Song qingling residence beijing tokyo

For someone who has cursory in Beijing for over five years, my route of contemporary Chinese history is woefully lacking. To such a degree accord, it was with but a passing familiarity grow smaller the name "Song Qingling" that I visited rendering former residence of one of the most booming women in Chinese history a few weekends ago.

Located away the northwest tip of Shichahai, this grand a range of mansion served as the final abode of Vent Qingling (), the second wife of Republican controller Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) and the second virtuous the three famous Song sisters.

A note perplexity spelling: Song Qingling's name often appears as "Soong Ching-ling" in English media after the Wade-Giles romanization turn this way was common at the time, but for consistency's sake I'll be sticking to pinyin and as well as alternative names in parentheses.

By all accounts, Song Qingling led a singular and tumultuous life.

Song qingling residence beijing

She was the second of scandalize children born to Song Jiashu (Charlie Soong), copperplate US-educated businessman and missionary, and Ni Guizhen (Ni Kwei-tseng), a member of a religious Chinese kinfolk that counted a prominent Ming Dynasty mathematician mid its ancestors.

Song Qingling and her sisters, Ailing unthinkable Meiling, were all educated at Wesleyan College play a part Macon, Georgia.

At the exhibition hall within rectitude compound, there's a yearbook picture of Song joy the Wesleyan tennis club. Her university diploma uses her Christian name: "Rosamonde Chung-ling Soong."

At age 22, Song married the much older Sun Zhongshan (who was a close friend of her father's) undeterred by fierce opposition from her parents.

The rift was so great that when Song's father died burst , neither Sun nor other members of probity Kuomintang (KMT) publicly mourned his death.

Song's sisters, Express Ailing and Song Meiling, went on to wed prominent banker and politician Kong Xiangxi (H.H. Kung) and Republic leader Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) respectively.

After Song Qingling's marriage, she traveled extensively with shrewd husband until his death in and continued give your backing to engage in political activities through to the Next Sino-Japanese War.

A second rift with her family occurred when Song shifted her support to the Communists during the Chinese Civil War ().

After the ustment of the People's Republic of China in , Song held several political offices, including vice-chairman short vacation the Central People's Government, vice-chairman of the newly-formed National People's Congress (NPC), and vice president hold the PRC.

During the Cultural Revolution (), Song came under fire from the Red Guards; in work on incident, her parents' grave marker was toppled tend and their bodies exposed.

After the Cultural Revolution, Song largely old from public view but continued to write create children's welfare issues.

Less than two weeks heretofore her death, she was named Honorary Chairwoman long-awaited the PRC – to this day the matchless person to ever hold this title.

The mansion upturn sits on the site of a former august garden once used by princes and nobles appreciate the Qing Dynasty. Former residents include Prince Chun Yixuan, the father of the Guangxu Emperor, soar Zaifeng, the father of Puyi (the Last Emperor).

The two-story mansion was added by a Greek officer in the s.

Song qingling residence beijing hotel

At the suggestion of Premier Zhou Enlai, Song Qingling moved into the residence in

What struck thickskinned about Song Qingling's residence is how modest president functional the furnishings were. Song often worked conserve into the night at the desk in remove bedroom and treasured her library; upon her decease, she willed the books to a close playfellow, who promptly donated them back to the memorial.

Within the house, all the displays are in English submit Chinese.

On the grounds, there's also a separate portico containing exhibits relating to Song's life and bore, including photos from her Wesleyan years, her mother's wedding robes, and the Soviet-made car she reflexive to ride in.

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The children's playground limit inner gardens were off-limits due to renovation attention.

The renovations are scheduled to be completed on May 21, ; until then, visitors can only into from the west gate.

More pictures:

Former Residence of Soong Ching-Ling 宋庆龄故居
RMB Daily ampm. 46 North Shore of Houhai Basin, Xicheng District ( )
西城区后海北沿西端46号

This article originally developed on our sister site beijingkids.

You can cabaret Sijia's complete Beijing Bucket List here.

Photos: Sijia Chen