG CHING IING 1893-198t
Chino Reconslructs Soong Ching L-ing in the kindergarten of the Yunn:rn Frovince C)igarette Plant in 1955 H irEM0RY 0F $00ilG GlililG LttG Distributed with September 1981 Regulor lssue
CONTENTS
The Great Life of Soong Ching Ling Released bA Xir,hun Neus Agency 2 o Salute to Comrade Soong Ching Ling Deng Yingchao U Call Me 'Comrade Ching Ling' l2 Tribute anci Farewell Liao Chengzhi 74 Press Statement by Soong Ching Ling's Relatives 16 "Great, Honest and Sincere" - Recollections by Family Members 16 From Soong Ching Ling's Articles in "China Reconstructs" 18 To Comrade Soong Ching Ling Frorn a Poem by Xino San (Emi Si,ao) 19 Poets should Sing Your Praises - To Soong Ching Ling during Her Illness Ding Ling 20 The last Da5r of Her Life Paul T. K. Li,n 2T Great Figure, Warm Friend Ma Haide (Dr. George Hatem) 23 Recollections and Thoughts Reui Alleg 2B The Great and Glorious Life ofi Soong Ching Ling (Pictorial) 29 Honorary President Soong Ching Ling's Home (Pictorial) 42 Great Internationalist Fighter Qian Junrui 45 Heroic Battler for Democracy Ch,en Han-seng 47 So Great Yet So Simple Shen Cuizhen 49 Soong Ching Ling and Our Magazine lsrael Epstein 52, She Stood for the ?radition of Truth Li Boti 54 Recalling Work at Her Side Zhang Jue 56 An Outstanding Woman of Our Time Talitha Gerlach 57 Under Her Leadership in the China Welfare Institute Chen Weibo 58 She Is Unforgettable Trudy Rosenberg 60 Advancer of Dr. Sun Yat-ry3]s Cause Qu Wu 62 '64 Defending the People's Righ'ts Shi, Liang Freed with Soong Ching Ling's Aid Xu Deheng 67 Devotion to Women and Children Kang Keqing 68 HeIp As Time1y As Coal in Midwinter Shen Qizhen 70 Fostered by Her Concern 77 Front Cover: Honorary President Soong Ching Ling Back Cover: Honorary President Soong's residence at Houhai in Beijing
Editoriol Office: Wdi Wen 8uildihg, Beijing p7t, Chirc, Coble:l ..CHiRECON'" Eeiiing, Generql Distributbr: GUOJI SHUDIAN, P,O. Bbx 399, Beijing, Chino. The Great Life of Soong Ching Ling
qOONG Ching Ling, Honorary of the Chinese revolution, thus In 1924 at the Kuomintang's \-, President of the People's beginning her revolutionary First National Congress she Republic of China and Vice- career. helped promote the.Three Major Chairman of the National Pee On October 25, 1915, she Policies introduced by Sun Yat- ple's Congress Standing Com- married Dr. Sun Yat-sen. In sen (alliance with Soviet Rus- mittee, died on May 29, 1981, at the following years she accom- sia, co-operation with the Chi- the age of 90 according to the panied him on trips between nese Communist Party and as- traditional Chinese way of cal- Sh4nghai and Guangzhou (Can- sistance to the peasants and culating age. She was known ton), in order to promote the workers). In the manifesto of throughout the worid as a great revolutionary cause. During the congress they were incor- patriotic, democratic, interna- the May 4th Movement in 1919 porated into the original Three tionalist and communist fighter. she worked hard to help those People's Principles, which after students who had been arrested that were known as the new in Beijing. Three People's Principies. Co-Fighter with Sun Yat-sen In May 1921, Dr. Sun Yat-sen In November \924, Soong While her family came from took office as the Extraordinary Ching Ling accompanied her Wenchang County, Hainan President of the Republic of husband north to Beijing at the Island, Guangdong Provihce, China. In the early hours of invitation of military and polit- Soong Ching Ling herself was June 16, 1922, warlord Chen ical leaders there to solve the born on January 27, 1893 in Jiongming turned against the problems of China's reunifica- Shanghai. She received her revolution and surrounded and tion and construction. Sun Yat- bombarded the president's office early education at the McTyeire sen died on March 12, 1925, in in Guangzhou. Soong Ching School for girls in Shanghai and Beijing. After his death Soong went to the United States at Ling insisted that Dr. Sun Yat- Ching Ling made known to sen she the age of 15 to study at Wesle- leave immediately, but China and the world Dr. Sun herself yan College for women in did not leave until I Yat-sen's political will and o'clock morning. Escorted Macon, Georgia, where she ob- that dedicated herself to the great by two bodyguards and an aide- tained her Bachelor of Arts de- revolu.tion of the Chinese de-camp, she broke through the gree in 1913. While there, she people. of received the new national flag, encirclement and was out danger on the following eve- which her father had sent Upholding the Three Policies ning. By that time she was in a her after success of the state of exhaustion, her health After the May 30th Incident the 1911 Revolution, and seriously impaired. in Lg25 in Shanghai, Soong immediately away threw In August 1922, Sun Yat-sen Ching Ling issued a press state- the dragon flag of the began a major overhaul of the ment sternly protesting the Qing Dynasty to hail the htuth Kuomintang leadership in atrocities of two powers, Bri- of the republic. During her Shhnghai. Soong Ching 'Ling tain and Japan. She deem- senior year she wrote an article worked very effectively in the incident as a sup- journal ed the for the college entitled consultations on co-operation pression of the revolutiorr-ary "The Greatest Event of the 20th between Dr. Sun Yat-sen and spirit of the Chinese people and Century," hailing the victory of the representatives of the encour,aged the Chinese citieens China's 1911 Revolution. The Chinese Communist Party and to shoulder the task of saving article statdd that the 1911 Rev- during his conversations with the country bf uniting to resist' olution signified the liberation the special envoys sent by the violence of the Pritish of 400 million people froin mon- Lenin. police. archic slavery, under wlich In 1923, those troops loyal to During the Second National people had been deprived of Sun Yat-sen expelled Chen Congress of the Kuomintapg in life, freedorn and the pur- Jiongming from Guangzhou, January 1926, Soong Ching.Ling suit of hbppiness. Upon her and Dr. Sun and Soong Ching resolutely upheld Dr. Sun Yat- returrr to Ch.ina in 1913, she Ling returned to the city, sen's Three Major Policies and became the secretapy of Dr, Suh where they continued the work worked in close co-operation Yat-sen, the great forerunner of overhauling the Kuomintang. with the Communist Party. to
2 carry on the struggle against been leading the revolution have leaders of the world anti-fascist the Right wing of the Kuomin- strayed." movement, tang. At the congress, she was On August 7, 1927, Comrade After returning to China in elected a member of the Execu- Soong Ching Ling, Comrade 1931, she enthusiastically sup- tive Committee of the Kuomin- Mao Zedong and 20 other per- ported the Chinese Communist tang. In November of the same sons issued a declaration ex- Party's proposal to end the civil year, the Northern Expedition- posing the betrayal of Chiang war and form a national anti- ary Army captured Wuhan in Kai-shek and Wang Jingwei. Japanese united front and re- central China and the national She supported the Nanchang solutely opposed the capitula- government in Guangzhou pr€: Armed Uprising launched by tionist policy of Chiang Kai- pared to move there. Soong the Chinese Communist Party shek. In an article published in Ching Ling therefore went to on the same day. A revolu- Shanghai on December 19, 1931, Wuhan and was included in the tionary committee composed of she exposed the reactionarY membership of a united com- Zhou Enlai and 24 others elected nature and the capitulationist mittee, which was formed by Soong Ching Ling to a seven- activities of Chiang Kai-shek's members of the Executive Com- member presidium, although she Kuomintang government. She mittee of the Kuomintang and was not in Nanchang during the wrote: "Only a revolution based of the national government in uprising. on the masses and serving Wuhan following a meeting on Soong Ching Ling left for them can smash the power of December 13. Moscow in late August to seek the warlords and politicians, During the first six rnonths of a road for the Chinese revolu- shake off the yoke of imperial- 1927, she'ran a women's insti- tion. Upon her departure she ism and realize socialism." tute of political training in issued a public statement, again On January 28,7932, the Jap- invaded Hankou, Hubei Provinee. When expounding Sun Yat-sen's Three anese militarists Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Major Policies. She said, "The Shanghai and the Kuomintang's Kuomintang Right wing, reactionary forces led by the 19th' Route Army counterat- launched a counter-revolution- fake leaders of the Kuomintang tacked. Soong Ching Ling raised ary coup in Shanghai on April who have betrayed the revolu- money and set up a 300-bed 12 of that year, Soong Ching tion endanger the Three Major hospital lor the lvounded patrio- Ling and many members of the Policies"; "they are bound to tic soldiers. She told corespond- Kuomintang's Left wing as well fail, as they are taking the road ents at that time that she as Mao Zedong, Dong Biwu, Yun of those who attempted to rule would fight the Japanese in- Daiying, Lin Boqu, Wu Yuzhang the people in the same way." vaders to the end. She declared and other Chinese Communists She returned to China by way that setting up a, hospital was paying issued an open message de- of Berlin in-May 1929 to attend only her way of respect nouncing Chiang Kai-shek. On the state funeral of Sun Yat-sen and giving thanks to the revolu- 1gth July 14, 1927, on the eve of the in Nanjing. On the eve her tionary fighters of thb "of vanguard of open betrayal of the revolution return to China, she issued a Route Arrrqr, the by the Kuomintang government statement saying: "I cannot the anti-imperialist revolu- in Wuhan headed by Wang participate directly or indirect: tionary. armed forces who were Jingwei, Soong Ching Ling ly in the work of the Kuomin- fighting under very difficult issued a statement in which she tang until. its policies are in conditions. In December of the declared: "Some rriembers of completq conformity with the same year, with Lu Xun, Cai the Executive Committee of the basic priFciples of the late Dr. Yuanpei and Yang Xingfo, she Kuomintang are doing violence Sun Yat-sen." organized the China League for to Sun Yat-sen's ideas and Civit Rights to oppose Chiang ideals." Therefore, she expressed Kai-shek's fascist massacres. In Vs. Irnperialism and F ascism the view that she would no elaborating the task of the longer participate in executing During her stay in the Soviet league, she said, "Either the rev- the new policies of the Kuomin- Union and Europe from 1927 to olution will triumph ih China; tang. She stated with supreme 1929 and 1930 to 1.931, Soong or imperialism will conquer and confidence in spite of the serious Ching Ling took an activs part dismember China. There is r.-.o crisis in the revolution: "Sun in the international movement alternative. Believing'in the Yat-sen's Three People's Prin- against imperialisrn and in de- final victory of the masses in ciples will eventually succeed; fence of peace. She was elected China, I am sure that the:evo- the revolution in China is inevi- honorary chairman at two con- iution will establish its owh table." She also said, "There ferences irf the Anti-Imperialist right, establish the unity, inde- is no despair ,in my heart for I.eague held in Belgium in De- pendence and integrity of Cfrina, the revolution. My dishearten- cember 19?7, and in Germany and the right of the masles to ment is only for the path along in August 1929. She subsequent- govern themselves. And, mY' which some of those who had ly became one of the principal conception of the China Icbgue
3 for Civil Rights is that it is one In 1935, as the Chinese peo- ment, asked the court to impri- of the instruments which will ple's efforts to resist Japan and son her as well for the "grime move us towards this goal," The save the nation surged in the of patriotism." league protected and rescued face of increasing Japanese ag- When Kuomintang generals many Communists and patriotic gression, Soong Ching Ling Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hu- democrats by struggling against fought unceasingly for the for- cheng, who thought China the Kuomintang reactionaries mdtion of an anti-Japanese na- should be resisting Japanese ag- and made extraordinary eontri- tional united front and for the gression, arrested Chiang Kai- butions to the revolutionary protection of the people's demo- shek in the famous Xian Inci- cause. cratic rights. dent of December t2, 1936, On April t of 1933, Soong On August 1 of 1935, the Soong Ching Ling was among Ching Ling published a message Central Committee of the those who advocated that to the Chinese people, opposing Chinese Communist Party is- Chiang Kai-shek be released on the Chiang Kai-shek govern- sued a declaration calling on the the condition that he agreed to ment's persecution of patriots people of the entire nation to end the civil war and oppose who opposed imperialism and unite to end the civil war and Japanese aggression. resisted Japanese aggression, resist Japanese aggression. Along with Feng Yuxiang, and the illegal arrest of the Soong Ching Ling, He Xiang- He Xiangning and others, Soong Communists Luo Dengxian, ning, Liu Yazi, Jing Hengyi, Ching Ling proposed at the Liao Chengzhi and Chen Geng. Chen Shuren as well as Yu Third Plenary Session of the She called on the Chinese people Youren and Sun Fo responded Kuomintang Central Committee to rise up in struggle to protect immediately, exerting a tremen- in February 1937 that Dr. Sun the arrested revolutionaries. dous influence. Yat-sen's Three Major Policies In an article entitled "Ifnite, Shen Junru, Zot Taofen and of alliance with Soviet Russia, Chinese Workets" published in other democrats established the co-operation with the Chinese Shanghai in May 1933, Soong All-China Federation of Na- Communist Party and assistance Ching Ling pointed out: "The tional Salvation Associations in to the peasants and workers be Chiang Kai-shek government Shanghai in May 1936, demand- restored. She delivered a speech cannot unify China, cannot lead ing that the Kuomintang gov- at the meeting, asking the Kuo- the armed people in a national ernment stop the civil war, mintang governrnent to end the revolutionary war against J.aP release political prisoners, ne- civil war and mobilize all forces, anese imperialism and cannot gotiate peace with the Red including the Communist PartY, give the peasants land." She Army and establish a unified to defend China's territorial in- called on the people of the government of resistance tegrity. In November of the whole country to "unite, get against Japan. Soong Ching same year, she issued a state- organized, and struggle for Ling was a member of the ex- ment supporting the formation China's liberation, unification ecutive coinmittee of the federa- of an anti-Japanese national and territorial integrity." tion. When the Kuomintang united front. In September 1933 she con- government arrested Shen Soong Ching Ling initiated vened the Far East Conference Junru, Zou Taofen, Li Gongpu, and organized the China De- of the World Committee Against Sha Qianli, Shi Liang, Zhang fence League in June 1938 to Imperialist War in Shanghai and Naiqi and Wang Zaoshi of the publicize the anti-JaPanese a speech in which she federation in November of that delivered movement among PeoPle year, Sodng Ching Ling issued said, "The present era marks the abroad and collect medical a statement on November 26 birth of a new social system and other supplies from around - protesting the arrest of the socialism"; "reactionary armed the world. To provide first aid confronted onlY seven champions of democracy. forces can be to:wounded soldiers, the league revolutionary armed She declared that the illegal with rnedical teams against im- arrest was the result of Japanese introduced forces"; "We are foreign friends to perialist war, but for a national influence which wiruld "further organized by areas set revolutionary war waged by the arouse the wrath and patriotic the anti-Japanese base ArmY peopie who take up arms." indignation"of the people against up by the Eighth Route them [the Japanese]," She and the New Fourth ArmY. The people team led by the Canadian To Save the Nation thought that the of the entire nation would not forgive surgeon Dr. Norman Bethune In 1934 a Six-Point Program- the Kuomintang government's was one of these. me for Resisting Japan and criminal illegal arrests of these After the Southern Anhui In- Saving the Nation put forward patriots. During the trial of cident in the spring of 1941, by the Chinese Communist ,these seven leaders of the de- Soong Ching Ling, He Xiang- Party was circulated by Soong mocratic movement, she went ning and others sent a joint mes- Ching Ling and other democrats to the higher court in Suzhou sage denouncing Chiang Kai- over their signatures. and, following their impri.son- shek and demanding that he
4 "stop using armed force to at- tack the Communist Party." AJter the Japanese militarists launched the Pacific War in December 1941, Soong Ching Ling arrived in Chongqing from Hongkong and immediately re- sumed the activities of the China Defence League" During this period, she worked in contact with George Hatem, Agnes Smedley, Edgar Snow, Rewi Alley and other foreign friends for the Chinese people's cause of resisting Japanese aggression.
Building a New China Soong Ching Ling returned to Shanghai in 1945 after the victory in the anti-Japanese war. Late that year she set up the China Welfare Fund, a suc- cessor to the China Defence League established in Hong- kong during the war. It con- tinued to support progressive organizations and democratic forces and under extremely difficult conditions completed projects which were beneficial ,"-@ to the Labouring masses. Dur- ing the Liberation War, the Fund provided substantial ma- terial assistance to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chi- Soong Ching Ling, late Honorary President of the People's Repubtlc of China. nese People's Liberation Army under the Party's leadership" Ling was named its Honorary Conference. She delivered an At a time when Chiang Kai- Chairman. impassioned speech at the ses- shek was continuing his anti- On July 1, 1949, Soong Ching sion, stating, "l€t's get down to Communist and anti-popular Ling published an article in work right now and build an civil war with the assistance of Shanghai, "Salute'the Chinese independent, democratic, peace- U.S. imperialism, Soong Ching Communist Party," rejoicing ful, strong and prosperous Ling issued a state'ment in that the people's victory was new China, and unite with the Shanghai on July 23, 1946, call- already in sight. She wrote, people of the world to bring ing for the formation of a coa- "'Welcome our leader the lea- about lasting world peace." On lition government and urging der who was born in -Shanghai, Septernber 30, she was elgcted the American people to stop. the ' grew up in the mountains of a Vice-Chairman of the Centrai U.S. Government from giving Jiangxi Province, was ternper- People's Governrnent. From military assistaoce to"the Kuo- ed in repeated struggles unrler that time onward, Soong Ching mintang. This statement pro- harsh conditions during the Ling engaged in numero!-ts duced wide repercussions 25,000-li Long March and ma- state activities as a major state around the world. tured in the rural areas. Salute leader, and Comrades Mao Ze- In 1948 a number of Kuomin- the Chinese Communist Party!" dong, Zhou Enlai and tiu Shao- tang members who had broken In September 1949, at the in- qi often exchanged views with away from that organiTation,- vitation of the Chinese Com- her'on major domestic and in- including Li Jishen, He Xiang- munist Party Central Com- ternational issues. ning anp Feng Yuxiang, set up mittee, Soong Ching Ling came In October 1950, Soong Ching the Revolutionary Committee to Beijing to atiend the First T,ing made an inspection tour of of the Chinese Kuomintang'in Plenary Sessiop of the Chinese Liaoning, Jilin and Heilong- Hongkong, and Soong Ching People's Political Consultative jiang Provinces in northeast China where she visited facte Soong Ching Ling led the Chi- possible." "f am convinced that ries, rural areas and army units, nese delegation to that confer- in the future, socialism and She was very glad to see that ence, which was held in Bei- communism will ultimately be- the construction of the country jing in October of that year, come the social system practis- had begun quickly after the and was elected Chairman of ed throughout the world." founding of the People's Re- the Peace Liaison Committee of "Such a social system can only public and that frontier de- the Asian and Pacific Regions. be realized under the leadership fence had been strengthened. She headed a Chinese of the Communist Party and it She encouraged people to con- delegation to the World Peace will certainly be realiied." tinue to make progress. Congress in Vienna in Decem- On April 27, 1959, Soong ber 1952. Ching Ling was re-elected a On the World Scenc From December 16, 1955, to Vice-Chairman of the People's February 4, 1956, Soong Ching Republic of China at the First As an official representative Ling visited India, Burma and Session of the Second National Ling of China, Soong Ching Pakistan, and in August 1956 People's Congress. frequently took part in interna- she visited Indonesia. Al1 On November L2, 1962, Soong tional activities, making out- these visits were successful Ching Ling's article "Sun Yat- standing contributions to the During her visit to Pa- sen and His Co-operation With fostering of friendship among kistan, of the Chinese Communist Party" promotion pro- the University peoples, the of Dacca confered on her an was published. In the article gressive culture and the Honorary Doctorate of Laws. she pointed out, "For 40 years defence world peace. of In November 1957, Comrade Sun Yat-sen engaged in politi- She was elected a member of Soong Ching Ling accompanied cal struggle for the Chinese the Executive Bureau of the Comrade Mao Zedong to the nation and the Chinese peo- World Peace Council at that Moscow Meeting of B,epresenta- ple, which reachqd its zenith organization's Second Congress tives Communist and Work- in his late years, culminat- November of in Warsaw on ers'Parties. ing in his decision to co- 23, 1950. In the capacity of Vice-Chair- operate with the Chinese Com- On September 18, 1951, she man of the People's Republic munist Party to carry out the was awarded the Stalin Peace China, Soong Ching Ling Chinese revolution together." Prize for: 1950. She donated of visited Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) On January 3, 1965, she was the entire 100,000 roubles to along with Prremier Zhou Enlai re+lected a Vice-Chairman of welfare institutions for Chinese the People's Republic of China women and children. and Vice-Premier Chen Yi in February 1964. at the First Session of the Third Early in 1952, in order to tell National People's Congress. the world about the real condi- Respected National Leader On November 12, 1966, at a tions of the Chinese people who ceremony held in the capital were struggling to build a new Soong Ching Ling was a re- solemnly commemorating the life so as to enhance the friend- spected and beloved leader of all centenary of the birth of Dr. understanding be- ship and Sun Yat-sen, Soong Ching Ling people China and the nationalities of China. In tween the of delivered speech entitled other countries, she suggested September 1954, she was elect- a "Sun Yat-sen A Staunch, In- that a new magazine, China Re- ed Vice-Chairman of the domitable Revolutionary,"- des- constructs, be started. For 30 Standing Committee of the revolutionary life years she gave it clear directives National People's Congress at cribing the Sun She said, on editorial principles, the con- the First Session of the First of Yat-sen. "We years un- tent and the launching of new National People's Congress. are proud of his 40 of In December 1954, she was tiring struggle. His behest that language editions. In addition, fWe she was concerned with the elected Vice-Chairman of the must arouse the masses ol Iivelihood of the magazine's National Committee of the Chi- the people and unite . . . with world staff . She personally wrote nese People's Political Consult- those nations of the more than 30 articles for China ative Conference at the First which treat us as equals' sounds Reconstructs, which began with Session of the Second Natienal correct even to this da.te." only one English edition. Now Committee of the C.P.P.C.C. "With unwavering determina- it is published in seven lan- In September 1956, at the in- tion in our objectives, with guages and is circulated in rnore vitation of the Party Central staunch faith in Marxism- than 140 countries and regions Committee, Soong Ching Ling Leninism-M ao Zedong Thought, in the world. attended the Eighth National with unbounded confidence in On March 21, 1952, Soong Congress of the Chinese Com- our ability to win, we join Ching Ling, Guo Moruo and munist Party. Addressing the hands to struggle with all who others initiated the convocation congress, she said, "Without strive for a world without ex- of the Peace Conference for the the Party's leadership, our ploitation of man by man, Asian and Pacific regions. victory would have been im- wjthout national oppression
6 and without racial discrimina- wishing the meeting success been unable to defeat the strong tion." and explaining that she could will of 900 million people and On January 17, 1975, at the not attend because of illness. it is impossible for them to do First Session of the Fourth Na- In the letter she said: "Though so. Moreover, all these cafeer- tional People's Congress and I am unable to attend the meet- ists and conspirators were again on March 5, 1978, at the ing, my heart beats together badly battered before the iron First Session of the Fifth Na- with yours in love and concern will of the people. This has aI- tional People's Congress, Soong for our children." ways been the case in the past Ching Ling was re-elected Soong Ching Ling was in and will remain so in future. I Vice-Chairman of the National charge of the work of the Peo- am confident that the peogile's People's Congress Standing ple's Relief Administration of will is invincible." She added, Committee. China and the Red Cross "Today, I am already over 80 Society of China for many years old. When I see the ex- For the Women and Children years, She was elected Execu- cellent international and do- tive Chairman of the adminis- mestic situation and the ship of An outstanding leader of the tration at the First Plenary new China sailing ahead women of China, Soong Ching Session of the Executors and through stormy winds and Ling was always concerned Supervisors held after the waves after overcoming the with the women's work of new organizhtion was founded on danger of being capsized, I am 1953, she China. On April 25, April 29, 1950. In August of the exuberant. Once again I see the was elected HonorarY President same year, in the capacity of new brightness of our mother- of the AII-China Women's Fe- the founder and sponsor of the land. I sincerely hope that the deration at the First Session of China Welfare Fund, she de- great people of our country, un- the Second Executive Com- clared that after August 15, the der the guidance of Marxisrn- mittee of the All-China Wo- China Welfare Fund would be Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, men's Federation. Later, at the called the China Welfare Insti- will eonstantiy enhance their Exe- First Session of the Third tute. She had been the chairman unity and march towards a federa- cutive Committee of the of this organization since its brighter future. I shall be tion held in 1957 and at the founding. happy to march forward shoul- Fourth National Congress of der to shoulder with everyone Chinese Women held in For Unification and Progress involved in this great and 19?8, she was re-elected heroic cause." Honorary President of the Soong Ching Ling aiways On May 8, 1981, Soong Ching All-China Women's Eedera- concerned herself with those Ling received an Honorary tion. Addressing the closing who had followed Dr. Sun Yat- Doctorate of Laws from Victo- ceremony of the Fourth Na- .she sen in earlier years and with ria University, Canada. At the tional Congress, stressed: the future of Taiwan, and she awarding ceremony, Howard "Bringing up our children as sincerely expected that peace Petch, President of Victoria the reliable successors to the talks between the Kuomintang University, said that Soong revolution with metieulous care and the Comrnunist Party Ching Ling was one of the is a strategic task of the Party would be conducted at an ear- foremost public servants and and the state and a noble duty lier date, so as to accomplish the social leaders of the 20th women the new period." of in reunification of the motherland. century and that her unswerv- Soong Ching Ling showed She made valuable contribu- ing devotion to the well-being great concern for the healthy tions cause. of the Chinese people had won growth of the children of China to this 1979, her a special place in the hearts affectionate On September 29, and was their published of admirers around the worId. grandmother. She was Chair- Soong Ching Ling an On May 15, 1981, the Political man Chiness People's article in celebration' of the of the Bureau C.P.C. Central National Committee in Defence 30th anniversary of the found- of the of Children from its founding ing of the People's Republic of Committee accepted Soong Ching Ling as a mennber of on November 26, 1951. She China, entitled "The People's full 'wrote articles and inscriptions Will Is Invincible." The article the Communist Party of China. on many occasions, hoping that said, "We have taken gred-b On May 16, 1981, the 18th the children would grow into a strides along the bright road of meeting of the Standing Com- healthy new generation with socialism over the past 30 years. mittee of the Fifth National rich cultural and scientific under the leadership of the People's Congress con-ferred on knowledge and socialist Chinese Communist Party. The Comrade Soong Ching Ling the consciousness. 900 million people have been title, Honorary President of the A" forum in honor of Interna- unswervingly following this People's Republic of China. tr tional Children's Day (June 1) road. Although the road has was held on May 14, 1981. been hard and tortuous, ca- Released bg Xinhua Neu:s Earlier she had written a letter reerists' and conspirators have Agency. Subheads are ours. $alute to Gomrade $oong Chimg ling
DENG YINGCHAO
T am not a poet, so cannot In Beijing in 1925 you walked, the revolution. They separated I devote a poem to you, and dressed in mourning, in the and isolated us for ten years, a not a writer, so cannot produce funeral procession for Dr. Sun. bitter and extraordinary decade" a polished essay. But admira- Through your black veil I saw At first you were forced into tion, love, respect and revolu- that you were not in tears but exile abroad. Then, returning tionary reverence for you have firmer than ever, full of inner to Shanghai, you repeatedly filled my heart for over half a strength. You passed the test and firmly refused to go to century, and now, as through a of dire sorrow. Nanjing to participate irr the floodgate, they rush out like a In January 1926, loyally acts 'of the Kuomintang re- torrent. carrying forward the new Three gime. I first led the life of the People's Principles of Dr. Sun, underground; then I went to the Image of a Young Woman you addressed the Second battlefronts of the revolutionary Revolutionary National Congress of the bases. Though we fought tr rernember the winter of Kuomintang in Guangzhou, and on different fronts, each persist- 1924 when you accompanied Dr. made a solemn, serene, ing in the revolution at her own Sun Yat-sen to Tianjin on your powerful declaration. In a tone post and in a different way, our journey to the north. You came strong as justice, you appeal- aim was one" up on the ship's deck to face the ed to Kuomintang members to welcoming throng. I, standing implement the new Three Peo- Revolutionary Passion and among them, saw Dr. Sun, the ple's Principles incorporating IntegritY gr"eat revolutionary forerunner three major policies of alliance and ceaseless fighter for the with Russia, alliance with the From the outbreak of the overthrow of the Qing dynasty Chinese Communist PartY and anti-Japanese war, the national rnonarchy and for independence, support for the workers' and traitor Chiang Kai-shek retreat- freedom and democracy in peasants' rhovements. You ed step by step. Shanghai was China, standing straight and bravely condemned the right occupied by the enemy. For firrn, although age and illness wingers in the Kuomintang the sake of freedom to serve War Resistance, You already marked his face, warmly who were opposed to revolution. the of acknowledging the acclamations ln t927, when the Northern firmly refused to go to areas of the people. And on his right, Expedition was winning victorY controlled by Chiang but moved to Hongkong. There you did I saw you - erect, slim, grace- upon victory, I met you'again ful, young, beautiful, dignified, in Wuhan, then the revolu- immense and incessant work to tranquil, inspired by revolu- tion's capital. With He Xiang- help the Eighth Route ArmY tionary ideals. As an image of ning you were working to and provide for the needs a young woman revolutionary, encourage and help th> of the anti-JaPanese bases. you remained clearly in mY revolutionary fighters. But Because of your high interna- mind from then on. those brief, happy times tional prestige, with the resPect were soon ended by Chiang Kai- in which you were held bY DENG YINGCHAO is a member of prominent peoPle in many the Politlcal Bureau of tbe Chinese shek and Wang Jingwei, those Communist Party Central Oom- criminals against the nation who countries, everyone was eager mittee, vice-ChairmeD of the Stand- personal signature on ing Commitiee of the National Peo- were destroying revolutionarY for your ple's Congr€ss antl Honorary Chsir- unity, splitting the revolution- the receipts for contributions. man of the All-China Women's on Federation. ary united front and selling out You wore awaY the skin Your I
1 fingers writing. The funds and supplies you raised were sent to our Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army. How fi.rm was your stand, and clear your distinction between what to Iove and to detest" Your rev- olutionary passion and, un- wavering revolutionary inte* grity deeply encouragcd tire fighters and the people behinci the enemy lines. In August 1938. in order to strengthen the anti-Japanese national united front, the Party sent me to Hongkong to see you, He Xiangning and friends in various quarters. You heard from me what the Party was advoeating. Then ex- traordinary cireumstances arose, which aroused your special con- cern for me. You went ahead of me to Guangzhou and ied me in work there. These brief and huried encounters and joint activity with you, edu- cated ald helped me, and I shall always remember them. After the start of the Pacific War in December 1941, you broke out of Hongkong which was enveloped in the smoke of war and had to move to Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ching Ling on board the ship that brought Chongqing to extreme thern from Guangzhou (Canton) l,o Tianjin via .Iapan in late 1924. - the uneasiness of Chiang Kai- shek. that diehard chieftail safety. Finally the brother mosi national independence and of anti-communism, who was concerned f or you amanged people'.s liberation. In those passive in national resistance your stay in a house situated five years, no obstruction or ir* but active in civil war. Feigning amid the ruins of enemy bomb- terference succeeded in severing hospitable concern. he urged you ing, and only then were you your contact with the party. fairly surveillance to stay in your elder sister's free of - The more the difficulties and house. but at the same time set within the confines of one dangers, the more you mani- up secret surveillance so you puilding" Ernen so. we and other fested your unity of views with rvould have no freedom to go progressive people had few op \ our party, your loyalty to the out or see friends. When, at portunities of seeing you, and people's cause, your wisdom last,. I received the eagerly were followed by secret agents and fearlessness in the face of expected notice to come and see when we did so.- we had to be violence and threats, and your you, you had to hint that there vigilant. quality as our Party's close and were people watching and I You towered over foggy completely trustworthy com- should take care. You were Chongqing like a mighty tree, rade-in-arms. surrounded by demons. We working with all your strength After the end of the anti- were alway-s worried about your for five whole yearc for Japanese war in 1945 you re- turned to Shanghai. Under Chiang ' Kai-shek's dictatorial control, it was difficult tor you even to get a place to live. TheY offered you only a low, small house. This injustice was denounced at the time by progressive newspapers. So they finally had to give you another place. stlll very inadequate. Such treatment of you, the companion and comrade of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, leader of the Kuomintang and great forerunner of the revolution, of you whose prestige was so high at home and abroad, aroused the ire of progressive opinion.
Always Among the People When Shanghai was liberated in 1949 you were overjoyed, you celebrated. You said to Sister Shi Liang, "We're liberated now." And rso you were, as were the people of all China. At that time, our Party sug- gested,the convocation of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. It sent tu€, bearing a letter in Chairman Mao's hand, to invite you to consult on major national matters and join in the Con- ference. You agreed immediate- ly and happily set off for Bei- Soong Ching Ling with Cai Chang (left) snd Deng Yingchao (center) in jing. July 1, 1949 was the 28th April, 1960, anniversary of the founding of the Party. At the grand celebration meeting of the ternational cemetery in Shang- ability gained fuller play in in- government, army and people in hai. This demonstrated the no- ternational affairs and in many Shanghai, you gave a speech bility of your thinking, your aspects of internal life. Your brimming with enthusiasm, rejection of any idea of elevating eminent eontributions to the lauding the contributions made yourself through your husband's state ahci the people will shine by the Party and the great position and fame, your placing in the rolls of history. victory won. yourself among the people. During the "cultural revoiu- On our way north, when we At the Chinese People's tion" you were filled with stopped briefly at Nanjing, I Political Consultative Con- foreboding for the country and asked you if you wished to take ference you were elected Vice". people. The Party and the people tirne to go to the Sun Yat-sen Chairman of the Central Peo- protected you, but you were Mausoleum, but you answered ple's Government. You also be-' still interfered with by the no, showing that the country's came Honorary Chairman of the counter-revolutionary clique of affairs and not personal feeling AII-China Women's Federation, Un Biao and Jiang Qing, Your were most important to you. In Chairman
10 against the Party, much less your love, confidence and revolutionary proce-cs since the dissatisf action with it, and feeling toward the Farty. Revolul.ion of 19i1. You are a placed yourself entirely at its Deep in the night of May 14. radiant giant star" of revolution disposal. You never wavered in your condition suddenly that witl forever shine as an your strong wish to ioin the worsened. On the morning of exemplar for the generations .r.o Party. the 15th, Comrade Peng Zhen come. and I went to see you. We told You have won the adnriration Heroine of PeoPle and Nation you that for several decades the and respect of all peace-loving Party had regarded you as a people in the world. the love of From your youth You devoted comrade, that we knew that to our ewn Party and people. You yourself to the revolution' With join the Party w,as your long- are truly worthy of being regard to your marrlage, you cherished desire, and that we a member of the great, glorious did not give waY to the oPPosi- would make a report to the Cen- and correct Chinese Comrnunist tion of your whole f amilY. tral Committee. You opened Party" Hor:orary President of Living in semi-feudaI, semi- your eyes, looked intently at us. our country, and one of tl:e colonial old China, surrounded and answered in a faint voice, founderc of ,new China. A by such kin, exPosed Ior long years to hostility and threats from the degenerated Kuomin- tang, you were able to fight on your own in the forefront of the battLe. Your unYielding will, ycur unbreakable strength, your noble quality of remaining unsoiled amid the mire, has made you a true heroine of the people, a true heroine among women. Great revolutionary fighter! You are purer than the Iotus, stronger than the Pine. Comrade Zhou Enlai called You "the gem of the nation," and he was right. Toward the end of March this year, the Party Central Com- mittee, extremely concerned about your illness, sent me to May 29, l98I: Deng Y ingc the medical atiend- see you on behalf of its Stand- ing Soong Ching Ling. ing Committee. You received me one afternoon and we had a heart-to-heart talk. I asked "Good." That afternoon the handful of highly-placed Kuo- you to patiently undergo Political Bureau met and agreed mintang diehards on that isolat- medical treatment, and wished unanimously to reeeive you as ed island, Taiwan, are franti- you a rapid recovery. I a regular member of the Party. cally spreading slander.s, which consulted you .on important Simultaneously, it proposed that is all they can do, to the disgust questions and secured your you be named Honorary Presi- of fair-minded people all over agreement. You said several dent of the People's Republic of the world. Their vicious propa- times, "Don't call me 'Vice- China. That day Comrade Deng ganda can only end in their con- Chairman'." I asked, "Shall I Xiaoping went to visit and reaping what they have sown, call you Comrade Ching Ling?" gratulate you. their own doom. It cannot i,rr You smiled and nodded happily. That the Chinese Communist the least mar your great image. In the manner of the old genera- Party should have in its ranks tion of revolutionaries, you such an outstanding states- , Esteemed Comrade Ching Ling. you great patriotic, kissed my hand like a loving woman, social activist and great are a democratic, internationalist and mother. With deep f eeling, I communist revolutionary f ighter kissed yours. When we partedo of world renown is the pride of comnrunist fighter, a tested van- I embraced you and kissed your our Party, our country, our guard in defence of world face. I recall all this with people of ail nationalities, and peace, the beloved grandmother unf ading emotion. Not only of all China's women. of all China's children and did it express the revolutionary Soong Ching Ling Your young people. 1 salute yclu with feeling between us. It reflected name symbolizes the -70-Year the utmost respect. tr
11 Gall ffie 'Comrade Ghing Ling'
A BOUT 6 p.m. on May 15, 1981, Congrees Standing Committee, leukemia seve,ral months ear- -fl' iust alter the decision to drove to her home to inform lier. Her condition worsened accept Soong Ching Ling as a her of the decision. despite meticulous medical full member of the Communist At Soong Ching Ling's bed- treatment. On rhc. evening of Party of China had been una- side, Liao Chengzhi, holding May 14. it .suddenly took a turn nimously adopted at a meeting her hands, said with feeling, for the worse. her temperature of the Political Bureau of the "I've brought you a piece of rising to 40.2 degrees centi- C.P.C. Central Committee, good news. The Party Central grade. Thanks to emergency Song Renqiong, Member of the Committee has decided to ac- treatment. her temperature Secretariat and Head of the cept you as a full member of dropped slightly but still hover- Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party." ed between 39 and 39.4 degrees the Party Central Committee, Soong Ching Ling nodded and centigrade. Her condition con- and Liao Chengzhi, Vice-Chair- smiled, although she was tinued to be critical man of the National People's unable to speak. She was run- Since her youth, Soong Ching ning a high fever. Ling had devoted herself loyal- A report by the Xinhua News Soong Ching Ling had con- ly to the cause of the Chinese Agency. tracted chronic lymphocytic people's revolution. Through-
Soong Ching Ling, Liu Shaoqi, Mao Zedong, Zhu De and Zhou Enlai (from Ieft to right) at the first meeting of the Second National People's Congr*s 'in April, 1959. Soong Ching Ling was appointed Vice-Ctairman of thc Peo- ple's Bepublic of China at the meeting.
t2 out the protracted and arduous struggles of the Chinese revolu- tion, she had always stood firmly by the Chinese per:ple and the Chinese Communist Party. She had made glorious contributions to the people's democratic revolution in China, and to the country's socialist revolution and construction.
Long Desire
For a long time she had wanLed to join the Chinese Communist Party. The Party, for its part, had always looked on her as a respected Com- munist fighter. In 1957, the Party Central Committee de- cided that Soong Ching Ling, together with the noted writers Guo Moruo and Shen Yanbing, (Mao Dun) should attend the Moscow Meeting of Repre- sentatives of Communist and
Workers' Parties as members of F# xg* the Chinese delegation headed by Mao Zedong. At the meet- _kw* w re#*ffiL ing, Chairman Mao told one of v the then Soviet Party leaders. "Although Soong Ching Ling, Guo Morou and Shen Yanbing are not members of our Party now, we regard them just like Mao Zedong and Soong Chins Ling al the signing ceremony lor Party comrades." the Manifesto adopted by the llleeting of the Oommunist and Workers, Soong Ching Ling formally Parties of the Socialist Countries helal in Moscow in November. 198?. tendered her application to join the Party in 1958 while Liu Shaoqi and Zhou Enlai was important matters of the Party garded you as one nf its leading paying her a visit in Shanghai. and the state and asked for her comrades." Soong Ching Ling ,,In Liu Shaoqi said to her, opinion. And she always set was movd. to tears and repeat- view of the current situation, strict demands on herself in ed her application for Party you can play a greater role in acconlance with the require- membership. the revolution if you stay out- ments for a Party member, Later, Comrade Deng Ying- side the Party for the time be- chao went to see her on behalf ing. Although you are not a of Standing Committee of Wish Fulfilled the member, we will keep you in- the Political Bureau. When formed of all major affairs of Recently, after learning that Deng Yingchao called her the Party and you may take she had developed leukemia, "Vice-Chairman Soong", Soong full part in them." Soong Peng Zhen, a member of Ching Ling said with emotion, Ching Ling said she understood the Political Bureau of the "Don't call me Vice-Chairman, the Party's considerations. C.P.C. Central Committee, call'rne Comrade Ching Ling." From then until the start of went to see Soong Ching At 3 p:m. on May 15, the the "cultural revolution" in Ling. Peng Zhen said to Political Bureau of the Central 1966 leading members of the her, "Although you are not a Committee held a meet- Central Committee always in- member of the Communist ing and unanimously agreed to formed her in advance of all Party, the Party has always re- admit her into the Party. tr
13 Trihute amd Farewell
LIAO CHENGZTII
fl T 20:18 hours on May 29, Jj. 1981, on an evening with few star-s visible in the sky and a dimmed rnoon, the heart of this great woman cea.sed to beat. For rnorc'than two weeks I had continuously kept watch at Soong Ching Ling's bedside or paced the
15 'oGreat, Honest amd IncerG" - Recollectfons by Fornily r}lembers Grandmother has carried out the behests of Grandfather Sun Yat-sen. Like his, her heart is with the Chinese people. All her life she has fought persistentlY ior them, the children, the country and people's happiness all over the worid. ROSE S. TCHANG: I feel the same way. Though Grandmother was very busy, she often played with us. She treated us Iike daughters rather tlan g'-and- daughters. A,round 1g:10 she w-rote my mother tel.ling h'er that they were of the same gen- eratian, and like sisters. In this way she made us feel very close. I left China in 1943 when I was quite began writ- Honorary President Soong's relatives, photoSTaphed with Llao Chengzhi oo small. I &[zy 22 when her condition seemed better. ing to her only about four years ago, and the first time did not know quite what to saY. She Soong Ching Ling were naughty she would pa- trYfHEN wrote a warm reply, saying that YV became seriously sev- ill, tiently say, "You shouldn't do seemed like only yesterdaY eral of her relatives came from it that, it's wrong." F-rom child- that I had left. abroad to see her. They included hood, wanted grow be I to up to PAUL T. K. LIN: She has Rose S. Pearl S. Lin and Iike my dear grandmother. strength, tenderness, revolu- Tchang from San Francisco, I came back to China in 1975 tionary compassion. She has daughters of the late Sun Fo, and again in 1979, I visited the friends, the son of Dr. Sun Yat-sen by never forgotten those birthplace of my grandfather, including foreign friends, who his first marriage, Dr. Paul Sun Yat-sen, in Cuihong village, T. K. Lin and his wife Eileen helped in the revolution 30 or 40 Guangdong, his old home in years Chen Lin from Canada, and ago. She even remembers Shanghai and his mausoleum. I trifling details about their lives. Walter Chee Kwon Chun and realize that the people's life has his wife Sau Chun Wong Chun On the other hand she has changed greatly from the past. always been uncompromising from Hongkong. They kept vigil They are happy and healthy, by her sickbed. Two days before toward bad people, oppressors properly dressed and housed. deatJr they shared some and their willing tools. If she her The great majority have work. memories of her with Chen found a friend had be"trayed the great progress, has Xiuzheng and Sun Yunshan, This is for it people she would stop contact with a representing China Recon- not been easy to achieve with him. She was the image of structs" population as vast as China's. I clarity as to what to love and PEARL S. LIN: When we lived am greatly moved to see every- what, to hate. Yet she could in Shanghai my parents often body working hard toward a unite a great many people in- took me and the other children common goal, and their concern cluding those who had commit- to our grandmother's to have tea and help for eaeh other. ted mistakes or had short- with her. She loved children Since coming here this time, comrngs. and sometimes gave us gifts. I've seen how rnuch everyone EILEEN LIN: Her greatness lies She would always consider around our grandmother - in her lifelong devotion to the carefully what to give, so that it secretaries, colleagues, house strengthening of China and the would be something each child staff and guards in her offieial well-being of the people. While woulil like. I remember trea- residence loves and respects remaining loyal to Dr. Sun Yat- suring a wooden doll from her. her. I think- it is because she sen's revolutionary cause, she I never saw her angry or heard has always been concerned lor was good at uniting all who her scold anyone. When we others. could be united when she lived
16 among Kuomintang officials" My father was one of them, but she could unite with hirn and make him one of her close friends. He respected her highly. In 1949 when I saw my father in Hongkong, he opened a drawer and took out a lighter and some small gifts and said, "These were glven rne by Madame Sun." In my father's heart she was the most honest and strongest person, the mo,st worthy of esteem. She showed loving concern for our whole family. When my oldest son died in an auto accident in Canada, she tried to comfort us with a letter Relatives express thanks to the doctors in whieh she said the best and nurses. way to overcome grief was to work and work. When of Dr. Sun, Madame Sun, Chair- I remember when I wirs in my second son got married she man Mao and Premiet Zhou- China in 1934, because she per- cabled congratulations. When and help build China into the sisted in standing for Dr. Sun my first granddaughter was prosperous, strong and happy Yat-sen's revolutionary ideals born, she expressed delight and country its people deserve. anyone who went to see her sent a beautiful little dress. We WALTE,R CHEE KWON CHUN: would be put on a blacklist" loved her from t}e bottom ot Dr. Sun Yat-sen lived for a Nevertheiess I always called on our' hearts. while in my native Hawaii, and her when we were in Shanghai Always far-sighted, she set Honolulu was one of the bases or Nanjing. Today, the times great store by the work of for his revolutionary activity. are different. bringing up the eountry's chil- Wherever I have gone, overseas After iiberation she threw her dren, the masters of the future. Chinese have reealled him and efforts into the construction of We are determined to educate asked mel to send their regards the new China. She lived our own second and third gen- to Soong Ching Ling. They see through the entire historical erations in her spirit - so that her as a center for the forces of period from'the old society to they may live up to the hopes international peace and progress. today. She was like a good ship in a storm, always managing to keep a straight course. She had a great ideal and never wavered in her fight to realize it" SAU CHUN WONG CHUN: I think Aunt Soong Ching Ung is one of the greatest. I first heard of her from my father who worked with Dr, Sun Yat-sen. Whenever she knew that my husband and I were in Beijing, she would invite us to tea. And she would always be sure to have my husband Walter's favorite foods spring rolls, fried noodles and- almond curd. At a lqss as to what to bring her, we were delighted when on one rare occasion she said, l'Bring me some dried mangoes if you can." It was the anniver- Faying last respects to Comrade Soong Ching Ling ou the evening of May sary of the China Insti- 29 are: P€ail S, Lin, Bose S. Tohang, Venus S. Kung Tai, Paul Kiakong Welfare Tchang, Paul T.K. Lin, Eileen Chen Lin {Chen Shu), ViTalter Chee Kwon tute and she wanted to give the Chun and Sau Chun Wong Chun. staff a taste of this fruit. n t7 trom $oong Ching Ling's f,rticles in 'China Reeomstruets'
HOPE IN TIIE LAND tarianism which means distrusting everyone outside your- own immediate group; and sub wrongs "We set to work to reverse all the jectivism which disregards reality." that had been done us and to build a new - Unitg ls Our Strength", political and social structure to serve "Our economic, September, 7957 the best interests of our people and all peop1es." "The First Fiue Years", January, 7955 "I-ooking back over the changes of these THE PEOPLE'S EPOCH proud, and five years, I feel exhilarated, and The twentieth century is the age when man be- humble. If others hold us in regard, it is is not only expected to know the world but to people. are cause of the deeds of our They change it. It is the age of a succession of rapid building a present incomparably better than breakthroughs in key scientific fields, and the the past. They are building a future immeas- intense application of science to production pro- urably better than the present." cesses. This has given man the power and "Fiue Years Ago-and Nons", Januarg, 7957 abitity to bend nature to his will, and to in- "The Chinese people had stood up in the crease production of the necessaries of life to world. We were moving ahead, building a new the point where the best in livelihood can be life for ourselves. The struggle was still ar- provided for all the peoples, without exception. duous; much work remained to be done; also The problem this age places before man, there- there was a great deal to learn. But there was fore, is: Through the appropriate changes in hope in every corner of the land." economic system (relations of production) to re- "A Tradition of Truth", January, 7962 lease all the creative energies of the people and bring about a tremendous productive effort for UNITE ALL FORCES the benefit of humanity in general, to be shared equally and absolutely without exploitation or "The construction of socialism in an im- discrimination of any kind. mense country such as China is a tremendous " Chi,na's Liberation Sino-Soui.et undertaking. It necessitates the pooling of Friendship - Great LeaP every resource, ansocialist democracy and to make it ever may further develop our services to the people deeper and wider." and enlarge our contribution to the welfare of the world." "We used guns against guns to liberate ourselves from oppression; we do not use force l'.' .' .' P"u." will conquer war all over the to solve differences among the people.'l world." "Weffare Work and Woild Peace", ". . We must . . help the Communist Januarg, 7952 Party wage a stern iampaign, in its own ranks, . . During the witch-hunt period in the against those deadly enemies of socialism and United States he (Edgar Snow) was maligned the welfare of our 600 million people: bureau- and few papers.or magazines would publish his cracy which means separation from the articles. But nothing could change his determina- masses- and disregard for their interest$; sec- tion to bridge the gulf between the peoples of
1B China and America. Although he did not America. Theirs is a just cause; it is a matter know it then, the long talks he held with of national urgency which every man, woman Chairman Mao in 1970, in which the leader of and child feels in a personal way. Therefore, the Chinese people said that a dialogue with it is a surging tide that is impossible to stop. President Nixon was necessary to resolve the The Chinese people think the future of problems between China and the U.S.A. led to rnankind is bright. They think their own future the opening of friendly contact between the is bright. They feel they are in step with the Chinese and American peoples after an inter- times, that our hearts beat as one with the fuption of more than twenty years. The other peoples. If we are united and struggle Chinese people will always gratefully re- resolutely, the people are invincible. Shoulder member Edgar Snow, the tireless partisan of to shoulder, assisting one another, we can friendship between the Chinese and American march toward a world in which all nations will peoples. be independent and equal) aI peoples will "Edgar Snou ln Memoriamo', enjoy democracy and social justice, and in June, 7972 - which peace will reign as an expression of unity This is the militant mood in the rank and of man and his culture. file of the world's people, and particularly "United, the People Are Inuinctble", among the masses of Asia, Africa and Latin May, 1964
To Comrode Soong Ching l-ing From a Poem by XIAO SAN (EMI SIAO)
I honestly don't know what to offer you: And the world responded, uphotding justice, A bouquet of the world's .biggest, most beauti- Till finally the fiendish foes were scattered and ful flowers? destroyed! I don't know what would be most appropriate: To so many arduous and complex tasks, A speech elevated and solemn, You devoted all your energies. Thanking you for all the trees So many welfare supplies you sent to our you have planted in China and in the world, revered Yan'an, Expressing the love and esteem To the Anti-Japanese Military and Political ' of our billion people and of the world's four College there, billion? To the children in the fighting Border Regions. You who from youth to old age, for de- cades on end, You arranged for an Indian medical team go guerilla Were so tenacious in battle, to to the areas . So constant in loyalty and faith, You exerted yourself to the utmost, atten- So wholehearted in service to the people. tive to the last detail. A true defender of world peace, Through so many decades, You were welcomed at the Vienna Peace Con- Your thoughts and your deeds, gress, Were fully at one with the Party and the peo- Respected and admired by the international ple. celebrities, Extolled by poets of worldwide fame. You are a pioneer among pioneer*thinkers, Your prestige is After your speech there, you lofty and worldwide. sat in the But to the Party you are obedient meeting ha1l, an daughter. Our Party is honored to have such a daughter! Among us members of the Chinese delega- pride tion, You are the of the Party and our thou- sand million people, And offered us chocolates . . . The kind grandmother of our children, Modestly, unassumingly, sweetly ! Beloved by China's billion people We remember, and the world's.four billions. When the Great Revolution of L924-27 failed, Thiy witt forever feel your warmth, When wolves ruled, when white terror ragd, be moved by your great heart, be inspired How you raised your voice, by your noble spirit!
XIAO SAN (EMI SIAO) is a veteran Chinese revolu- Written May 20, 1981, (nine dags before Soong tionary poet rhose work is known in many coutrtries. Ching Ling's death)
19 Poets $hould $Emg Yosrr naises - To Soong Ching Ling During Her lllness DING LING
D) OETS have written of spring, to become a true revolu- I of flowers in full bioom; but tionary of the Three People's spring has never been so warm Prineiples. as you are to children; and the After Sun Yat-sen died, you brightest flower must bow its carried on his cause and defend- head before you. ed his banner, battling without Poets have written of the rest. frost-defying chrysanthemum. Since the new China was but no chrysanthemum ever born, you have been honored weathered such storms as you, with high positions, but, always who for decades have stood erect modest and gentle-mannered, in wind and rain. never put on airs. Poets have written of the In step with the battle dnums snow, and its pristine whiteness; of the people, you joined the but snow has never been so ranks of fighters of communism. pure, so crystal-clear as you. You were a defender of the Left. Wolves and jackals who have The wreath prcsented by the Com- We have long respected you as persecuted you can only falter munist Party Central Committee. a comrade. and cringe in your presence. the Standing Committee of the who National People's Congress anq the Contemptible clowns State C'ouneil. TFODAY. as you lie ill. the have tried to humiliate you dare r Party has made you a not knock at your gate: furling formal rnember. their flags and muffling their to crush the dens of demons and Your long-cherished wish has drums, they can do nothing but a pen that outmatches a come true; the Partry welcomes mutter curses in dark corners. thousand arrnies. such members. Behind you stands a people Your speech, the soft dialect We applaud, we are moved, that loves you, a people of of the lower Yangtze, slashes we shout: Welcome, Comrade hundreds of millions. Iike a sword and resounds Soong Ching Ling! Comrade Behind you stands the Com- world-wide. Soong Ching Ling, we welcome rnunist Party of China. you! You belong the to Chinese na- Some heroes, with rearing tion, and no one dares touch a steeds and swords held high, hair of your head! We hear you are gravelY ill. have shaken heaven and earth. We grieven we are distraught. Some heroes, proud and We are deepiy remorseful that HEN usurpers seized the genius and haughty, exhibit we did not sing your Praises fruiis of revolutionary brilliance. much, much earlier. But the victory, you stood up and stern- Some are suave and eloquent, future is long. And your noble ly denounced the traitors. Your smooth and slick. qualities, like a rich fragrance, and writings were read Some excel at conspiring. will inspire poets forever. TheY acclaimed over the world. all bootlicking and boasting. will sing your praises. You will When anti-Communist coun- But you are quiet, precise, re- give greater grace and tercurrents ran riot, you, unlike depth, fined, your firmness apparent in splendor to their writings. For many others, stood on the side your gentleness, your wis- and you are a poem in yourself, a of the people; you upheld the dom outstanding in your poise. poem beautiful and stirring. truth, disdaining ties of kinship. Some say that a deity created Communists, people good You were but a frail woman, of man, but what deity could will, worthy poets and writers, without weapons, power or create a soul so beautiful as wealth. You are a woman great, innocent children all bless yours? - that taithful and pure, with strength you, and pray earnestly your illness will leave you, that OU had no sooner left school you wiII recover your health, to DING LING is a Chinese revotu- tionary writer internationally Y than you went to the side live long, long among us! kuown since the 1930s. of China's great pioneer, May 16, 1981. tr
20 The Last ay of Fler tife PAUL T. K. LIN
f, T midnight the bedside tele- was likely to come in a few around that chair. In glassed- fI phone in our hotel room hours. in wall cases and on the man- rang with an ominous urgency. So began our last vigil. O.rty tetrpieces were innumerable My wife and I were asked to a few days earlier, on May 24, mementoes brought by a host come as quickly as possible to Pearl Lin and Rose and PauI of friends from all over the Soong Ching Ling's residence. Tchang, who had flown in from world. Soong Ching Ling had As many times before in the last California, had arrived in time never sought wealth or power two weeks, we sped towards the to say, "We love you; the world her greatest wealth was her house, but this time we knew loves you" to a still-conscious friends,- and her greatest power, the end was near. Special grandmother. Now Soong Ching the inspiration of her example. white-uniformed traffie officers Ling lay in a deep coma, her She was one of those ror€r stood at frequent intervals along face flushed with f ever but hurnan beings who united two the way, directing a stream of otherwise peacef ul. and mer- great qualities-strength and cars that were heading for her cifully without any sign of pain. tenderness, militancy and com- residence through the silent Wouid the doctors be able to passion. She was a redoubtable streets. Suddenly, crowds began perform another miracle? They foe to all human crrrelty and Lining the road as we passed had labored through many long oppression, but to those who the Drum Tower and turned hours and innumerable medical needed her, a generous and into the lakeshore lane ieading conferences to seek the fine- loyal friend through all storm to the house. Their anxious tuned balance of therapy that and stress, faces told the story. Soong had already snatched her back We went out into the garden Ching Ling, one of the most be- from death several times in the and across the little stone loved China's of contemporary past weeks. Indeed she had bridge leading to the dovecotes, leaders, was dying. rallied so well that when she where the doves used to crowd As our car approached the awoke on May 20 she felt well around her gentle presence, as compound, the guards swung if to offer her some moments of great enough to say to the white- open the red portals. The relaxation in a busy 1ife. We familiar garden, so often graced clad doctors and nurses, "Why are there so many of you here? walked past the farniliar wil- by her quiet presence, was lows by the stream, the lilac ablaze I only need Dr. Gu and the with lights. So was the bushes, the treasured 183-year- sprawling, Chinese-style mAn- nurse." But it was hoping against hope. The rapidly mul- old pomegranate tree, the pines sion. Inside we were met by and tiplying leucocytes in her body the magnolia subtly sug- the usually affable bul now gestive qf outer -strength qnd solemn Liao Chengzhi, a par- wouid finally invade and still innerbeauty.... liamentary leader the heroic heart of Soong Ching and lifelorrg This had been the site of the friend of Soong Ching Ling. Ling. Imperial Regent's palace in the Quickly we were briefed by Dr. Dawn came. We waited Manchu dytrasty, and had once Z}:rot Shangjue, heading the through the day, occasionally been the home of the dynasty's large team distinguished strolling through the rooms and of Iast rnedical-specialists attending in the garden. emperori, Pu Yi. One was suddenly reminded Soong Ching Ling over the that Soong past Ching Ling had not only out- few weeks. He said the the inexorable terminal LfOW could extraordinarXr lived them all, but traversed events of -El personality upsiairs and lymphocytic leukemia-mas- three turbulent eras in China's , this historic plaee help but give sive internal hemorrhage modern hi.story the extinc- rise to a flood of memories? - and other complications were tion of the irnperial era, the Here was the corner armchair taking th6ir final to[. -Despite birth and abortion of the Re- where she always sat when her remarkable stamina, the end public founded by her husband welcoming visitors, the strength, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and the first charm and per- Prof. PAUL T.K. LIN is director of dignlty of her 32 years of the People's Re- the Centgr for East Asian Studles, sonality filling the room. We public. Never in all three eras MCGill Univergity, Canaila. had often had tea with her did she flinch from combat,
I 27 from danger or from disappoint- on innocent victims that she had for the first time at her other ment. Never did she get so known. She herself would home in Shanghai in the spring carried away by triumph as to have been under direct attack of 1950. She was radiant with forget the careful and modest had she not been protected by joy at China's liberation, which style that was her habit. Never Premier Zhou Enlai - the same had just taken place. She did she label or sit in judgment Premier Zhou who had once speculated on the difficult but on comrades who had made described .her as "the gem of challenging road ahead to build mistakes. Above all, never did the nation". He had enough another, a new China. Yet in go she against her own con- authority left to call in the the course of the dinnen, she who was in science no matter army to protect this house would take note of my weakness power. garden and this and even the for certain kinds of swqet graveyard Shanghai of the pastries. For 30 years since T REMEMBER from my child- Soong family from desecration. then, she never forgot to offer I hood how Chinese com- them to me, with that wondrous, munities in Canada admired her nUR musings were inter- indulgent smile of hers, when- as the brave and beautiful \-/ rupted towards the late ever I visited. Nor did she ever comrade-in-arms of the national afternoon when we were again forget that roast Ieg of lamb hero whom they supported with summoned to Soong Ching was Rewi Alley's special quarter- aII their hearts. In the Ling's bedside. She seemed to weakness! century after Dr. Sun's death be holding on, and we could in 1925, they came to admire have another brief visit. As we her in her own right as a again entered the roona, one felt T watched the housekeeper, beacon of revolutionary in- an overwhelming sense of in- I secretaries and guards going tegrity in contrast to a regime delicacy at invading the privacy about their duties. The agita- that had forsaken her husband's that she treasured as much as tion showed in their faces. All ideals. her public life. There were her had for many years felt Soong I recall from my college days books, her writing desks and Ching Ling's care and concern in the United States how student photographs. Looking at- the in many small ways, and they spirits were buo;red by her photographs of her two god- knew that a painful ernptiness 'courageous defiance of both her daughters I was suddenly aware would descend for a time upon brother-in-law Chiang Kai- of the acute personal depriva- their lives. A few days ago, shek's reign of terror at home tions that this great woman had they had seen with pride how and the Japanese aggression- undergone. She loved children she railied long enough to from- abroad, and how Chinese and indeed her heart reached acknowledge the highest honor wholeheartedly responded to out to all the children of China. the nation could bestow on her patriotic humanitarian the and But she had no ehildren of her as the new Honorary President appeals bearing her name as the own, having lost by miscarriage of the People's Republic of only movements they could trust her only child with Dr. Sun in China, and her 20-minute con- in the Kuomintang-controlled the early 1920s the tur- versation with Liao Chengzhi areas. during moil of And so, she had on May 20 gave them some Nor did Sgong Ching Ling battle. hope. . . . fail the test of. integrity after bestowed her affections on these secretary, With an awful, quiet sud- achieving high office in the new children of her former denness, the moment came. It China she had done so much to who are now in their early was 8:18 in the evening. bring into being. When during twenties. the "cultural revolution" in- Had she suffered moments of In a few minutes official cars credibly cruel and corrupt terrible loneliness since her carrying the nation's top leaders elements tried to take over the husband died 56 years ago? were already converging on the very governrnent of which she Perhaps, but she never allowed residence. Through the evening was a leading fi,gure, she again her shattering loss to dampen they came to pay their last played a'role in resisting their her spirit of 'action, her opti- respects, while we stood by the tyranny. She threw her own mism, her effervescbnt sense of bier to receive their condolences. prestige behind sorhe whom she humor. She enjoyed mornents Within half an hour the worst knew to be falsely accused by with friends, and wanted them was confirmed to a waiting na- the fanatic "Left" extremists, to. enjoy these mornents. How tion. Soong Ching Ling, one of just as she had done in an often have I marveled at the the twentieth century's greatest ear[er era for the victims of many srnall'but significant ways fighters for human freedom and fanatic right-wing extremists. I in which (very much like Zhou the rights of peoples, was dead. recall courageous letters from Enlai) she ur.rfailingly showed A chapter in the struggle for her written during the "cultural trer human concern for people, human emancipation was revolution" bitterly exposing despite the loftiness of her closed, and another beginning. the criminal suffering wreaked station in life. I had met her tr
22 Great Figure, Warm Friemd
tvIA IIATDE (DR. GEORGE HATEM)
It [Y awareness of Soong Ching .w) IYI Li"e dawned in 1934, the dLa+i year I arrived in Shanghai as a young doctor who knew nothing about China, the Chinese revolu- tion, or revolution in general. Soon she came to personify for me all three of these grand con- cepts-a feeling I still have today, almost half a century afterwards. My first recollection of meet- ing her goes back to a party, held secretly in 1934, to celebrate the October Revolution. Among the foreign friends there were Agnes Smedley and Rewi Alley" The Chinese friends there we knew only by names like Paul, John and James. There, too, was * b". a very dignified, beautiful, calm, modest-looking woman. Later I 3 was told she was Soong Ching --sS Ling and I felt upset because I had behaved very informally. She had given no sign of her position, already high in China and the world as the farned widow of Sun- Yat-sen. Each time I saw her after that I felt embarrassed, and she would sometimes joke about it whitre I apologized. Such 'aras my first meeting with Soong Ching Ling. Once in that period I was called to her home to treat a A photo of Soong Ching Lin8i which she presented to the author on August badly infected finger which I 25, 1944 to thank him for his devoted work for the International Peace Ianced on the spot. Being closely Hospitals. watched by Kuomintang spies, she did not want to go out to the hospital. Many years later it, "With grateful remembrances tang terror and the fascist BIue- (1958), on the 20tJr anniversary for binding up that sore finger." shirts, she lived under condi- of the founding of the China That she remembered such a tions difficult enough to reduce Welfare Institute, she presented small service f,or so long was the average person to a nervous me with a book published for one aspect of her character. She wreck. But I never saw any the occasion. And she inscribed always showed great waimth, strain on her calm, resolute face. human concern for the people She threw her whole energly into around her, as for the Chinese .(DR. her work, seeming truly tireless.' MA HAIDE GEOBGE people as a whole. was av.ailable IIATEM), aclviser to the Ministry Day and night she of Health, born in Buffalo, N,Y., to friends and comrades, to dis. has spent nearly 50 years in the Struggles in Olil Shanghai cuss, to guide, to help. Thus, she midst of the Chinese people's and helped a groupl struggles end taken Chinese citizen- In Shanghai in those, days of encouraged ship. political struggles, of Kuomin- of foreign friends, of whom I'
23 was one, to form a Marxist Ching Ling used to expose the working closely with the Chi- study group. It was there that living conditions of Chinese nese Communist Party and I first read the Mani,festo of the workers and the maltreatrnent earrying out, in this period, its Communist Partg, which made of wornen and child labour. It united front policy" She was an immense irnpression on me, was printed as Lnilustrial Health already a communist in her coming as I did from a worker's i,n Shanghai, Ch"ina ll: A Study thinking, though she had not family which had known ex- o! the Chromtum Plating and. joined the Party. ploitation. My reaction was Polishing Trade by Drs. Read, She asked us to help with further sharpened by living in Hatem et al". 1936, Chinese Med- many things. For example, I Shanghai where I saw the ex- ical Association special report was asked to lend my home or treme oppression and miserY of series No. 6. clinic as a meeting place because the people, many of whom died a doctor's waiting room was a each day in the streets. I saw Many-Sided Activity natural place for many peoPle women huddled on the sidewalk to come. I would be told, "On with their babies in a chalked Soong Ching Ling took the Friday afternoon don't go horne circle with Chinese characters lead in many other activities. between one and five o'clock"" saying, "This baby is for sale to She gave guidance a,nd inspira- In my absence, the comrades keep it from starving." tion to the Voice of Chi,na, a would eome to the waiting room The members of our studY united front magazine first one by one, hold a meeting, and group wanted to do sometJring published in Shanghai in 1936 then leave. to change these things. I and by Max and Graee Granich. Soong Ching Ling was very other sympathetic doctors went Many foreign friends and com- active in trying to influence the to the hospitals, including the rades wrote for it, including media - both foreign and Chi- British-run Lester Chinese Hos- Alley, Smedley, Shippe and nese. She would invite corres- pital and the American-run Snow. With Soong Ching Ling's pondents and writers to her St. Luke's hospital, and helg help, articles, poster:s and so on own house and in hot discus- ed guide the students in were brought to Shanghai from sions, try to convince them of the clinics. We found peo- all over China for translation the correctness of the Chinese ple dylng in great numbers. and publication. The aim was revolutionary forces, and of the Quickiy we realized thdt what to promote the united front corruption of the Kuornintang they needed was not our against fascism and Japanese and its abdication in the face of medical care and prescriptions imperialism, and against in- Japanese aggression. Also, she but food, shelter, clothing' ternal reaction. conducted strong political cam- hygiene. The medical care they Actually, as she had for manY paigns for the release of polit- were getting came much too late. years,' Soong Chfurg Ling was ical prisoners. We discussed these things and told Soong Ching Ling about ,them. She listened with anger, Soong Ching Ling with members of the Cbinese Liberated Areas lteliel eo,mbined with heartfelt concern Administration in Beijing, 1949. From right to left: Ma llaide, Lin Chong, Anna WanB, Soong Ching Ling, Zeng Xianzhi, Wu Yunfu. for the plight of these people. Xiong Jinrling, She asked Rewi A1ley, thep working as a factory 'inspector in the International Settlement, to help me carry out a study of conditions in the chromium plating factories. We investi- gated about 20 of these small units. The plating was done by children, averagely aged 14. Just able to reach ttre top of the vats, they dipped the metal pieces in with their fingers, which became covered with ulcers that worked their way iight to the bone. Thin, under- nourished and with swollen bellies, they slept under the ma- chines or in otleer eorners of the workshop, which was filled with poisourous fumes. We wrote al1 this up in a medical treatise which Soong
24 When a foreign couple named The story of how we went to Money for these projects Noul.ens were jailed in Nanjing the Red Area has been written eame from donors at home and for their work in international accurately by Edgar Snow in abroad in response revolutionary to appeals trade union soli- Reil Star Ooer China, so needs made through the China De- darity, Soong Ching Ling asked no repeating here. fence League me During that newsletter which to visit them. Using her whole period, I was with him at reported on our activities Ietter introduction, and of I was the front and in the rear areas. explained people elsewhere ailowed to to talk to them as a I was present discussions how China was doctor. gave at the fighting bare- I the Noulens during which Chairman Mao handed to oppose aggression, couple news of the outside to Zedong told Snow of imperialism and the Japanese encourage the story them and told them his I didrn't understand invaders. about life. still their son, who was being much, then, about the situation After the war against Japan cared for by Soong Ching Ling. ended in 1945 I met Soong They were in the Red Army and the rev- held until after the Ching Ling again in Shanghai. outbreak of the war olution, nor could I speak Chi- with Ja- nese. But it was a good educa- I returned there as representa- pan, when they left China. tion to listen to the leaders tive of the Chinese Liberated Soong Ching Ling was also telling Snow about the Chinese Areas Relief Administration involved internationally the in Communist Party's history and (CLARA) which was negotiating defence of politicai prisoners policies and what had happened to get relief supplies from the through the Internatio,nal Labor j.n Jiangxi United Nations Relief and Defence and through major in the Soviet area province before the Long March. Rehabilitation Administration world figur.es who came to Much of what Chairman Mao (UNRRA). Soong Ching Ling Shanghai, like Bernard Shaw. said foreshadowed the writings was struggling agaimst Kuomin- To further this effort she con- in which he was to set out the tang corruption, because of ducted an enormous comespon- which relief dence, principles for victory in China's supplies, instead of and also wrote many being distributed to the places articles publication forthcoming war against Japa- for abroad. for which they were intended The great Chinese nese invasion. writer Lu including the liberated areas, Xun was then developing the During that war I worked in the International Peace Hos- were being sold on the black Left League of Woodcut Artists. market or distributed to Kue was Soong pitals in Yan'an and Soong It Ching Ling who mintang officials. dis- introduced Ching Ling supported us The Agnes Smedley to honesty, bribery incom- through the organization she and help with this work. petence the started in 1938, the China De- of Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek were exposed Help fence League, which sent us to Liberated Areas to the world in this struggle. money, doctors, medicines, Soong Ching Ling,s influence equipment and X-ray machines. New ehina's Early Days is what convinced me that only Altogether, with her constant the Communist Party and its support, we organized 11 Inter- After liberation in 1949 I Red Army (now the people,s national Peace Hospitals with joined in the nationwide effort Liberation Army) could change to eradicate prostitution and China. 42 mobile units at the fronts, It was with them I and eight medical schools. AIso venereal disease. We first help- wa,nted to work. Soong Ching ed to close down the red Ling told me that under her influence many they had foreign doctors came to China, Iight district in Beijing and to already left the old central rev- including Norman Bethune, D. treat and educate the women olutionary , area in southeast Kotnis, B. K. Basu, Drs. Atal there. A number of the younger China. I had to wait. ones joined our work be- and Cholkar, and Hans IVIulIer" and In 1936 a request came from came excellent propagandists, With help of the League all the Central Committee of the the able to convince others that reached Communist Party in northwest the liberated areas. they must be medically ex- reported China for an honest journalist I regularly to Soong amined, and not hide things, and a doctor. Soong Ching Ling Ching Ling on our medical because syphilis had its roots in chose me as the doctor, and work, hospitals and pharmaceut- the old society and should not Edgar Snow as the journalist. I ical factories. Among the things be carried into socialism. We accepted gladly. To this day I she sent us were materials and told Soong Ching Ling about the crcnstantly thank her for putting directions for making penicillin changes, and about these ardent me on the revolutionary at the road. - that time new in and enthusiastic workers. She She told me jokingly one day, world. We could only make expressed pride in the liberated "I've kept an eye on you. If you crude penicillin for external country, and in those women for turn out badly, I'll slay you!', It use, but that too was extremely was standing up. a reflection of her con- valuable in the treatmerlt of in- It was she who encouraged cern for my revolutionary up- fections, for pus cavities in me to participate in a further bringing. lungs and for osteomyelitis. effort to eradicate venereal
25 disease among the nationaL from the countryside, about reported too drilY. She agreed of mincr:iiie-s. She .saw'this as very unemployed youth and those and said, "The Young PeoPIe good, and irnportant rt'or'k. Our teams who had failed in . college- China are as alwaYs" lr:aveLed to various minority entrance examinations. In fact. reminded us of the Part Youth 4 Move- areas, and brought groups of we saw many things verY dit- had Pla)"ed in the MaY and ever since' 20 to 40 people to Beijing ferent from the imPression these ment of I9l9 from was great hoPe for the The minoritY stories gave. In some large There frr education. youth, she said, and it rvas to pe+ple were very grateful for factories we found Young PeoPle afier hours to them, under Communist PartY Lhe hundreds of doctors we voiunteering Pro- cluce for their neighborhood' leadership, that the future be- l.;'eined. bicycle theY were Ionged. u'ent to Inner In a Plant When we lirst doing repairs both for other Over the Years in which I had lvlcrngolia we saw praetically no lvorker-s and for the neighbor- the privilege and honor of being rhildl'en. After the eradication hood. In a sewing machine associated with Soong Ching lf vener'eal diseaseo there rvere exPressed to f actory it was the same. Ling, I repeatedlY rlilny. Soong Ching Ling was her my gratitude for Putting me .:ery Camera factory rvorkers had set interested not only in the up small communitY shoPs for on the right road. She was one women i;r.pr'oved health of and developing and printing film at of the great figures of the 20th children but also in the progress cost also in the Lei Feng centurY, one of the great leaders of the medical rvorkers. and in spirit.- who have helPed China forward poli+.ical aspects govern- :he of We also saw a few of the new from oppression, exPloitation n:etr: policy. collectively-run workshops and and victimization bY aggressors' services of manY kinds run bY Her appointment as HonorarY Faith in the Youth young men and women. President of the PeoPle's Re- ln March this year, Rewi Back in Beijing we told Soong public of China and her formal AJ).ey and I spent some time in Ching Ling at her home one acceptance into the ranks of the Shanghai to see what was evening what we had seen, and Chinese Communist PartY were going on among the yr:uth tJrere. also the negative stories we had a fuliy deserved recognition of We had heard many stories heard. We felt a great deal of her outstandrng abilities, and about the cynicism of young goocl work had been done that her resplendent life of eeaseless intellectuals who had returned was not reported in the Press. or labor for the future. tr
Reeollections Thoughts
REWI ALLEY
T T is with emotion that I write of Soong Ching Ling, and in again until the liberation when f ot Soong Ching Ling for 1929 I saw her walking uP the she opened the Asian-Pacific China Reconstructs, the maga- hundreds of stePs to the Sun Peace Conference of 1952 which zine which she founded and Yat-sen Mausoleum on Nan- I came to the caPital to attend. Bei- which became so much a Part of jing's Purple Mountain at the For a period she lived in the her rich and varied life. time of the re-interment of Dr. jing house formerlY used bY the She was nevet' one who rested Sun's remains. And onlY after- last pre-liberation U.S. Ambas- on her accomPlishments and the wards, when I mYseif became sador, John Leighton Stuart. ,A fame they brought. Ever since involved in efforts to assist the good deal of her time, however, I first knew her in 1933, and revolution, did I get to know was spent in her Shanghai re- from very long before that, she her, at her hrome in Shanghai sidence on Huaihai Road, as her lived had been uP and doing, feeling where I was taken bY the old home where she had it her mission to carrY forwartl wriier, Agnes Smedley, with Sun Yat-sen had been in every way possible the work From then on (over some made into a museum. of the revolution in the sPirit of years) until she left Shanghai In Shanghai where much of her husband, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. for Hongkong at the end of the work of the China Welfare All the more was this true when 193?. in Hongkong until the end Institute was concentrated she with it. the Kuomintang forces betraYed of 1.941, and then in Chongqing, kept in very close touch all the revolution stood for in I was able to continue contact Shanghai was very much her hometown there she was the spring of 1927. It was soon with her. - that I first landed in After 1944, I worked in north- born, there she had relatives after this familY Shanghai. I had alreadY heard western China, not seeing her and friends. Her mother's
26 claimed as an ancestor Xu Chen Jiongming and was able came Chairman of the Hongkong Guangqi, the Ming dynasty to set up his government again. Promotion Committee for our author of the famous encyclo- Still later, in L924, when Feng Gong He (Chinese Indu-strial pedia of agriculture, Nongzheng Yuxiang took over Beijing, he Cooperatives). Not long before Qu.anshu. Increasingly, horv- invited Dr. Sun" to come to talk the Japanese attack on Pear1 ever, she lived in Beijing, ul- about national unity and pro- Harbor she opened the fund- timatel;z in converted buildings gress. Soong Ching Ling went rdising Gong He Exhibition and of a portion of the old She also, and that was goori, for Dr. Carnival. She gave a long radio Wang Fu of Qing dynasty Sun was ill 'with liver cancer, speech explaining the signif i- days, a beautiful home in a fine and thus she was abk: to be with cance of Gong He, which u'en1 setting by Hou Hai, one of Bei- him when he died, on March into the Hongkong press and jing's lakes. 1925, in what is now the Capital was widely circulated (only Hospital. recently a friend in Canada senl For Soong Ching Ling, the me the copy. preserved in her oT3[,*n;l r:'*TilJl period between the Kuomintang home). takeover 1927 coast of Hainan Island, 1 in Shanghai in To get out of Hongkong was passed through Wenchang. and her departure in 1937 at the about as hazardous as to leave a town with a good harbor, time of the Japanese invasion, Shanghai after the Japanese once Hainan's chief port. was one of continuous struggle, encirclement, and it was one of There her father was born, in a ceaseless action. She kept up the her co-workers in the Commit- family of able Hakka trading front of a retired lady living in tee of the China Defence League. folk originaliy from Meixian in her late husband's home at 29 Prof. James Bertram of Weiiing- Rue Moliere in the French ton, Zealand very soon Guangdong. He had gone to the New - United States as a ship's boy, Concession. himself to becorne a war p:'i- soner in Japan who heiped his ability and charm causing - him to be adopted by a traveler f,rOR me the Shanghai of those her onto the plane that took her met on the voyage. After an [' years is ful] of memories of to safety in Chongqing ciespite American education, he came her. I shall never forget that the fact that shells were already back to the China coast, pros- morning in 1937 when she left exploding on the airfield. There pered, and so was able to help Shanghai after its encirclement she continued with her actirri- financially the cause of Dr. Sun by the Japanese. It was a cold, ties as best she could. She came Yat-sen and the early gray day. She telephoned rne to to visit the Gong He Coopera- revolutionaries. bring a hired car to her house, tives in Chengdu, and influenced Soong Ching Ling, second which I did. I found her stand- many important people lr,'ho daughter of his large family, ing by an open fire, beside came to Chongqing. became secretary to Dr. Sun which the two foreign ladies Near the end oI the '*zai wiih Yat-sen, who was living tem- who were to occupy her house Japan, still doing all possible 1o porarily in exile in Japan. were having their morning cof- assist the revolutionary ii.,r'c<'s. Dr. Sun married her cJn fee. Smiling and waving a pleas- Soong Ching Ling sei up "ne Oct. 25th, 1915 and 'when he ant goodbye to them, she walk- China Welfare FunC in Shang- went back to Guangzhou (Can- ed swiftly to the taxi and got hai. After the liberation. ti'rc ton) to carry on the struggle in. followed by her companion Weltare Fund changed iis n:.r:-,e there, she accompanied him, and housekeeper Li Ma, and we to China Welfare Insiiii.te. iri:i sharing defeats and victories in drove to the Nanjing Road jetty, extended its work io Btijii:g the long struggle. When the which where ir set up ih.. r-gi:.t-l:ir from a tender was to ,:;hich local warlord Chen Jiongming, leave to join an ocean liner China Iieccrsfrucls. has with whom Dr. Sun had made anchored downstream. It was since done *sur:h sieilil-rg 'rolk woridrvide b;.it'lg irbou'u be'11-er an alliance, betrayed the cause quite a walk from the i(i and seized Guangzhou, Dr. Sun car to the tender, and past underslanding lf China iodi.3'. got out to a warship in the Pearl Japanese gendarmes, detectives Rir.er. The rabble of warlord and the like who stared rudely. T N 1966 on iht' 1ilOth birlhcj:,i' soldiers looted, burned and She simply took no notice oi L,i D.. Sur: Yut-sen. Soor:'q killed, firing into the Presiden- them, but chatted and laughed Ching Ling spoke at a mass tial Palace where Soong Ching as I took her arm and we went meeting in the Great Hall ol tire Ling lived. She escaped to the through them, she with never a People. In the presidium were streets where, to avoid being tremor, completely steady. several unusual figures. incluci- shot, she feigned death. Thus she went to Hongkong ing the ex-emperor Pu Yi, and Finally she made her way to the where she worked even harder. one of Dr. Sun's old bodyguards. countryside and was able to re- In Hongkong she formed the General Morris Cohen, who had join Dr. Sun ori the warship. China Defence League which come for the occasion. Zhou Sun Yat-sen fought back, and supported the New Fourth and Enlai spoke, and then Dong after much struggle, defeated Eighth Route armies, and be- Biwu, followed by Soong Ching 2i Iives, but there is still Fra- ternity to be acquired. And it may be for China, the oldest of nations, to point the waY to this fraternity. In other waYs, too, China will take her place in the effort to uPiift humanity. A race amounting to one quarter of the world's populationn and inhabiting the largest empire of the globe, whoce civilization dis- plays so many manifestations of excellence, cannot help but 4 be influential in the uPlifting of mankind. To this basic purpose she re- ,,/ mained always true. Though it was only in her last daYs that Soong Ching Ling was made a member of the Chinese Com- Soong Ching Ling helps celebrate Ilewi Alley's 80th birthday Bt a dlnner in munist Party, in thought and her home iD December, l9?9, deed throughout her active life she had battled in the spirit of First Ling's old comrade He Xiang- With unwavering belief in a true Chinese Communist. greatly inspired and suP- ning. Soong Ching Ling's speech our objectives, with staunch she was a long one, 38 pages in faith in Marxism-Leninism- ported Sun Yat-sen through the years his revolu- translated typescript. In it she Mao Zedong Thought, with final ten of said: unbounded confidence in our tionary life, then carried his The knowledge we now ability to win, we join hands wish forward. have of why a revolution is in struggle with all who strive On viewing her remains after necessary, what kind of a re- for a world without the ex- her passing, I wrote these lines: volution it should be, and how ploitation of man by man, Night, and quietly with Ma it should be fought, stems without national oppression, Haide beside me from both the successes and and without racial discrimina- we stepped into the room failures those fought tion. of who where she lay before They conducted these, well us. Brave words, looking down in fareweil at themselves according the spoken by a brave woman. to the remains of this comrade laws of revolution they had inherited; and it was only who fD EADING the English tran- had dared mur:h, borne when these broke down, not Il ss1lp1 of that splech, I was bringing the desired results, much for the PeoPle reminded of an essay she had she served; the winsome that they had to seek out new written, in English, while spend- Iaws. They learned the hard beautY ing her four student years at the she ever held, which made way, but their objectives led Wesleyan College for Women in towards ours, so we must every Macon, Georgia, from which she meeting with her a memory say they were glorious in had graduated more than a half failure. to linger on, century earlier in 1913, a young had gone, and in its place The goals for which Sun on her woman about to start out the last struggli: had left the Yat-sen fought have been won was revolutionary career. It face and surpassed. But we keep the then-recent Chinese about of a fighter, strong, deter- his name and spirit alive in Revolution of 1911 that over- our hearts. We are proud of threw the Manchu dynasty. I mined; over body Iay the gold his selfless struggle over forty quote a passage: her long years. Still ringing true and red for us are his last words: The Revolution has estab- banner of the people's party ". . . 'we must arouse the lished in China Liberty and she ma.cses and we must unite Equalitry, those two inaliena- had fought for well, and the with those nations of the ble rights of the individual roses world that treat us on the which have caused the loss of she loved bloomed around basis of equality. ." so many noble and heroic in sympathy. tr-
2E The Great and Glorious Life of Soong Ching Ling
l9l3: Soong Ching Ling in graduation cap and gown at Wesleyan University in Macon, Georgia, U.S.A. She went there in 1908 and returned to China in l9l3 with a B.A. degree.
l9l5: Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ching Ling in Japan shortly after their marriage. ft, front row) at a rally in Tokyo to denounce Aoril 1916: Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ch Zhongkai chinese arism. Arso in the piclu-re are Liao fi[';ffi;aT;i"-trilr.ir, repres (setond from left' front row)' (second from left. rear row)," He Xiangning Liao Mengxing ihe boy in front of Dr. Sun is Liao Chengzhi.
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I 1927: Soong Ching Ling in Hankou. During this period she was active in work for the.ioint KMT-CCF Northern Expedition against the warlords.
Dr.^Qun artd Soong Ching Ling aboard_lhe Yongfelg in August, 1923, celebrating the first anniversary ofthe suppression of Chen Jiongrning's rebellion, when Dr, Sun had his headquarters on this waiship. ,} .;l
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On February 17, 1933, Soong Ching Ling gave a din of George-Bernard Shaw. F-ront row from Lu Xun. the gr€at left: Americin lournaiist and'writeiAgn"eismedley onist Cai.Y_uanpei, and Chinese writet. Back row from teti: Sfr&, Soong Clii list llarold lsaais and modern prose writer Dr. Lin Yutang. 1938: Soong Clhing t.ing (center) with the Central Comnrittee of the China Delence League in Hongkong.Others, from right to left: I-iao Chengzhi, Norman France, Hilda Selwyn-Clarke, Liao Mengxing, M.C. Tang and lsrael Epstein.
1939: The three Soong sisters visit a military hospital in Chongqing in 1939 during the second united front between the Communists and Kuomintang. From left 1o right: Meiling (Mme. Chiang Kai-shek), Ailing (Mme. H.H. Kung), Ching Ling (Mme. Sun Yat-sen).
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: :i.-J \t,.!f Soong Ching Ling speaking on world peace to the First National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultarive Conference in November, 1951.
October, 1956, from left: Zhang Wentian, Mao Zedong, Soong Ching Ling, Zhou Enlai and Chen Yi at Zhong Nan Hai, Beijing. Soong Ching Ling casts her ballot at the fust session of the First National People's Congress in 1954, She was elected Vice- Chairman of the N,P.C. Standing Committee.
Soong Ching Ling chats with Deng Xiaopin-by a Par:Y held of the c.P.P.c 80.
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Soong Ching [.ing lays a wreath at the tomb of Mahatma Gandhi during her visit to India in December, 1955.
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In November 1957, Soong Ching Ling met with Mme. Kalinin (right), widow of the former President of USSR and Mme. Borodin (left), widow of a former noted Soviet advisor in China in t}re 1925-27 Revolurion. ln \ovcmber 1966, Soong Ching Ling met with Seimin MiyaTaki (third from right, rear row). President of the Japan-China Friendship Association, and his wife. Also present were Takeo Ito (second from right, rear row), advisor to the Japanese dele- gation which came to China to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Soong Ching l-ing Taketo Makinauchi (second with American writer Edgar Snow on December lg, 1964. from right, front row), head of the delegation, and its other members.
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Soong Ching Ling inspects an agricultural producers'cooperative in Yunnan province, 1955. o rL
Soong Ching Ling dines with textile workers at their canteen during an inspection of Stare Cotton Mill No. 17 in Shanghai in October, 1958,
S-oong Ching Ling_chatswith a combat hero of the Chinese people's Volunteers at Beidaihe in Nove nber, 1951.
Soong Ching Ling with chikJren. ln January. 1962 Soong Ching t-ing visits the China Reconstructs omces on the tenth anniversar-v of the magazine.
Soong Ching l-ing eongratulatcs the pertbrmers of the Children's .{rt l'hcatre under the China \Yelfare lnstitutc afirr a preseEtation of the ope.ra children's []earts in \larch, 1979. ;2 3- frtB.- "fi)
Soong Ching Ling at work.
Soong Ching Ling picking grapes in her garden. Honorary President Soong Ching Ling's Home
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The desk in Soong Ching Ling's bedroom,
Her study, &xl
Her small reception room. In her garden, Soong Ching Ling liked to fish in The reception hall. this pond, An embroide-ry in A 2o0-year-old pomegra na te tree. a favorite of 9omrade So9lg C^tri.ng Ling's living room made after q pattern Soong'Ching Ling's." sent_by the President of the U.S.-China FriendshiJ Association in Hawaii, a symbol of Sino-American friendship.
Soong Clhing Ling's Shanghai residence at Central Huaihai Road.
ffied! *l' Great lntermationalist Fighter QIAN JUNRUI
IJOR half a century, the name Ling, Lu Xun and others on the I' of Soong Ching Ling has international movement against been known throughout the f ascism and imperialism. At world as that of a great inter- great risk, Soong Ching Ling re- nationalist and fighter for ceived him at her home. Lu democracy and socialism, Xun, Cai Yuanpei, Agnes In t922, Sun Yat-sen began Smedley and some others were the arduous task of reforming also invited. They discussed pre- the Kuomintang, Soong Ching parations for the Ear East Con- Ling, in close touch with Lenin's ference of the World Commit- -special envoys to China, trans- tee Against Imperialist War mitted their opinions to Dr. Sun scheduled f or that autumn. and thus influenced the de- Later, Smedley told me, "It was velopment of Dr. Sun's new a very jovial and effective meet- Three People's Principles ing. The occasion was filled incorporai;ing alliance with- with thought-provoking and Soviet Russia, co-operation with witty remarks by Lu Xun and the Chinese Communist Party Bernard Shaw, two great workers humorists, and Soong Ching and assistance to the Soong Chine Ling, head of the and peasants. Chinese delegation, addr€sses the Ling's laughter. But, as the Chiang Kai-shek and Wang Worltl Peace Congress in Vienna in situation outside was getting Jingwei betrayed the revolution December. 1952. extremely tense, we were get- in 1927. After the failure of ting ready to be jailed by the the August 1st Nanchang UPris- of the World Anti-ImPerialist Chinese fascists. A taste of Chi- ing led by ihe Communist League held in Belgium in nese fascism wouid give us more Party, Soong Ching Ling went December, 1927 and in GermanY hard evidence for our fight to Moscow to Iook for the cor.- in August, 1929 she was elected against international fascism. rect road for the Chinese revo- honorary chairman on both oc- Shaw said his Fabianism would lution. On her departure, she casions. trn 1933 when the probably collapse and he would said, "Only a revolution based World Committee Against Eas- become a revolutionary if he on the masses and serving them cism was founded in Paris, she were tried by Chinese law and can smash the power of the was elected its vice-chairman jailed in a leudal prison. Upon warlords and politicians, shake (its chairman was the French hearing this repartee we off the yoke of imperialism and writer Henri Barbusse). laughed heartily. Soong Ching realize socialism." Clearly, by Ling laughed so hard she cried, then, she had been transformed A FTER her return to China, and had to wipe awaY her tears from a revolutionary democrat A Soorrg Ching Ling plunged with a handkerchief." into a proletarian international- into the struggle to resist JaPan In September, 1933, Soong ist fighter. In 1930 she went and save the nation. She not Ching Ling presided over the from the Soviet Union to Europe only opposed Chiang Kal-shek's Far East Conference of the and in 1931, she returned to faseism, but also, shoulder to World Committee Against Im- China. shoulder with democratic perialist War. At the conference In her years abroad, she made progressives at home and held in Shanghai, which was contacts with revolutionary abroad, fought against interna- enveloped in Chiang Kai-shek's movements in many countries tional fascism. In May, 1933, fascist terror, she stressed, "The and became active in the inter- she went with Lu Xun, Cai present epoch marks the birth national movement to oppose Yuanpei and Yang Xingfo (her of a new system of societY - imperialism and safeguard colleagues in the China League socialism". She said, "While world peace. At the congreases for Civil Rights) to the German the capitalists seek their salva- Consulate in Shanghai to tion in war, the toiling masses QIAN JUNRUI is a member of the protest Nazi violations of civil seek and must seek theirs in Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative rights in Germany and their revolution." She also declared Conference, adviser to the State crimes against culture. in the speech, "reactionarY Planuing Commission and Director In February, 1933, George armed forces can be met onlY bY of the Institute of World Economy forces," antl Politics under the Chinese Bernard Shaw had come to revolutionary armed Academy of Social Sciences. China to consult Soong Ching and "we are against imPerialist
45 wars but we are lor national German lriends to form Marxist oppressors. In addition, they revcilutionary war of the armed study groups and do anti-fascist must also struggle against people. . . .'" What forceful and work. Chiang Kai-shek's fascism. be- resonant statements ! Soong Ching Ling was no- cause it oppresses peopie in- In the early 1930's the Chiang tified in JuIy, 1936 that the ternally and sells China's terri- Kai-shek reactionaries arrested - World Committee Against Fas- tory and sovereignty to foreign Paut and Gertrude Noulens. cism had decided to call a powers." She added. "You must both outstanding tighters of the meeting in Paris on September tell the conference that the international communi.st move- 10 to discuss the situation in struggle in China and the ment. aud tortured them cruel- Spain"' As she was not free to struggle in Europe are com- ly. Soong Ching Ling denounced move about then, much less go pletely identical in aim. The this atrocity and initiated a abroad, she sent me to the Parls two struggle.s are for the sarne Iarge-Scale rescue movement. conference as well as to the cause. The people all over the which ultimately forced Chiang Brussels World Anti-Aggression world should rjse to fight Kai-shek to free the couPle, Conference on September 2. Be- against fascism, oppression and fore I left, she gave me this exploitation." rnessag€ to transmi.t to the cc-in- The writer Romain Roliand q OONG Ching Ling. herself precarious ference, "The people all over the and the scientist Paul Langevin \-l in u very situa- presided Shanghai during that world must unite. They must over the Paris con- tion in against the ference and spoke highly oI period, gave no thought to her fight not only fascism of Hitler and Mussolini, Soong Ching Ling's work on personal .safety. Her only care bui also against the fasci.sm of many occasions. Rolland, the q,as [he safety of both Chinese the Japanese militarists and 1915 Nobel laureate in litera- f oreign comrades. She and financial tycoons, because thelz ture. said, "Do you think that actuall;r became the chief liaison all are ferocious aggressors and our brilliant vice-chairman for revolutionary friends from various countries, who came to October, 1936. Soong Ching Ling at the funeral of Lu Xun in Shanghai seek asylum and carrlr on their International Cemetery, revolutionary activities from the toreign concessions in Shanghai. Revolutionaries in Japan, the United States, Bri- tain, Germany, India and Viet Nam all maintained direct or indirect contact with her. For her part, she did all she could to help them, even giving them material assistance to help tide them over daily difficulties. In this work, Lut Xun was her most capable comrade-in-arms. In addition, there were Agnes Smedley and Chen Han-seng Through the friendship between Lu Xun and Uchiyama, she established contaets with some Japanese revolutionaries. In the 1930's through Smedley and Chen Han-seng, she helped the American journalist Harold Isaacs publish the left-wing English-language paper China Forum, and later, helped Max and Grace Granich, Atnerican progressives, publish the Eng- lish-languag,e (later bilingual) Voice of China. During the war against Japan (1937-45) she helped Rewi Alley to organize industrial co-operatives; helped Ma Haide (Dr. George Hatern) send medicine to the revolu- tionary bases; and helped the
46 Soong Ching Ling is onlY a general of the association, I donesia. In November, 1957, she beautif uI flower whose f ra- benefited greatly from , her accompanied Comrade Mao Ze- grance can be felt around the Ieadership. dong to the Moscow Meeting of world? Nol Nol She is reailY After 1949, she was invqlved Representatives of Communist a ]ion who tries to break all in a series of international and Workers' Parties. .In her nets." activities, through which she capacity as Vice-Chairman of Wherever I went abroad. I made outstanding contributions the People's Republic of China, found that Soong Ching Ling to i:rternational friendship, to in February 1964, she visited had high prestige. Progressive the struggles against imperial- Ceylon (Sri Lanka), with Pre- people all over the world knew ism, colonialism and hegemon- mier Zhou Enlai and Vice- her name, resPected and loved ism and to the defense of Premier Chen Yi. her. world peace. She was elected a In her last years. she con- After the victorY over JaPan member of the Executive tinued through correspondence in 1945, Chiang Kai-shek, with Bureau of the World Peace and by receiving visitors her the support of the U.S. im- Council at that organization's unremitting efforts to strength- perialists, launched an anti- second congress on November en the friendship among the communist and anti-PoPular 23, 1950. On September 18, 1951, peoples of ail countries. oppose civil war. Soong Ching Ling she was awarded the Interna- hegemonism and safeguard issued a statement in Shanghai tional Stalin Peace Prize. On worl
CHEN HAN.SENG
TVIHILE Sun Yat-sen was Han-min praising Madame Square to meet this eminent W confined to Peking Union Sun's assiduous assistance to her woman. Medical Coilege Hospital now husband since their mariage in Three years later we met the Capital Hospital in- Bei- 1915. again in Shanghai. Then, earlY jing during the spring- of 1925, Although I already knew in 1932, the Japanese occuPied his wife Soong Ching Ling at- something of Mme. Sun, it was part of Shanghai and the 19th tended him day and night. This only in the latter part of 192? in Route Army fought bravelY left vacant the residence Provid- Moscow that I had the oppor- against them. Soong Ching ed for them in the citY, located tunity to meet her. I was intro' Ling helped to organize on Tie Shizi Hutong (Iron Lion duced to her there by Deng centers for treating wound- Lane). Some of the Kuomintang Yanda, the founder of the ed soldiers. Gu Shuxing, mY party the Nong- iate wife, and I were among leaders of the time used to meet Chinese third - for lunch at the Suns' unin- Gong Minzhu Dang (Workers' those collecting contributions habited house. During one of and Farmerso Democratic PartY). and forwarding them to Soong their noon discussions, I heard On a snowy day, he and I Ching Ling f or the centers, two of them, Zou Lou and Hu traveled to a hotel near Red which she frequently visited.
47 l.\
areas b€hind the I-ines, in par- ticular in the Party,s b,ase area in Yan'an, many cooperatives were set up to carry on small scale industrial production. As the Kuomintang government in Chongqing did not provide much financiai aid, contributions to support these ceops poured in from overseas Chinese and from other friends abroad. Unfortunately, if sent to Chong- qing, contributions would not be for'*,arded to Yan'an and other areas in need- This was why Soong Ching Ling actively supported sLrch a committee in Hongkong, formed to receive fi.nancial contributions from 1948: Soong Ching Ling examines medicines and other supplies collected by the China Welfare Fund for shipment to the liberated areas under the abroad. and then pass them on control of thc Chinese Communist Party. to help the cooperative move- ment where the need was greatest. During those difficult years influence to protect Com- when Chiang Kai-shek, head o{ munists and others who were \[f HEN the new People's Gov- the Nanjing regime, carried on a persecuted W was being organiz- by the Nanjing ",'r,-".,1 reign of terror against the Com- regime. She gave financial ed in 1949, Mao Zedong and Liu munists and other democratic assistance to some who had to Shaoqi went to visit Soong eiements, Soong Ching Ling flee from Shanghai. I ,recall Ching Ling to personally request organized the China League for hov; she engaged a lawyer from her to accept the post of vice- Civil Rights, of which Lu Xun, Switzerland to def end the chairman. She accepted but the renowned writer, was also Noulens couple, who were continued to concentrate her a leading member. The league,s directing the work of progres- energies on social services, secretary-general, yang Xingfr.r, sive labor unions in the Pacific particularly for children and was later assassinated by Chiang region and who were arrested youth. The record of the China Kai-shek's secret agents. in Shanghai, in f act in its Welfare Institute, of which she International Settlement (forei.gn was chairman, demonstrates LIIISTORY is laden with administered II concession). After her high level of energy and strange phenomena. While years of strenuous argument and enthu^siasm for the welfare of Soong Meiling, the wife of effort the couple was finally the younger generation. There Chiang Kai-shek, was support- released. No one else in China could be no better contribution ing a terroristic regime against could have had the courage and to socialism than the direction the Communists, Soong Ching the means t0 so successfu.liy for educating the youth in- Ling, her elder sister, led a defend such victims of oppres- group dicated by her. of committee members of sion. strove the league Soong Ching Ling to Nanjing to visit When my wi"fe and I left New throughout her life to uphold the the prison where they talked York after some years in the ideals of democracy. She coura- with jailed Communists. Among USA, and arri.ved by ship in geously the prisoners urged and reminded she visited was Hongkong in May 1939, Soong those in high positions to think F ang Zhimin, a farnous Chinese Ching Ling and her secretary of the common stood Red folk. She Army leader captured by came to meet us at the dock. for principle and loathed vested Chiang's army;Fang Zhimin was Soon afterwards she agreed, interests and personal privilege. later executed by the brutal with Rewi Alley and Edgar The reign of Jiang Qing and the "Generalissimo". Snow, to set up the Interna- gang of four was a trying time During her years in Shanghai, tional Committee for Chinese for Soong Ching Ling, being the Soong Ching Ling helped, both Industrial Cooperatives. She antithesis of ali she stood for. openJy and secretly, to save the was its distinguished sponsor. I Soong Ching Ling was a lives of a number of Commun- was asked to be secretary. heroic fighter for democracy; ists, as she had always opposed During the War of Resistance we must learn from her excel- autocracy and militarism. I against Japanese Aggressionr, Ient example as we continue to know personally of several guerrilla bases were organized strengthen socialist democracy cases in which she used her under Communist leadership. In in China. n 48 So Great Yet 5o SirrnpEe
SHNN CUIZTIEN
y" l".r 1'\N March 15, 1981 I went to " \-l eelling to consult Soong Ching Ling on the burial ot her long-time housekeeper, friend and associate Li Yan'e, carrying with me a sketch of the-Soong family burial plot where Li Yan'e was to be interred at Soong Ching Ling's request. Unexpectedly, I found Soong Ching Ling herself seriousLy ill, and decided to stay. My feelings fluctuated with the eourse of her illness" When her condition was stable I felt comf orted; when she took a turn for the worse I worried. Then for a while ther-e were signs of improvement and she was able meet cLose friends to Soong Ching Ling with Shen Cuizhen, her friend and associate since the and comrades. I rejoiced. I 1940's. even developed a stubborn belief that she would recover. But reality was merciless. I attended her at her sickbed. The Japanese occupied China's On May 8 she had attended a There were tirnes when she was northeast on September 18, 1931. ceremony conferring on her conscious and could recognize The KMT took an attitude of an honorary doctorate from the me; but others when she was non-resistance towards the Jap. University Before cornatose. After all life is not anese invaders, suppressing the of Victoria. patriotic the ceremony, people were limitless. Soong Ching Ling left movement at the same worried about her condition and us forever. I could no longer time. Zou Taofen and six other patriots were illegally arrested suggested that Wang Bingnan, hold back my tears. My me- late on the night of November head of the Chinese People's mories of her mingled with 22, 1936. That is what became Association for Friendship with them. known as the "seven gentlemen" Foreign Countries, stand in for case that created a stir at her. At first she agreed, but J knew about her through my home and abroad. later changed her mind, think- I late husband Zou Taofen, Soong Ching Ling publicly ing it would be more courteous long before I met her personally. protested the arrests and present to be herself. She Taofen had great faith in Dr. organized a "go to prison to save insisted on making her accept- Sun Yat-sen. In October, 1926, the nation" movement, in which ance speech in person, although he took over the magazine Life she and other progressives she was running a fever that Weeklg and, from then on, pub- dernanded that the seven be day and had to remain seated. licized the life of Sun Yat-sen released, or that they themselves But she spoke spiritedly for 20 and his revolutionary Three should join the seven in jail. minutes. The vigor she showed People's Principles in many is- Their statement read, "Shen at the meeting aroused my sues. When the KMT rightists Junru and the other six hopes. I didn't expect that her started viciously attacking and are not China's only patriots. condition would radically de- slandering Soong Ching Ling, There are millions of patriotic teriorate in just a few days' Taoten used his magazine as a Chinese. If the spirit of the tir:ne. weapon and refuted their Chinese does not die, China will rumors. It was from Taofen that never perish!" Her uprightness SIIEN CITIZHEN is secretary-general I learned what a spirited woman and her love for the nation and of the China Welfare Institute. Soong Ching Ling was. the people irnpressed me deeply.
49 Soong Ching Ling was calm, that will be sent to the iiberated the liberated areas were short of elegant. beautiful and loved by areas. A few people are needed food and medicines. The relief all. Her name was always to sort things out. She wants goods included clothes, daily Iinked with revolution, the you to go too." I gladly agreed. necessities, medical supplies and Three People's Principles, j ustice So, with two of her women as- equipment and canned milk. She and patriotism. sociates, Liao Mengxing, then of asked us to sort them out and the China Defence League, and pack them by category, and said T N late February, 1941, Taofen Ni Feijun, later a leader of the she would try to have them I *r. compellei to leave for Chinese Red Cross, I went to a shipped to the liberated areas. Hongkong, and I followed with warehouse and took part in the It took us only a few days; the chiidren. Once Taofen said work. There I met Soong Ching Soong Ching Ling often came to me, after attending a meeting Ling. who shook hands with me to help and when we were done at Soong Ching Ling's home in warmly, In a very friendly and she took us out to dinner. AIso Hongkong, "Mddame Sun has unassuming way she told me present at the dinner was her collected a lot of relief goods what needed to be done. She said faithfUl Li Yan're (Li Ma), whom Soong Ching Ling always called SisXer Li. ' ,-f"x:" After the outbreak of the I -.. Pacific *--@i War, Soong Ching Ling went to Chongqing and we Iost contact for many- years.
ll/f Y husband Zou Taofen died IYI in 1944. Not long after, I had surgery for breast cancer and then lived a life of seclusion in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. Comrade Ching Ling, when she came back to Shanghai after the war, learned of my troubles. As she was constantly being watched. by KMT agents and had little freedom to move about without being noticed, she often sent Sister Li over with daily necessities and fruit. Once she sent a car to take me to her house for dinner. She com-
At the Anshan Iron antl Steel Company in November, 1950.
Soong Ching Ling talks with peasa.nts during her inspection of Shuangcheng eounty, Heilongjiang province, in October, 1950. At far left is the veteran revo- lutionary Comrade Lin Boqu,
50 forted me. "Mr. Zou has left us. Do not be too sad. Take care of yourself. Mr. Zou's writings spoke for the people and Pointed a way for progressive young people to follow. He did a lot t# of good for the people with his get pen. If you have the chance, ,A * do some- out of the house and * thing useful in societf. ?ou can 4 do that." Her encouragement and warmed my fi- consoled o Jtr 4. wounded heart. # Beiping, as Beijing was then Jt The last thins Soong called, was lih,erated in January, Ching Ling wrote was "rg: 1949. Around June I was this inscription for a book of Zov Taofen's invited to Zhong Nan Hai to + Manuscripts - on MaY help prepare for the opening of 12, 1981, the day before her illness worsenetl, the first National People's Political Consultative Confer- words can describe how ence. I was very happy to seq children's welfare Sgk. Thes" NO gul f \ much I've learned and Soong Ching Ling at the open- assignments tt frequent " " from her. She never ing session. She had come to contacts with Soong Ching Ling. benefited advantage of her leading Beijing accompanied by Deng In the winter of 1950, with took on, a posi.tion. She said to me manY Yingchao, the wife of Zhou other comrades, I went Northeast times, like sisters. If Enlai. A joyful smile hung on survey tour of the "We're you any difficultY, just her face. She was devoting her with her. That was when I are in appreciate how de- tell me." She trusted me fullY energy to the realization of a began to yet always exPressed her re- new China, and with her unique dicated she was to her cause and Even talents united the progressive how selflessly she worked. She luctance to trouble me. morn- when she was seriously ill, she forces to help the cause of the got up very earlY in the on said me once, like Chinese Communist Party. The ing, spending little time to "We're the sisters. You have done so much Party's victory, in turn, became personal affairs. Most of for me. What shall I say?i' I, a force motivating her own time she was reading documents tearg march forward. and preparing for the surveY already on the verge of work. BecauSe of her poor said, "Madame, since we are FTER.the conference, Soong eyesight, I was sometimes asked sisters, don't mention that. I Ching Ling told me that to read the documents to her. do what I ought to do." She now that China was liberated. No matter where she went, she clasped my hand for a long the China Welfare Institute paid much attention to what was time, unwilling to let go. Then should greatly expand its work. reported and never failed to she pulled my hand close to her First was the establishrnent of a 'raise questions. She did not lips and kissed it. kindergarten and I was assigned want subordinates to take notes Early on the morning of May to run it. I was a bit scared, for for her. 22, I came to her sickbed arid I had never worked at a re- She was concerned about attended to her. When she sponsible post, but she en- everybody. When qre got to a opened her eyes and -saw me, couraged D€, saying that if place where rooms were scarce, she said in broken sentences, only I loved chiidren I was suie I would be asked to share a flat "Sister Shen, you take a rest. .. to be competent. That was my with her. Once, when I had Have you taken a rpst?. . . You first real job. Then, in June, abdominal pains, she just sat must take a rest," Those were 1951, I was transferred to the beside me and massaged me. her last words to me. I touched Shanghai \tr/omen'rs Federation She was then already the vice- her feverish cheeks,. tears rolling where I was in charge of chairman of thti state. down my own. D
51 $oorlg Chim$ E"Emg and (}ur Magazine
ISRAEL EPSTEIN
qooNc CHING LrNG was In addition, she wrote to u^s Kuomintong ombush ond destruc- \J the founder of our maga- a very ,large number of let- tion of the Communist-led NEw zine, China Reconstructs. Fourth Army heodquorters in 1941, She ters, many in her own hand. ot the height of the Joponese selected its name. For over 29 threot to Chino. . . , years, as Chairman of the Throughout f N her article, "A Tradition ofterwords dur China Welfare Institute, its I of Truth", contributed to the the Kuominton publishers, she led, guided and tenth anniversary issue of periolists stor helped our work. This she Chi,na Reconstructs, she recalled wor ogoinst the Chinese people, did amid her multitude of other our orgonizotion continued this its birth and ancestry. work of disseminoting duties, as a major leader of the ' the true news obout our country. . People's Republic of China and Thinking of this onniversory ln 1949, the Communist Portv of a number of nationwide tokes me bock much more thon led our people to ochieve their social ten yeors. ln 1938, when the organizations. complete liberotion from imperiol- Chinese people's resistonce ism, feudolism ond bureoucrotic During that period, she ogoinst Joponese imperio,list copitolism. With our new demo- wrote oggression wos in its most tense crotic revolution for us 33 articles, the first period, completed, we when the Chinese Com- emborked on the peoceful trons- in our inaugural issue in munist Porty wos leoding woy the formotion to o sociolist society, January L952, the last in i.n o notionol resurgence of mili- toncy ond from one end of our countiy February 1981, four months be- to sove our country ond to the other culture, the Chino Defence Leogue the souncis of mossive fore her death. (the predecessor sociolist construction rong out. orgonizotion- of The Chinese people By rough classification, six the Chint Welfore lnstitute which hod stood publishes Chino Reconstructs) up in.th_e world. We were moving of these articles dealt with the woi oheod, building general founded, The Leogue wos born o new life for our-- achievements of the selves. . people os port of thot shorp struggle for in building a new China, notionol existence, ond os o por- Therefore, in 1952, the Chino six with friendship among the ticipont in the globol fight ogoinst Welfore lnstitute, bosing itself on peoples foscism ond militorism, the. trodition of spreoding the and the struggle for lor truth world peace, democrocy, peoce ond the pro- obout Chino to the iest of four specifically gress of mon. the world estoblished by its pre- with struggles against im- The internol politicol situotion decessor the Chino Defence perialism and for national in- ot thot time wos very complicoted. Leogue, begon publicotion of the dependence and socialism, two The people wonted to follow the English-longuoge edition of Chino exomple of the Chinese Communist Reconstructs. From its first issue, with the achievements and Porty ond its fomed guerrillc the mogozine hos been dedicoted aspirations of Sun Yat-sen, five boses behind the Joponese lines; to portroying the occomplishments with welfare, in particular that to go oll out in toking up orms of our working people, intellec- of women and children, and ond driving the cruel oggressor tuols ond ortists, ond to exploin- from our soil, But Kuomintong one with the necessity of over- the ing through focts ond giophic wos ofroid of orming the people-, meons the policies of our People's coming feudal traditions. Four ond with good reoson, for its sup- Government. were memorial articles pression wos no less cruel thon This we view os port of thg among them one for Premier- lhot by the enemy. contribution the Chinese people Under these circumstonces, in os o whole ore moking to the Zhou Enlai and another for oddition to the duties of mobilizing greot striggle for peocJond the Edgar Snow. Others were spe- world sympothy for Chino's struggle progress of monkind. cially written for anniversaries ond roising moteriol support for of Clfina Reconstruets and for the fighters ot the front ond Concerning our magazine's behind the enemy's lines, the history, more will be said on its the 40th anniversary of the Chino Defence Leogue felt it hod China Welfare Institute. o responsibility to toke up the 30th anniversary in January tosk of getting the truth obout our 1982. Besides Soong Ching Ling, country to the world. it owes its existence late ISRAEL EPSTEIN, editor-in-chief to the For exomple, Premier Zhou Speaking of China Reconstructs, knew anal Chino Defence Enlai. worked with Soong Ching Ling thot mony peo with her as early as October over some decailes. four world f irst leor 1950, he suggested that, with
52 Soong Ohing Ling, Zhou Enlai, Deng Yingehao, and ChenYi with the stf,fl' of China Reconstructs on the 10(h anniversary of its founding in January, 1962. her iong experience in building was a nationwide tide of Sleepless nights hove weokened friendship between the people of exaggeration, she eommentea me. different countries, she initiate on an account of welfare work Yet it was in these eircum- a magazine to tell readers in China being prepared felr stances! and arnid her many abroad about life and work in publication: duties, that she not only read newly-J.iberated China. She the text but sent her comment The o rtie le reoched me lost gladly agreed and initiated the nig ht. on the v-ery next morning. preparations, including assembly My impression in reoding it is Often she made proposals for of Premier Zhou. until thot oll ihe problems ore solved. staff. I think we hove to soy thot there specific articles, from one in his death in 1976, maintained is still much thot we hove to do 1952, "There should be some- warm personal interest in the in welfore, since we ore still in the thing about India-China friend- process magazine and on several occa- of building o new society ship", another 1975, a ond o new economic foundotion. to in in sions helped clarify its orienta- It hos to be stoted more definitely note from Shanghai for "an tion, audience and scope. , . . thot with oll our progress we article on the wonderful surgery connot cover oll those in need ot done here", and many more. the moment. This is soid on poEe qooNG cHrNG LrNG'S 4 but it con be strenEthened o bit LJ many articles for us cover- since it gives the impression frorn flN her own writings, she ed a wide variety of subjects there on to the end of the orticle \,7 always modestly asked {or and reflected her activities and thot we con now cover everybody suggestions betterment, ond every contingency, for thinking ov€r a broad range of The second suggestion is thot and acknowledged useful ones national and international af- relief is still necessory when noture with characteristic grace of fairs and problems. runs rompont, but thot the stote agree to the changes ottocks this problem in two woys, spirit. "I With particular feeling, we one immediote by direct relief, made on page 4 of rny article," leaf through her letters to ond the other by orgonizing the she wrote once. It certainl,y is people China Reconstructs. They were to combot noture ond turn iriprotsed- The sentence was se indicative disoster reEions into secure ond both of her intimate productive regions, with copocities involved; now it reads much concern with the magazine and for obove their originol through better." Another time, she was of her principles and splendid vorious projects to chonge noture. angered when she heard sorne- character. In the same letter she men- one had said that she would not At all times she was against tioned that, for her, the period allow even a comma of anything the reporting only of successes was one oI agonizing illness. she wrote to be edited. She to the exclusion of prcblems. called this a "slander". In a personal letter one of I hove been incopocitoted by to on outbreok of neurodermotitis When offered honoraria for our editors in 1958, when there which covers rny whole body. contributions, she refused. E"or
53 ,i instance, in November 1958' and promotion. Therefore, On holidays, anniversaries, "Don't send me cheques - for while in principle,'I do not the initiation of new editions' articles." object to the contemPlated whenever she thought we had When she asked for assist- move, still I think it should be produced a good issue, and ance, she acknowledged it done on the basis of establish- often when she heard favorable generously, "I wish to thank ing a good and constant liaison, opinions cgncerning our work you from the bottom of mY and at the same time giving us from her innumerable contacts heart, busy as you are" (1976). a definite say in the planning at home or abroad, she would At the same time, she hated and execution of circulation write greetings or comments to sloppy work and was sharP in and promotion policies as theY encourage us. pointing to avoidable errors in affect CR." Besides keeping in regular the magazine, ParticularlY of On international journeYs, she contact with the magazine's fact. made small purchases for our leaders, she came to our office Her active interest extended to work. For instance, in a note on our tenth anniversarY to ex- circulation aira subscriPtions" from Lahore, Pakistan, on change handshakes and warm In 1956, when going on a state her 1956 tour of south Asia, words with all our staff and visit to India, she wrote asking she wrote, "Pardon Penciled asked many of them, at various if there was anYthing she cculd scrawl a thousand things to times, to her own home. do to help the magazine's sales" attend -to but must get this off Such was the painstaking aP In 1960 when circulation was to you. It was simPlY im- proach, down-to-earth dilig- entrusted to a general dis- possible to obtain nylon ence and warmth of this trulY tributor, she exPressed the typewriter ribborx in all the great stateswoman of the con- opinion that a comPlete division three countries visited . " . temporary age. fiom the editorial dePartments However, here is a Remington We shal1 never forget her. was undesirable. "I think," she ribbon . . . (In the 1950's Chi- Her presence among us will con- wrote, "that our magazine does nese typewriter ribbons were tinue. By constant effort for have some special Problems of still poody inked and did not improvement, we shall strive its own in regard to circulation wear well). to be worthy of it. tr
She Stood for the Tradition of Truth LI BOTI
dedicated woman, one of the Its style should be lively, con- MX.:,#ffi 1t"" H"""',,ff; three Soong sisters of whom tents rich and varied, and it States, I hapPened uPon HenrY people said: "Soong Mei-ling should cater to the broadest Wadsworth Longfellow's home loves power; Soong Ai-ling readership. She especially people in Cambridge, now a museum' loves money, but Soong Ching stressed that the and the As I paused at the gate, a slim, Ling loves her people.'l their creativity should be grey-haired man came out. Two years later I was in main subject. time to time, she herself are you for, Soong Beijing working on Chi.na From "Who magazine wrote about the glorious Pro: Ching Ling or Soong Mei-Iing?" Reconstructs, the which Soong Ching Ling began gress made by the Chinese he asked. publish came to people under the leadership of Ching Ling," I replied to in 1952. I "Soong hard-working, the Communist Party. She was immediately. know her as and warm-hearted very happy about the socialist you can come in and democratic "Then as well as noble-minded. transformations in every field look around, free!'1 he said, and and described them in her took me on a delightful tour of articles with enthusiasm. the house. He said he was CreativitY She was ever loyal to the grandson of "Edith with the After the People's RePublic conviction that only the Com- golden hair," Longfellow's of China was established she munist Party could save China, daughter mentioned in his poem felt that since the Chinese This was expressed in her article "The Children's Hour." people h3d stood up and were for the January 1963 issue of At that time I knew that building a' new 1ife, their pro- China Reconstructs, "Sun Yat- Soong Ching Ling was a great, gress should be reported to the sen and his Co-operation with world. She said that in doing the Chinese Communist Party." LI BOTI worked as an etlitor in this, the magazine should carry She said: "After the founding of China Reconstructs for 28 years. She PartY, is now an editor of the new English on the China Defence League the Chinese Communist language China Daily in Beiiins. Newsletter's tradition of truth. he found new sources of
54 strength. As early as 1919, he position of the refugees fiom suaded him to write an article had had contacts with Li Dazhao Viet-Nam and report how our on Edgar Snow, as they were and others. after seeing such government was helping them to together in Yenan and had been guests, Sun Yat-sen would often settle down. friends ever since. He was sent remark that he considered these She read the magazine care- to Geneva by our government people as his true revolutionary fully and told us of the issues urith a team of doctors and comrades. He knew he could and articles'she liked. "This is nurses to help Ed Snow. He has count on the darity of their to let you know how much I like kindly complied with my thought and their unflinching 'Impressions of the USA.' It request, so now our In Me- courage in battle. certainly gives an all-round moriam issue on Ed Snow will "He acknowledged this pub- glimpse of that country in so be complete." licly in a lecture on People's compact an article." She never scolded, always en- Welfare in 7924 when he said: She liked a back cover paint- couraged. In her article com- 'Communism is the good friend ing people of the national memorating Edgar Snow there of the Three People's Prin- minorities, free of their shackles, was a place where the grammar ciples."' She made it quite going off to work in high spirits. was right in the first Place but clear that this was also her She pointed out our defects: the had been wrongly changed bY view. magazine tended to taper off us. In a letter accomPanYing She wrote a number of articles toward the end; the printing was another article she pointed this calling for world peace and bad. She read the letters we got out, but still she asked us to condemning imperialism. from our readers. In her visit to make the necessary changes in On the eve of President India in 1955, she asked people the enclosed article. "No need Richard Nixon's visit to Beijing, for their opinions of the mag- to consult me, for I have full she wrote for the January 1972 azine and listened to them confidence in 5lou." issue of the magazine "The intently" I cannot remember when she Begining of a New Era." "A year I was deeply moved by a letter ever refused us an14hing. I can before his election, President she wrote me in November 1972, recall one case irt which we Nixon asserted in an article: and what she did afterwards. asked her to write about some- 'Any American policy toward u'I am shocked and numbed by thing; and her answer was that Asia rnust come urgently to the loss of five friends and she was too ilI to undertake it' grips with the reality of China.' comrades within these last three But a few days later, to our The reality of China during the months ! The latest victim is Ni astonishment, she sent in the past 20 years has brought about Peihua who worked with us for article. She was alwaYs quick to his new realization, and this 30 years. She died from high .respond. If we wrote her on a must be true for many others." blood pressure, after years of Saturday, we could be sure of She went on to expound the illness which forced her to resign getting her answer on MondaY or reality of China: the people's some years ago." Tuesday. achievements in building She was very good to PeoPle on oc- socialism. Request who worked with her and casions such as Women's DaY or Assignmentq Although Soong Ching Ling upon returning fnom visits to was in ill-health then, she wrote Shanghai she would send us She wrote with great feeling articles eommemorating Ho gifts. In the summer of 1975, in a style that was clear, forceful Hsiang-ning, her old comrade- when Deng Xiaoping was Put in and beautiful. in-arms with whom she fought charge of state affairs, she Besides writing for the together against treachery and wrote: "Please accePt this box magazine herself, she also did for national salvation; for Edgar of chocolate-coated cherries for much to encourage contributors. Snow and for Grace Granich' you to celebrate all the victories She gave parties where she who worked on the Voice of we are having on many fronts." brought together statesmen, China in the 30's. She also In December 1978 when I was writers, artists, scientists and busied herself soliciting articles in hospital with a heart condi- economists. and poems. "Here is a Poem tion, she sent me a letter: "Have "I hope you wiJl all write for by Rewi Alley in memorY of been thinking of You. Now China Reconstructs," she said. Comrade Ho llsiang-ning which that the climate is better with Needless to say, this brought the please make use of in our CR beautiful snowfall, hoPe you will magazine many good articles. magazine. I have succeeded in soon be restored to'health." She also gave us assignments. borrowing four pictures of Grace At a party given for the Always concerned about the op- Granich which I promised to magazine staff in 1978, she pressed, she wrote us a letter in return soon." presented us with a globe. She June 1978 asking us to send "Dr Ma Hai-teh arrived with wanted us to make more and reporters to Yunnan and Mrs Edgar Snow and familY more friends for China through- Guangxi to report on the true last night from Geneva. I Per- out the world. !
55 Recalling Work at Her Side
ZHANG JUE
T ETTERS and cables express- she rushed off an urgent cable I-r ing.concern and solicitude expressing her concern. On flew in thicf, and fast after the hearing of his death, she stayed first official announcement of up dawn personally until to Soong Ching Ling's secretary the grave illness of Honorary draft a cable of condolence. Zhang Jue and former Ctina President Soong Ching Ling. And when part of Snow's ashes Reconstructs staff member The first letter, together with a were laid to rest beside Wei- Chen Xiuzheng read letters and cables of condolence. basket of roses, came from ming Lake on the Beijing Uni- More than 2,000 were received China Recanstructs, which she versity campus, she asked me in a fortnight. founded in 1952 and for which to represent her at the cere- she had always shown close con- mony, as she herself was ill. cern. As the member of her During those same years of her younger brothers he was staff responsible for her cor- turmoil she was much con- the one who understood her respondence, I received and cerned about the well-being best. registered all these letters and of Rewi Alley, and once wrote Soong Ching Ling was quiek cables, which stirred up many a letter vouching for him. and conscientious in her f.eelings and memories. Sealing it in an envelope, daily work, and required the Soong Ching Ling was most she asked me to take it to trim, same of her staff . Under solicitous about the welfare of telling me to be careful on the her guidance, and influenced her staff. I remember once in way and to hand it to him in by her good example, we 1960, when she took us to her person. This letter would some cultivated the habit of dealing home in Shanghai, she said to day go into the archives, she conscientiously and promptly me, "I regard you as one of my remarked. with our job on hand and not own people, and I'11 always be In those years, she had the letting things pile up. your friend no matter what hap- greatest sympathy for the pens." She thought of us even many old revolutionary cadres 4nHEN came these last tense in very small details. She once who were being persecuted and I days, when under the close said there was an unoccupied attacked. At personal risk she attention of tfe leaders of the room in her Shanghai home had letters written on her be- Party and state doctors and where I could live if I wished. half to Liu Shaoqi's children. nurses fought day and night to "If you want to have your When the old cadres came to save her life, when suggestions padded jacket redone, bring it see her after their rehabilita- for treatment, offers of medi- to my house. I know a good tion she gave them a warm re- cine and letters of solicitude tailor." ception. Among them wer€ streamed in from all quarters, Vioe-Chairrnan Deng Xiaoping and when she herself struggled 1r.t HAIRMAN Soong was warm and his wife Zhuo Lin, and tenaciously against qecurring \.1 ancl enthusiastic towards Vice-Chairman of the Standing bouts of her illness. Premoni- foreign friends. During the Committee of the National tions of misfortune filled me "cultural revolution", when People's Congress Peng Zhen with incomparable grief. But Edgar Snow was coming back and tris wife Zhang Jieqing. I held my feelings in check and, to Beijing after a visit to She was also much concern- taking example from her in- Yan'an, she asked him to din- ed about some of her relatives domitable will and fighting ner, selecting a choice wine she who came under attack. She spirit, silently went about my had kept in store for many had me write letters of en- duties. Now that she has left years and personally seeing to couragement to them, and sent us, I remember how, once, she the menu. 'Snow's plane was money to tide them over their presented me with a piece of late, and she waited for him difficulties" She did not forget brocade as a keelxake and said, late into the night. When Snow her brothers and sisters abroad "Keep this as a souvenir of our was seriously ilI in Switzerland, and often inquired about them. close cooperation." While drafting a cable of con- Her kind, gentle voice keeps ZHANG JUE was one of Soong dolence on the death of Song echoing in my ears, and in my Ching Ling's secretaries. Zi'an, she ob,served that among heart. D
56 An Outstanding Woman 0f Our Time
TALITHA GERLACH rf\RULY Soong Ching Ling parts of the world as they Children's Palace providing l- was the mosi outstanding struggled for independence and rnany extra-curricular activr- woman of her" and our time. In for just peace among the na- ties, the Children's Art Theatre China she is fondly referred to tions. As an internationalist with its own playhouse and the as the mother of the new she endorsed organizations; Child"ren's Epoch, a fortnightly Chinese nation, created by the programs and efforts to build magazine for children. The struggles of its people to bring friendship and understanding maternity hospital fosters the into existence a new social between all peoples and to de- combination of Chinese tradi- order for the benefit of all its fend world peace. tional and western medical 900 million. And today these As help to the creation of a practices and also is furthering people are determined to build new social order, free of exploi- a significant family planning and live in a new modern na- tation and oppresSion of the program recognized by the tion of unity and strength. res- masses of people and dedicated World Health Organization as pected by all others in the world. to releasing the inherent creati- making a valuable contribution Soong Ching Ling played an vity of all citizens, Soong Ching throughout the wor1d. All these ouktanding part in creating Ling devoted herself to provid- projects are located in Shang- this new nation, the People's ing more medical care, especially hai, while in Beijing the monthly Republic of China. It was not for women, and to extending magazine China Reconstructs by orders from above, but by opportunities for raising and published by the China Welfare the unceasing struggles of the training the new generation of Institute now appears in seven people seeking a better life for children with good health, languages to spread knowledge all, not just a small privileged strong bodies, active minds, high world-wide about the new China few, that this new nation came morality and rich culture, so and its new people. into being. that in their adulthood they No tribute to Soong Ching Her firnr,. open and fearless would and could guide their Ling would be complete without impLementation of the prin- country and further strengthen mentioning the most recent re- ciples she espoused brought and develop the social order of cognition she has received the crucial, dangerous and even their ideals. She wanted the granting of' her request- for potentially mortal enemy children in the present genera- membership in the Chinese threats against hern but she tion to grow into creative, Communist Party and her ap- never faltered. The well-being dependable and responsible pointment as Honorary kesi- of her country and her people adults, able to provide the high dent of the People's Republi.c of were always uppermost with quality of leadership needed to China. tr her. bring the Chinese people and Soong Ching Ling was a nation ever forward, and so to person of keen intelli,gence, provide inspiration the peo- to Taiitha Gerlach at Soong Ching unshakable in her loyalty to the ple in other parts of the world. Ling's memorial ceremony. basic principles guiding this new nation. A1ways she was f T has been my privilege to be alert to the new opportunities, r associated with organizations the new problems and com- set up and led. by Soong Ching plications, the new develop- Ling. Immediately after the all- ments to be taken into con- out Japanese military invasion sideration. She waS always of China on July 7, 1937, she seeking truth from facts. Ac- headed the China Defence cordingly the programs and the League. After the defeat projects she promoted inevita- of the Japanese, the China bly brought real benefits for the Defence League gradually de- people and for her country. veloped into the China Welfare But Soong Ching Ling's out- Institute of today with a look on life was not limited to program including a nursery, a her native country, China. She kindergarten, the 300-bed In- ever had in mind the suffering ternational Peace Maternity and and needs of the people in other Child Health Hospital, the
57 Under Her Leadership In the China Welfare Institute
CHEN WEIBO
T came to Shanghai from China Defence l,eague was re- munist Party. For future vic- I Shaanxi in the summer of named the China Welfare tory, she worked unsparingly. 1947 to work for the China Wel- Fund. Directed by Soong Ching The China Welfare Fund in- fare Eund led by Soong Ching Ling, it continued to provide stituted its children's service in Ling. On August 20 that year, substantial assistance in the Shanghai in 1947 while that city I met her for the first time in form of medicine, medical was still controlled by the KMT the Fund's office, an ordinary equipment and other supplies to reactionaries and its people suf- room of less than 20 square me- the liberated areas, mainly fered from their misrule. Three ters into which four desks had through the underground trans- children's centers and a chil- been crammed. I felt a little port network operated by the dren's drama group were set up. tense as I was introduced to Chinese Communist Party. She I headed one of these centers. "Madame" (as the comrades in placed her hopes for the peo- We got students to teach dozens the office respectfully addressed ple's liberation and the creation of literacy classes organized for her). After all, she was a well- of new China on the revolution- children who could not afford known figure in China and ary struggles led by the Com- schooling. The "Iittle teachers" abroad. "GIad to have you work with us," sho said, standing up to Soong Chins Ling at the 25th anniversary of lhe founcling of the China Welfare Institute on June f5, 1963. Also present at the celebration were shake hands with me. Her clear Zhou Enlai (sixth left), Zhu De (fourth right) and Dong Biwu (third right). voice, kind manner, and re- strained but cordial smile soon put me at my ease, and I took a closer look at this f ar-f amed woman patriot anci interna- tionalist. Gentle, soft-spoken. and looking younger than her years, she was dressed simply but with dignity. Here, in this small office, she kept in touch with all the liberated areas in China and many countries and regions abroad. From then oD, I worked under her direction for more than 30 years, Her style of work and enthusiasm for the revolution stemmed from her strong. love for China and the Chinese people.
The CWF in Shanghai . In 1946, when the Liberation War (1946-1949) broke out, the
CHEN WEIBO is Assistant Seere- tary-General of the China Welfare Institute and a member of the Na- tional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consuttative Con- ference.
58 spread revolutionary ideas, taught revolutionary songs and folk dances, in line with Soong Ching Ling's instructions that the children's centers were not ody to bring relief and care to the poor and the sick, but pro- vide children with nourishment for the mind, and educate them so that they would see the fu- ture and realize that their strength lay in unity. Soong Ching Ling often came to the chi-ldren's centers to read books and tell stories to the children and to encourage the "Iittle teachers" to serve their com- panions well, and work in fu- ture to build a new China. She liked to watch performances by the children's theater, sitting among the chiidren and sharing Soong Ching Ling aDd children of the China lvelfare Institufe kindergarten on Children's Day, 1958. their feelings. As chairman of the China Weifare Fund, she was modest altogether in those days) to Iittle and never made long and easy of approach. She en- freely voice his or her opinions. orations what she said was al- couragd every member of her To these she listened attentive- ways precise and convincing. staff (there were about a dozen ly, Although she herself spoke She stood for a democratic style of work, but also paid attention to efficiency. She shunned ostentation and publicity. In 1978 we planned to publish a booklet to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the China Welfare Institute (including its predecessors, the CWF and CDL). At first we chose a portrait of her, then a photo of her working in the office for the front page. Main- taining that both gave her too much prominence, she asked that they be changed. FinallY we suggested a photo of her standing among children, to which she agreed. She had high reputation abroad for her simple way of life, and for seeing that everY dollar and all relief goods reached people who needed them. Therefore, foreign relief organizations and Patriotic overseas Chinese entrusted to her care huge amounts of funds and goods to help the Chinese revolution. Soong Ching Ling established a democratic and efficient work- ing style at the China Welfare Fund. She trusted and showed concern for us, and we who
59 and China Recorustructs - were fVfHEN the fortierh anruver- set up, W sary of the lounding of the )V. In the years before her heaLth China Welfare Institute was -t" & deteriorated, she would often celebrated in May 1g?8, the poet 'i /'t -tt come to visit our projects. She Zhao Puchu dedicated to Soong 't took great pleasure in seeing Ching poem. t Ling a whose first :. -3- 1,L the new-born babies in the Lines were: ,, ti ,/"4 G- ,*, hospital, or visiting the nursery Looking back forty years, I ls, ;t and kindergarten b* to inspect Many were the stirring &'e the children's f ood and state events, of health. .ttq w She often sent Flames of wrath flaring over them candy and fruit. She our land b 4g- ; Iiked to take part in the When we resisted Japanese *a activities at the Children's PaI- attack '4. ace, and three times :q,rote in- Magnificently then, Soong rL scriptions for the latter. She ad- Ching Ling a^ vised the children there to learn Made public her gallant how to work and how to serve manifesto, the p'eople just Written for th€ magazine "Children,s instead of seek- Unfolding the banner of the Epoch" on May 16, 1954. ing a good time. China Defence League, ChiIdren, Soong Ching Ling gave spe- Evoking a world-wide re- Keep fit, study hard, Iove phys- cial attention to the first group ical labor. Then you will be able strrcnse. of actors and actresses of the to builtl and defend the country. 'Children's The history of the China De- Soong Ching Ling Art Theater, most of fence whom had League founded in 1938, either been very which after 1945 was re-named poor or lost their parents be- the China Welfare Fund, has worked under her in turn learn- fore liberation. She took a di- been told elsewhere. After the ed better how to serve the rect interest in the editing and proclamation of the People's people. printing of the magazines, Chil- Republic of China, it became the dren's Epoch and China Recon- Chirra Welfare Institute, which China Welfare Institute structs, often writing articles this great woman continued to for them. Its mission of fund-raising head and which publishes Ch.ina completed with the founding of Reconstructs. Role, Heritage the People's Republic of China, Quality, I recall with a feeling of close the China Welfare Fund was re- Working with her, I was im- bond the 1930's when I first organized by Soong Ching Ling pressed by her qualities as a knew Soong Ching Ling, who as the China Welfare Institute, staunch revolutionary fighter. had been fighting Since her and its work brought into the She had courageously broken early youth for the inde- orbit of state planning. To- with the KMT reactionaries who pendence of her beloved gether with Premier Zhou Enlai, betrayed the Chinese people and motherland, for the freedom of she worked out principles for their cause, and stood on the the Chinese people from in- pilot projects for mother-and- side of the Chinese Communist ternal and external oppressors, child health care and school Party. In defiance of all oppo- for a broad world-wide united education on the basis of the sition, she devoted her Iife to front against Fascism, for in- undertakings. original the Chinese democratic revolu- ternational. understanding and In 1953 she initiated China's tion, and to socialist revolution support of her people's first children's palace in Shang- construction. and From her heroic struggle. At that time, hai, combining in it the educa- special position, she played a under the leadership the tional work once done by the unique role in China's revolu- of three children's centers. The tionary history. Communist Party of China, children's health was trade unionists in the cities or- service Born herself in a rich family, ganized taken over by the International she disdained power and huge demonstrations peasants Peace Maternity and Child wealth. She lived simply and and rose in arms. Health Hospital established in frugally all her life, and never They and all other progressives the same year with money from put away any money for her- - students, writers, intellec- the Stalin Peace Prize awarded self. But she has left a wealth tuals, scientists - were subject- to Soong Ching Ling in 1951. of things we can learn from. ed to ferocious persecution. The children's theater devel- She had no children of her The many activities of Soong oped into the Children's Art own, but with great love took Theater. In addition, a nursery under her wing all the children TRUDY ROSENBF,RG, who begen to work with Soong Ching Ling in and a kindergarten, and two in China, She was their dearest the 1930's and remaineil her friend magazines - Child,ren's Epoclt, grandmother. tr for decades, now lives in Beijing. 60 wonderful changes are taking She Is U nforgettable place, and one cannot help but derive great satisfaction from the rapid progress every TRUDY ROSENBERG in direction the people are mak- ing, under the correct leader- Ching Ling in this period were in the second half of the 1940's, ship. . .. So be prepared for so varied and touched on so in the period of the Liberation happy surprises in every field many people and fields that War, I helped her to maintain a of endeavor." She hoped old new details are only now com- number of contacts. international friends would re- ing to light. She worked night Once, to give only one in- turn to China to help build and day unceasingly for the stance, Soong Ching Ling socialism. In 1960 I received a cause revolution, - of the for the our "Suzi" as we used to call letter from her saying "I shall fight against fascist aggression her during the wartime and be very glad to welcome you for the world over, for aid to the afterwards asked me if I a visit to see the vast changes areas liberated by the Chinese - would be ready to have a young that have taken place in this Red Army and its succes- woman live with me, and to 'rast motherland of mine, of sors the Eighth Route and - care for her for some time. ours." The word "ours" conveys New Fourth Armies and finally I did not know who she was, but her warm feelings for China's the Chinese People's Liberation understood that she was under friends and her international Army and for aid to the Chi- - the threat of political by spirit. nese population which suppo,rt- arrest the Kuomintang reactionaries. So much more can be said ed them and to the cpen and about great Never will I forget how, on her and what a underground progressive move- force she was May Day of that year, we in making friends ments in reactionary-ruled abroad covered the walls of our flat understand China areas. AII this and much more better. she facing constant danger. with red paper posters to did, Now she is no longer among celebrate the working peoples' us. For the Chinese people, for MNG in a city such as festival and had as our only T her countless loyal friends in u Shanghai was then, being visitor Soong Ching Ling. - all lands, this woman, with all witnesses of the utter misery The most meaningful May she stood f or, remains un- of the country and the ever- Day I ever had was spent with forgettable tr increasing resistance to exploi- this great, warm-hearted, tation, oppression and occupa- intelligent, energetic and tion by aggressors, many men beautiful woman and with that Trudy Roscnberg at Soong Ching Ling's memorial ceremony. and women of good will, foreign young girl whom, after she as well as Chinese, responded moved elsewhere, to my regret enthusiastically to her ardent I did not rneet again. calls for international solidar- ity" for mutual understanding q OONG CHING LING never in a peaceful world free from \-'' failed to remember her hunger and starvation. At friends, especially those who various times, these foreign had cooperated with her in the friends included some who had years of hard struggle; she fought for the Spanish Republic never failed to keep her friends or were refugees from Nazism. abroad informed of the vast Some helped in Shanghai, others changes and the progress which went to the liberated areas to had taken place in China. give medical and other assis- Typical comments are in tance. letters I received from her over I was one of those who the many years I spent later volunteered to do whatever I outside China. On April 18, could. In the 1930's and again 1958, she wrote: "So many
6r AdvanGer of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Gause
QU WU
A S a young student I met Dr. for Beijing with Soong Ching companied my father-in-law Yu fI 5un Yat-sen four times. Ling. They arrived in Tianjin on Youren in a call on him at his During the May 4th Movernent December 4. Then studying at residence at No. 5 Iron Lion in 1919, I, as a representative Beijing University, I rushed to Lane, and I reported to him on from Shaanxi province, attend- see him. He appointed me as his my trip to Shaanxi. That was ed the first national conference personal representative to go to the last time I saw him. of student representatives heid Shaanxi to publicize his pro- It was at this meeting with in Shanghai, where I met him posals for convening a national Dr. Sun Yat-sen that I came to twice. congress and bringing the south know Soong Ching Ling. She In November 7924, Sun, in and north together peac.efullY waS at Dr. Sun's bedside attend- spite of illness, Ieft Guangzhou as stated in his declaration be- ing him with meticulous care. fore going to the north. She saw us to the door and QU WU is a member of the S$a.nil- in tears ing Committee of the Chinese Peo- When I returned to Beijing clasped our hands with ple's Political Consultative Con- late February 1925 after two glistening in her eyes. Her face ference and a Vice-Chairman of the months of rushing about in revealed her enormous anxietY. Central Commiitee of ihe Revolu- of mine with her tionary Committee of the Chinese Xi'an and other places, I found This encounter Kuomintang. Dr. Sun confined to bed, I ac- left an unforgettable impression.
August 1916: Dr, Sun Yat-sen (thlril from teft) and ttis u,ife Soong Ching Ling (seconrl from lefi) with veteran members of the Chinese Revolutionary League in ltrangzhou.
62 T N 1927 Chiang Kai-shek I and Wang Jingwei turned against the revolution, breaking the revolutionary united front and creating a split between the Kuomintang and the Com- munist Party. The great revolu- tion failed and the whole country was enveloped in White Terror. Soong Ching Ling ex- pressed tre.rnendous indignation over this be[rayal and issued many statements denouncing Chiang and Wang as traitors to Dr. Sun Yat-sen's cause and enemies of the national revolu- tion and of the people. Taking a clear-cut stand, she broke with them. In late August 1927, main- taining an unswerving faith in the revolution, she determinedly left China for the Soviet Union. By doing so, shs showed her will to carry on Dr. Sun's three major policies and protested against the reactionaries headed by Chiang and Wang. At that time I u'as studying at Sun Yat-sen University in l9Z9: Soong Ohing Ling and daughter-in-Iaw Chen Shuying in Beiping's Moscow. The day when Soong Fragrant Hills at a ceremony prior to the removal of Sun' Yat-sen's re- Ching Lrng arrived we students mains to Nanjing for the state funeral and re-burial in the Mausoleum there. went exultantly to the rail- way station to welcome her, along with representatives from flaunting his banner to deceive in-law, Yu Youren, who had the various factories in Moscow the world. Her speech was been Chairman of the Executive and Chinese people residing in constantly interrupted by en- Yuan of the National Govenr- the Soviet Union. As her train thusiastic applause. ment in April 1949 on the eve of puffed toward the platform, we Fifty-four years have elapsed the liberation of Nanjing. At sent up a thunderous cheer. since then, but the vivid scene first he had intended to stay on of Soong Ching Ling lecturing the mainland but Iater he was at the Moscow Sun Yat-sen forced to go to Taiwan. He con- J met her twice during her stay University remains fresh in my tinued to think of the mainland r in Moseow. The first time I memory. From that time on, I and his relatives and friends went to ca]l on her at her resi- regarded her as a faithful suc- there. dence. She expressed grief and cessor and brave defender of Several years before he passed anger over the domestic situa- Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and drew away he wrote these lines full tion following the failure of the strength from her example. of feeling: "The trees at Dr. Sun Great Revolution but she was Yat-sen's Mausoleum grow full of confidence in the future A I"TER the founding of the older year by year; I, Yu, who of the revolution, The second fL Psspls's Republic of China once paid respects to Dr. Sun at time was at the lecture she gave I was in frequent contact with his tomb, am now capped with at Sun Yat-sen University. She Soong Ching Lirg, especially grey hair." Soong Ching Ling urged us students in the during the period when I was felt very sorry foi Mr. Yu. It university named for her hus- Vice-Director of the Chinese was Dr. Sun Yat-sen's behest to band to keep in mind for ever People's Association for Cultural unify the motherland so it was Dr. Sun's last words and adhere Relations with Foreign Cou,n- the aim of Soong Ching Ling's to the new Three People's Prin- tries. I often accompanied struggle. She was deeply con- ciples and the three great poli- foreign guests to call on her at cerned about the need for cies. Speaking of the political her Shanghai residence. Taiwan's return to the mother- situation at home, she sternly Sometimes we recalled the land. She was the most faithful repudiated those who had past and people we had known" follower of the behest of Dr. betrayed Dr. Sun but were still Once we talked about my father- Sun Yat-sen. tr
63 llefending the People's Rights
SHI LIANG
I came to know Comrade Xun and Yang Xingfo. It made of the patriotic and democratic r Soong Ching Ling early in me realize that a worker in the movement. the 1930s when I was just start- field of law must take the pro- After Chiang Kai-shek be- ing out as a lawyer in Shanghai. tection of the people's rights as trayed the revolufion in 1927, I was deeply influenced by his or her own task and defend Soong Ching Ling took a the China League for Civil the freedom of assembly. clear-cut stand on the side Rights, which she sponsored speech, press and association. of the people. And in those together with Cai Yuanpei, Lu This plunged me into the ranks long years of u'hite terror, she resolutely supported the pcllit- ical stand of the Chinese Com- September 1949: Soong Chirig Ling with some of the other women delegates attending the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Con- munist Party and did what she sultative Conference in Beijing. Front row from left: He Xiangning, could to aid and provide cover Soong Ching Ling, Deng Yingchao and Shi Liang. Second row from left: for Chinese Communists. She Luo Shuzhang, Cai Chang anrl Ding Ling. Back row from left: Li Dequan, Xu Guangping, Zhang Xiaomei and Zeng Xianzhi. repeatedly taught me that I, as a law;rer, should do more to defend revolutionaries and pro-- gressives, uphold justice and protect revolutionary forces.
For Human Rights I remember one day in May. r 1933, I received a letter from a progressive activist named Shi Yi, asking me to defend him in court. He was being held in a police station in the French concession in Shanghai pending extradition to Nanjing, where he had been accused of political offenses by the Kuomintang government. My teachers and I represented him and got the French court to rule that he was not to be extradited. H SHI LIANG is a Vice-Chairman of the Standing Cornmiitee of the Na- tional People's Cougress and Ohair- man of the China Democratic League. 64 save him. Whenever I think of Comrade Deng, my heart. be- comes leaden. From then on, as entrusted by Comrade Soong Ching Ling, I defended other political prisoners and rescued sorne progressive comrades. Soong Ching Ling sponsored the China League for Civil Rights in Shanghai in December 1932 and herself gave leadership to the movement. That's why we lawyers succeeded in protect- ing some of these comrades. The human rights movement she led was a powerful support. Her political far-sightedness helped me to enhance my own under- standing of the Chinese Com- munist Partf. For National Salvation After the Japanese imperial- ists seized China's northeast in 1931 and unleashed a military attack on Shanghai in 1932 the Soong Ching Ling (center) with Shi Liang (left) and IIe Xiangning at the Kuomintang government pur- 2nil session of the Znd National People's Congress in April, 1960. sued a policy of non-resistance and the fate of the Chinese a lockup under the higher court ment, saying, ,,If love the nation was at stake. Peop1e to ilr the city of Suzhou. country throughout country were I was constitutes a crime, we the imprisoned in a women's ward indignant. and want to be punished together On May 31 on June L, 1936, a meeting in Siqian Street. This incident with Shen Junru and the created a furore throughout the others; if it is not a crime, we Shanghai established the AII- country. China Federation of Na- want to share freedom with tional Salvation Associatibns, . them." Early in July 1937 a She Volunteered for Prison people and Soong Ching Ling was dozen from the National elected a member of its execu- On the fourth day after the Salvation Associations, led by tive committee. She was at all arrests, Soong Ching Ling, speak- Soong Ching Ling, went to times a staunch supporter of the ing as a *"-b", of ori f*".r- Suzhou and asked the higher National Salvation Associations, tive Committee, issued a solemn court to imprison them as well. whose aims were to unite all and principled press statement When they amived in Suzhou, patriotic forces, seek unity on pointing out that the charges they asked to see the president the principles arrd strategy for against us were groundless. of the court, who made an ex- saving the nation, safeguard ,,Seven leaders of the National cuse and sent an associate to China's territorial integrity and Salvation Associations have receive them. But their strong strive for national liberation. been arrested," she said, "but protest brought the president year out to meet them. He, having In less than half a they there are'still 4Zb miltion Chi- 'put launched a nationwide mass nese people, whose patriotic no counter-argument to movement of profound signifi- wrath and righteous indignation forward, hemmed and hawed: cance. cannot be suppressed. Let the "It is too hot in Suzhou. You'd As the patriotic movement Japanese militarists beware! better return to Shanghai early against Japanese aggression They may cause the arrests of and rest!" Soong Ching Ling gathered force, the Kuomintang seven leaders, but they must cut him short sternly: "We reactionaries cracked down on still reckon with the Chinese haven't come to Suzhou to it. Late on the night of Nov. people!" enjoy the breeze, but to volun- 22, 1936, they arrested seven In order to rescue us from tarily enter prison." After a leaders of the National Salva- jail, she initiated a "go to long confrontation the court tion Associations Shen Junru, prison to save the nation" was forced td grant Soong Zhang Naiqi, Zou- Taofen, Li movement. People everywhere Ching Ling and the others per- Gongpu, Sha Qianli, Wang Zao made statements and passed re- mission to visit the seven in jail shi and me put in - and us solutions in support of the move- and see how we lived. 65 Their visit brought tears to my eyes. Soong Ching Ling and I embraced each other tightly. She brought me some fruit and food and repeatedly , told me that I mustn't feel sorry for myself. She said that the fate of the nation was at stake, it was no crime to resist Japan, the people of the whole nation supported us and that we were sure to win our freedom. In and After the War Soon, the f ull-scale War of Resistance to Japan broke out and great changes took place in the domestic political situation. As Soong Ching Ling cam- paigned busily for our release, the "go to prison to save the nation" movement came into nationwide prominence, and the Kuornintang government re- leased us on July 31, 1937. T N 1938. represenling the Na- r tional Salvation Associations, I took part in the meetirrg of the January 1932: With Cai Tingkai, comma,nder of the l9th Women's Advisory Committee Route Army, Soong Ching Ling visits a battlefield near held on Mount The Shanghai during that a,rmy's resistance to the Japaneso Lushan. invasion of the eity. committee was a united front one, including women from all walks of life. It had been stop their government from and shows love for the PeoPle founded after the opening of giving military aid to the Kuo- and seeks happiness for them." the period of the second Kuo- mintang, and stood for the im- Soon, Soong Ching Ling was mintang-Communist co-opera- mediate organization of a coali- elected vice-chairman of the tion and its purpose was to tion government. It must be a Central People's Gover.nment in mobilize women to join the real coalition government, she which I was appointed to be resistance and to protect the in- argued, not one formed by re- Minister of Justice. She lived in terests of women and children. presentatives of the Kuomin- Shanghai then, but we met Many progressive womea like tang alone. This coincided with whenever she came to Beijing' Deng Yingchao, Shen Zijiu and the political aim of the China Always concerned for women Liu Qingyang, took part in the Democratic l,eague in which I and children, she founded and work of the Women's Advisory vrorked at that time. headed the China Welfare Committee. Soong Ching Institute. Once she told me: Ling After the Libetation gave it warm praise and support "In the past, you defended to its work. In 1942 in her Throughout her lifetime, rnany cases involving Com- article "The Chinese Women's Soong Ching Ling had faith in munist Party members and Fight for Freedorn", she intro- the majority of the people and other progressives. Now the duced the committee's work always stood together with country is liberated and to the whole country. them. When I went to see her great changes have taken The struggle within the com- in Shanghai on the day after the place in the status of women, mittee was acute. But, influenced, liberation of that city in 1949, but, due to the influence supported, and promoted by she grasped my hands and told of the feudal system and Soong Ching Ling, Deng Ying- me joyfully: "It is good to be feudal ideas that have Persisted chao and others, it played its liberated. I predicted the defeat for thousands of years, the Posi- due role in the great struggle of the Kuomintang, because it tion of women needs to be for national liberation. adopted a hostile attitude further improved. In your legal After the victory in the Anti- towards the people, opposed and work, you must pay more atten- Japanese War, Soong Ching oppressed them. The victory of tion to the protection of the Ling opposed civil war, appeal- the Communist Party is natural interests of women and childrecl ed to the American people to because the Party represents and speak for them," D 66 Freed wlth Soong Ching Iing's Aid XU DEHENG the early 1930s I was teach- my country I'm ready to stay jailed rf,N in and freeing revolution- ing at Beijing University. jail forever. But I am not guilty aries. Among those whose re- After the Japanese invasion of of any crime. So the government lease the league won, by provid- China's northeast in September owes me an apology." ing defense lawyers, were Liao 1931 came a big student move- Word got around that the stu- Chengzhi, Chen Geng, later the ment to resist Japan and save dents of the two universities Chief Commander of Taiyue the nation. In the autumn of were planning to go on strike. military area of the Eighth Route 1932, Chiang Kai-shek set up the Zhang Xueliang, known as the Army, the woman writer Ding Third Gendarme Regiment un- "Young Marshal" controlled the der his nephew Chiang Xiao- Ling and the foreign Noulens city at the time. Previously he xian and sent to Beiping (as couple. it had sided with Chiang Kai-shek. Beijing was then called) to put In statements But now he was turning and writings down the patriotic students and against Soong Ching him for pas"sively accepting Ling sternly ex- teachers. In December, I was the posed Chiang's reign of Japanese invasion of his home terror, arrested and put in the regi- his gross violation jail, base in northeast China. Zhang of human ment's own together with rights, and the massacre of rev- professors Zhemin the also feared that the situation Ma of olutionaries by his secret agents. Beiping Normal University and would get out of hand if the In 1933 these agents assas- Hou Wailu of Beijing Universi- students went on strike. So he sinated Yang Xingfo. ty's School of Business Law. ordered my r:elease. Their aim was When my wife found where Soon after I got out of prison, to intimidate Soong Ching we were and gave the news to Yang Xingfo asked me to join Ling and Cai Yuanpei. the newspapers it aroused a the China League for Civil Soong Ching Ling, in re- storm of protest in the univer- Rights, and I did, immediately. sponse, issued a public state- sities and among the public. We A Beiping branch was set up ment saying, "We cannot be in- got messages of support from all and I was elected to its nine- timidated. On the contrary, the over the country. On December member executive committee. penalty Yang Quan (Yang Xing- 16, Soong Ching Ling, Cai Yuan- fo) paid for his love of liberty pei, one of China's most out- I-| URING those dark years inspires us to fight with greater standing educationists and head JJ $eepg Ching Ling devoted resolution until we achieve our of the Acatlemia Siroico, and herself to defending civil rights aim." tr Yang Xingfo, secretary-general of that institution, who were founders of the China League February 1924: Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ching Ling (fourth and third from left, front row) at a memorial ceremony for fenin in Guangzhou. for Civil Rights and, respec- tively, its chairman, vice-chair- man and secretary-general, sent a telegram to the Kuomintang government pro- tmting its violation of law and human rights and demand- ing that we and other teach- ers and students be released. The very day Yang Xingfo arived in Beiping he came with my wife to visit me in prison. "We are taking part in a pat- riotic movement," I said. ,,The government doesn't fight the enemy but persecutes us pat- riots. If I am guilty of love for XU DEHENG is a Vice-Chairman of !h" National People,s Congress Standing Committee and Chalrman oI the Jiu San Society, one of the democratic parties. 67 lleuotion to Wolnen and Ghlldren KANG KEQING River near my home in Jiangxi \YfAY back in 1913 when v#il'Jff," fll5.-Til: province. I wanted verY much YY Soong Ching Ling was Soong Ching Ling. One that to join this army" The storY studying in the U.S., she wrote circulated in 1926, when the turned out not to be true. But an essay entitled "Modern revolutionary Northern Expedi- it was an indication of how the Chinese Women". She main- tion was surging ahead against people placed their hoPes in tained that in order to improve th.e warlords, was that she her. the position of half of the would lead an army of women After liberation in 1949 I had human population, that of the soldiers across the Ganjiang the chance to do women's and other half had to be improved child-care work under her lead- too. During the Northern Ex- KANG KEQING is a member of the Standing Committee of ihe National ership. I learned much from pedition of 1925-27 she called on People's Con8iress, Chairman o{ the her. The better I got to know the women of China to be active All-China Women's Federation' anil her, the more mY resPect and revolution. Vice-Chairman of the National Com- in the national mittee in Defence of Chililren. admiration for her grew. Women were part of the nation, she pointed out, and so women's liberation was part of its revo- lution. In order to win freedom and equality for the whole Chi- nese nation, uromen should join it too. Her call won a wide response among women at that time. In spring 1949, at the First National Women's Congress of China held on the eve of the Iiberation of the whole countr5I, Comrade Soong Ching Litg was elected Honorary ChAir- man of the AII-China Wombn's Federation. At subsequent na- tional women's congresses she encouraged Chinese women to constantly raise their socialist consciousness, overcome the shortcomings and weaknesses the old society had left them with, and take an active Part in building up the countrY. In l9?8, desptte her age she at- tended the Fourth National Women's Congress, and Pledged to work hard with other dele- gates to build China into a strong, modern socialist Soong Chiug Ling with Yi natio4ality peasant women in Kunming, 1955. country. 08,. Children was established, Soong Ching Ling'was elected its chairman. She donated the royalties for her book The Struggle for Neu China to ttre committee as a fund for chil- dren's welfare. In spring 1979, ignoring her poor health, she at- tended the annual meeting of the committee. There she made an important speech, stressing that everyone should share the re- sponsibility of caring for the children, and extended her cordial greetings to the child- care workers in Taiwan. "We are very concerned about the children in Taiwan," she said. "We must work hard for the early return of Taiwan and the Soong Ching Ling acc€pts honorary doctorate lrom the Universily ol Yicio- unification of our motherland." ria, May, 1981, Kang I(eqing presents her with a bouquet. tr TFHROUGHOUT her life Soong Soong Ohing Ling at the celebration of the 70th anniversary of International I Ching Ling worked in the Women's Day sponsored by the All-China Women's Federation on March 8, interest of children. During the 1980. anti-Japanese war, we in the qw Yan'an area had to look after !.& the children of revolutionaries who had been killed; or who were away fighting in the peo- ple's army. Conditions were very hard, and we were often short of medicines and other sup plies. Soong Ching Ling man- aged to get medicines and materials through the enemy's blockade for the children in the liberated areas. After the founding of the new China, the China Welfare Institute, with Soong Ching Ling as its chairman, set up, among its many subsidiary units, the Children's Art Theatre, a children's library, a nursery and kindergarten, the Shanghai Children's Palace and the magazine Chililren's Epoch, much loved by young readers. In 1951, when Soong Ching Ling received the Stalin In- ternational Peace Prize, she used the money to build the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospitai in Shanghai. In 1951, when the National Committee in Defence of Help As Timely As Coal in Midwinter SHEN QIZHEN T\URING Chiaa's war against large quantities of medicines, contact. I carried a letter typed IJ J"p".r.se aggression (1937- instruments, blankets and other by Agnes Smedley sewn into 45) I headed the medical service hospital needs. my coat, and some reels of home of the New Fourth Army, oper- Since we fought incessantly, movie film I myself had shot, ating along the lower Chang- our casualties were heavy. In recording life and medical work jiang (Yangtze) River. Like the many cases, we doctors had to rn our army. Eighth Route Army in the north, work with makeshifts, such as In Shanghai, only the In- it was a successor to the old instrurnents of bamboo. Bbsides ternational Settlement was not Chinese Red Army, and fought the troops, the local people yet under Japanese occupation. largely on the most perilous Iooked to us for treatment when There, after avoiding the sur- fronts, in the rear of the enemy. ill. This made our need for rounding enemy, I made myself But Chiang Kai-shek, who was supplies all the greater. known to sympathetic Ameri- opposing the foreign invaders in In 1938, Agnes Smedley. the cans like Talitha Gerlach, then name only while in fact trying to American progressive writer, volunteer secretary of the China bring about the destruction of spent some months with our Defence League group in all Communist-Ied forces, kept New Fourth Army. She sug- Shanghai, (now of the China us short of pay and equipment, gested that we go for help to a Welfare Institute) to whom I patriots , including medical supplies. group of Chinese and gave the film for exhibition and However, through the China foreign friends in Shanghai, who John B. Powell, editor of the Defence League, headed by were working with Soong Ching anti-Japanese China Weeklg Soong Ching L,ing, we received Ling and the China Defence Reuietu, as well as other well- League. General Ye Ting, who wishers, Chinese, British and of commanded our army, sent me Dr. SHEN QIZHEN is now vice- other nationalities. president of the Chinese Acedemy oI secretly through the Japanese With the financial and other Medical Science. lines to Shanghai to make help of these friends, access was gained to the very considerable reserves of medical supplies in Shanghai, and their secret transport through the enemy :J lines was organized. TheY included X-ray equiPment, surgical instruments, a varietY of drugs including the new I remedy Prontosil, one of the most effective means of dealing with wound infections in those times. Also we moved in blank- ets and some educational supplies. In 1939 I made my waY with General Ye Ting himself to Hongkong, where we rnet Soong Ching Ling. She asked us to her apartment. She wore a dress of simple material, the strong black silk popular among the Guang- dong people. Her home was frugal without a cook, and she 1939: Soong Chins Ling in Hongkong with aD ambulance presented by had to invite one from the home Sir John Thornycroft. It was taken to Yan'an accompanied by James Ber- tcr tram of New Zealand, theD with the Chlna l)efence League, and medical of her brother, T.A, Soong, personnel including Dr. Hans Muller, who still works in China. l make some special dishes for 70 us. We talked about the situa- a declaration denouncing Chiang many married couples working tion at home and abroad and and demanding that he im- in our army they should have about our arrny's needs. Later mediately halt hostilities against birth-control devices so that she went with me and people Communist-led forces. The they should not have babies to working in the China Defence China Defence League gave worry about while they worked League, to pack a large volume publicity to the event world- and fought. With the British of supplies held ready for us wide. Soong Ching Ling was secretary of the China Defence in a warehouse We worked for eager to see someone from the League, I went to the Hongkong several days. Soon after General New Fourth Army to learn all birth control centre and obtained Ye and I returned to the army, the facts. General Chen Yi, the devices. all this material was delivered whom the Party had appointed Still later, when I followed through channels arranged in acting commander of the New Comrade Liu Shaoqi to Yan'an, Hongkong. "Aid as timely as Fourth Army, and Comrade Liu we saw Chairman Mao and coal to the snowbound", said Shaoqi, then its political reported to him the concern and our commanders and fighters. director, sent me again to help we had received from Soong praised In 1941, Chiang Kai-shek Hongkong to see her. Ching Ling. He her perfidiously ordered an attack "Do we still have strength very highly. Not only Soong Ching on our troops as they were after such heavy losses", was did Ling and China Defence moving across the Changiiang her first question. I gave her the League assist many resistance (Yangtze) to fight the Japanese. the message from Chen Yi and bases in the anti-Japanese war, This was the notorious "South Liu Shaoqi, that our army coulJ but she continued her laige-scale Anhui Incident'n, in which our stand, and there was no that help to our liberated areas headquarters was destroyed, areed to worry about the whole during the subsequent War of large numbers of our people situation the Central Com- Liberation. This aid had to be were killed, General Ting - Ye mittee and Chairman Mao were given even more secretly than was captured, and the entire still in Yan'an." before. Yet so abundant was cause of national resistance was ttAh, Yan'an. ," she said it that I remember that, in a imperiled by the threat of a and her face lighted up. She got shift of forces renewed our in the East all-out civil war. to work immediately assembling China military area alone, 500 Soong Ching Ling, with He new supplies for our medical men were needed to carry the Xiangning and other old as- service. And, I remember, she medical supplies she had been sociates of Sun Yat-sen. issued said to me that as there were instrumental in providing. D Fostercd by Her Goncern While Soong Ching Ling lag It happened in the autumn of the Red Cross Hospital the seriouslg ill, the postman d,eli- 1938 after the Japanese in- best in Guangzhou. When- I uered, at least a hundred" letters vaders oecupied Wuhan. To came to, the nurses on duty told a dag to her house, erpressi,ng rescue children from becoming appreciation me Madame Sun had asked and solici,tude. slaves of the Japanese, you them to try everything to save They came parts 'China from all of established a home for child me, "Child," they said, "if it anfl, many other courw refugees. Because both my hadn't been for Mother Sun, tries; they utere usritten peo- by parents were temibly ill, I was you'd have been gone already." ple aged,7 to ouer 90. Below are sent to the home at the age of Years later, a fe',l' of us who etcetpts' lrom four of th.ese 10. That September, we were all -the letters, peopile had studied well at chil- from she had transported to Guangzhou. On dren's home were 'helped as children: admitted to the way I caught a cold, which Jiaotong University. Today, I'm turned into acute pneumonia SECOND MOTHER, by a teacher at the Nanchang the time we arrived. On the Institute of Aeronautics. I do Now I'm already over fifty. second or the tldrd morning, I my best to train talented youths Though I've never really seen felt somebddy touching my for the four modeinizations. Xou, I think of you as my forehead. I heard a voice: "Why Thank you for giving me my mother; My natural mother hasn't this child been sent to second life. gave me my first life, and you hospital with such high fever?" KUANG YINGDONG gave me my setond. That evening, I was moved to Nanchang, Jiangxi province 7t very busy with her work anci I was too young to do it. Now my son is already the same age as I was when I took the picture with you. I ask him to wash his hair very often and cultivate good habits of personal hygiene. Thirty years have passed and I am now an English teaiher at the Beijing Industrial College. But I still preserve the books and toys you gave me. GUAN YIQIAN Beijing i 4"S ._ ' r ii6:w lr i ' '- ,. ii;*tL 1 HELPED TO BE A PAINTER ri. .. - I studied for manY Years with the painting group at the Shanghai Children's Palace run Soong Ching Ling gives personal guidance to [Vu Fan, then ageil ?, at a by the China Welfare Institute' literacy class run by the China Welfare Fund in 1947, I knew that you were very in- terested in the education of THE BOY IN Tm PICTURE Now I am an engineer, but I teen-agers. Now I teach Paint- ing in a middle school in Zheng- zhou and also write teaching materials for the citY's middle schools. My goal is to create a curriculum that will heIP our young people develop moraJ.IY, intellectually, physicaily and mary School. aesthetically goals I know At the'time, the Chidng Kai- ..WHEN You DID YOU WASH share. This is- what I can do to shek government was busy with YOUR HAIR?'' civil war and the life of the express my thanks for Your care people was bitter. While ap- When New China was found- and teaching. pealing for an end to the war, ed in 1949, I was only 3 years XU LUN you worked for the welfare of old, a pupil in the kindergarten Zhengzhou, Henan Province China's children, setting up run by the China Welfare In- three stations for the purpose in stitute. You often came to see Soong Ching Ling and 8-Year-old Shanghiai, one of which was w. You were so kind to us and Guan Yiqian in 1954. near our school. told us to do as our teachers The statiori put up two said and study hard. play- Quonset huts beside our I was fortunate to have a ground: one was used as a clinic chance in 1954 to accompany where we got free medical care, you on a trip to Qingdao, to the other as a reading room. and the Lushan mountains, Nanjing given to Each of us was a cup of Zekou my father. milk and a package of fried and with Throughout the you gave peanuts every day" You often trip me your love and care. During came to inspect the station's work. our stay in Nanjing, we had a Once, while I was in the read- picture taken together. ing room, you came and sat I remember that afterwards, you asked me how long it had beside me. You asked me about -Itd the picture I was looking at, and been since washed my hair, whether I could read the words and whether I could wash by under it. I replied that I knew myself. I realized that my hair some but not all of them. As must be very dirty because I you taught me the new words, hadn't washed it for. a long time. a foreigner took the photo. At the time my rnother was @ 72 Soong Ching I-ing feeding pigeons in her home. f I i r:t