On October 23, 2003, in her Manhattan apartment in New York, USA, 106-year-old Song Meiling passed away quietly, which also marked the final curtain call of the legendary story of the three sisters of the Song family in modern Chinese history.
For most people, the three sisters of the Song family have started their own political careers since "4.12" in 1927, although they are from the same family, but with the course of history, they have embarked on completely different paths, and they have lived separately in their later years and have never met again.
In Song Meiling's childhood, she had the closest relationship with her second sister Qingling. Whether it is at home or during the study stage of Shanghai Chinese and Western Girls' School, the sisters live in the same room, caring for each other and having a deep relationship.
Later, they went to study in the United States together, although Qingling was introverted and Meiling was lively, but this did not affect the friendship between their sisters. Although the differences between the two sisters during their studies in the United States were not yet clear, their concern for their homeland and their enthusiasm for the revolution were already apparent.
During his stay in the United States, Ching Ling was worried about the situation of the motherland and the development of the revolution, and published many articles in the school magazine expressing his patriotic feelings, and his patriotic thoughts were gradually maturing.
When Soong Meiling went to the United States, she was still an innocent little girl, who knew nothing about the current situation in China, and her lifestyle, values and way of thinking were deeply influenced by American culture.
There is a story that is enough to show the affection between the two sisters. After Song Qingling returned to China after completing his studies, he became Sun Yat-sen's secretary and fell in love. However, most of the Song family is against this relationship, and only the younger sister Song Meiling, who is studying in the United States, supports the choice of the second sister.
She wrote: "To become Sun Yat-sen's wife, it takes more courage. This kind of understanding and support brought great relief to Song Qingling.
In June 1917, Song Meiling successfully completed her studies and returned to her motherland. At this time, her sister Song Qingling made a special trip from Guangzhou to Shanghai to visit her sister who had been separated for many years.
The Song siblings and their parents took a precious "family photo" together, in which Song Qingling and Song Meiling snuggled up to their parents tightly, smiling happily. However, the next thing that happened caused a rift in the relationship between the two sisters.
Chiang Kai-shek proposed to Soong Meiling, which made Soong Ching-ling very opposed. She thinks that Chiang Kai-shek already has his original wife Mao Fumei and concubine Chen Jieru in his hometown, as well as his son Chiang Ching-kuo, how can her sister marry such a person?
Although Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Fumei divorced, sent Chen Jieru abroad, and was willing to convert to **Christianity, Soong Qingling still resolutely opposed his sister marrying Chiang Kai-shek. Therefore, at the wedding of Song Meiling and Chiang Kai-shek, Song Qingling, as an older sister, did not attend, which was her resolute opposition to her sister's marriage.
Song Qingling opposed her sister's marriage in family affairs, but this did not affect her firmness in her political stance. When Chiang Kai-shek launched the "April 12 counter-revolutionary coup", frantically ** Communists, and openly confronted the people, Soong Ching-ling was deeply angry about this, and resolutely resigned from all posts in the Kuomintang and went abroad to find a new revolutionary road.
After Chiang Kai-shek's betrayal of the revolution, although Soong Ching-ling had feelings for her little sister, she did not let her personal feelings affect justice. She once said: "Meiling is very smart, but we are at odds with each other in terms of political positions.
When it comes to politics, our conversations often break up. Our differences stem from different understandings of ideas and beliefs. Soong Ching-ling's resolute anti-Chiang stance made Soong Meiling feel dissatisfied, and the relationship between the two sisters gradually drifted apart.
Soong Meiling was rummaging through Chiang Kai-shek's desk papers when she found an article titled "The Kuomintang is no longer a political force." This article made an in-depth analysis and criticism of the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek, and the signature was actually Soong Ching-ling.
This made Song Meiling question the position of the second sister. She remembered that Soong Ching-ling had been preparing for the New Party with Deng Yanda in Berlin, and that her second sister had been elected honorary president of the International Anti-Fascist Movement and the Anti-Imperialist Grand League, and she was disappointed by this.
After careful consideration, Song Meiling decided to write a letter to her second sister and invite her to come to Nanjing to talk together. However, just as she was engrossed in writing, Chiang Kai-shek suddenly came back and asked her what she was writing.
Write a letter to the second sister. "Write to her? It's useless! She is really incredible, she always treats our kindness as a donkey's liver and lungs, and she really can't do anything about her! Why was Chiang Kai-shek so sure?
Because before this, he had used tricks to win over Song Qingling. On June 1, 1929, the Kuomintang buried Sun Yat-sen's coffin in the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on the Purple Mountain in Nanjing.
For this reason, Chiang Kai-shek sent Song Ziliang of the Song family to Berlin with a huge sum of money to pick up Song Qingling to return to China to participate in this "Feng'an Ceremony".
Soong Ching-ling, seeing Chiang Kai-shek's intentions, issued a statement before leaving Germany, emphasizing that she had no connection with Nanjing**: "I am here to China to attend the ceremony of the removal of Mr. Sun Yat-sen's body to the Purple Mountain.
This is Mr. Sun's last wish......In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I am compelled to state that I adhere to the statement made in Wuhan on July 14, 1927, and no longer participate in the work of the Kuomintang, because the policies and actions of the Executive Committee are contrary to Mr. Sun's wishes, full of deception and hypocrisy, and in the final analysis, they are acting superficially, and in fact have other purposes. ”
After Song Ziliang saw the second sister's statement, he said to her: "Second sister, your insistence and indomitable character may cause trouble in the future. ”
Song Qingling smiled indifferently and said to the younger brother seriously: "I'm not afraid of losses, because the existence of the Song family is for China, not for the Song family." Do you understand what I mean? ”
Chiang Kai-shek thought that this meeting with Soong Ching-ling would win her over and fulfill Sun Yat-sen's last wish. However, Soong Ching-ling saw through his attempts and issued a public statement, much to the chagrin of Chiang Kai-shek.
Song Meiling also joined in and reprimanded the second sister for being "rotten wood that cannot be carved". Under Chiang Kai-shek's obstruction, Soong Meiling was ultimately unable to send the letter.
At a time when the Japanese invaded China continuously, the Song sisters faced a chance to make amends. After the outbreak of the Xi'an Incident, although Soong Ching-ling was very disgusted with Chiang Kai-shek, she put forward the idea of a peaceful settlement out of national righteousness, and made active efforts, which made Soong Meiling deeply admired.
When Chiang Kai-shek was detained in Xi'an by Zhang and Yang, Song Meiling was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, and even sent a telegram to the second sister regardless of face, asking the second sister to understand the attitude of Zhang, Yang and the CCP.
After receiving the telegram, Song Qingling immediately invited He Xiangning, and at the same time asked Sun Ke to arrange a special plane to prepare to go to Xi'an in person, hoping to resolve the "Xi'an Incident" through peaceful means.
Although Song Qingling failed to fly to Xi'an in the end, her resolute attitude still filled Song Meiling's heart with warmth. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the two sisters of the Song family finally abandoned their past grievances and jointly founded the "Chinese Women's Anti-Enemy Support Association", actively engaged in activities such as condolences to the soldiers of the Anti-Japanese War and assistance to the children affected by the disaster, and walked in the forefront of resisting Japan and saving the country.
They changed dressing for the wounded in the barracks, sewed clothes for the soldiers in the logistics office, comforted children in orphanages, patrolled the population in the air defense fortifications, and rescued ......civilians after air raidsThe two fought side by side greatly boosted the morale of the Chinese people, and they spent the most intimate time since separation.
After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, sisters Soong Ching Ling and Soong Meiling made different choices about China's future and destiny. Soong Ching-ling was resolutely opposed to the civil war and demanded that Chiang Kai-shek cooperate with the Communists;Soong Meiling supported Chiang Kai-shek in waging a civil war against the Communist Party and maintaining the rule of the Kuomintang.
With the Kuomintang losing ground in the War of Liberation, Soong Meiling flew to the United States on November 28, 1948, to seek American aid for the struggling Chiang Kai-shek.
This time, she never returned to the mainland. As early as four years ago, on July 9, 1944, the eldest sister of the Song family, Song Ailing, had left the mainland and flew to Brazil to suffer from her hives.
Two years later, she moved from Brazil to the United States, where she lived until her death in 1973. Since then, the three sisters have been separated and have never been reunited.
Although Song Meiling has different political views from her second sister, she is still thinking about her second sister who stayed in the mainland. On May 19, 1949, Song Meiling and her younger brother Song Ziliang jointly wrote a letter to their second sister Qingling in the United States, hoping that she would be safe and smooth.
However, the letter became the last link between them, as political differences eventually overwhelmed family affection. Although blood is thicker than water, differences in political affiliation make it impossible for them to be as close as they used to be.
Song Qingling's longing for her overseas relatives is moving. Since the 70s of the last century, she has begun to inquire about her relatives overseas through various channels. With her unremitting efforts, she successfully got in touch with her younger brother Song Zi'an's widow Hu Qiying and granddaughter Sun Suiying.
The will left by Song Zi'an before his death was to return the $600,000 inheritance left to Song Qingling after the death of his mother, Mrs. Ni, to Song Qingling. However, Song Qingling did not accept this inheritance in the end, but transferred it to Hu Qiying and Sun Suiying.
Song Qingling deeply felt the preciousness of brotherhood, she has always cherished Song Meiling's **, and tried to contact Song Meiling through Chen Xiangmei and Liao Chengzhi and others, hoping that she could go back to the mainland to see.
She imagined the scene of Song Meiling returning to the mainland more than once, and even considered some details of how to receive this sister. Song Qingling's actions reflect the importance she attaches to family affection and misses her relatives overseas.
Shen Cuizhen recalled that Song Qingling once said to her: "I miss Meiling ...... very muchIf Meiling comes and finds it inconvenient to live at home, you can arrange for her to live at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. ”
It's a pity that Song Meiling didn't understand the affection of the second sister, leaving Song Qingling with a lifetime of regrets. Decades later, Song Qingling asked his secretary Zhang Jue while walking: "Do you have brothers and sisters?" ”
Zhang Jue replied that he had many brothers and sisters, all of whom were in Beijing. After hearing this, Song Qingling sighed softly and said, "I, like you, are also three brothers and three sisters.
Your siblings are all around, and I can't communicate with them......Her eyes were full of sentimentality, and a few tears slipped from her eyes.
In April 1971, Song Ziwen died in the United States, causing global attention. In order to promote the relaxation of Sino-US relations, the United States invited three sisters, Soong Ching-ling in the mainland, Soong Mei-ling in Taiwan, and Soong Oi-ling overseas, to attend Soong Ziwen's funeral.
However, in the process of preparation, there were some twists and turns. China** said Soong Ching Ling would take a flight from London to New York to attend the funeral. At the same time, Song Meiling has also set off and is preparing to fly to the United States.
However, after flying to Hawaii, Soong Meiling received a telegram from Chiang Kai-shek instructing her not to travel to New York for the time being. After learning that Soong Ching-ling would also go to the United States, Soong Meiling was worried that this was "the mainland's ** trap", so she decided to cancel the trip and return to Taiwan.
On the eve of Song Ziwen's funeral, China** informed the United States that Soong Ching Ling could not attend the funeral because it was unable to charter a special plane. Among the Song brothers and sisters, only the second brother Song Ziliang said goodbye to his brother.
And this regret made the three Song sisters never have the opportunity to get together again. In the late seventies, Soong Ching Ling's health deteriorated day by day, she had a premonition that she was about to die, and her longing for Soong Meiling became more and more intense.
Once, she took out a ** and asked Sui Yongqing, the secretary of the guard: "Do you know this person?" Sui Yongqing replied that he didn't know. Song Qingling sighed softly and said, "This is my sister, and my third sister and I haven't seen each other for a long time. ”
In December 1980, Chen Xiangmei, who was entrusted by Mrs. Chennault, sent a letter full of longing and urgency to Soong Meiling in the United States.
After Song Meiling took the letter, although she briefly showed a sad expression, she quickly changed her calm expression and only said seven words: "Tell her, I know." ”
By early 1981, Soong Ching-ling's condition had deteriorated dramatically.
Relatives and friends are worried that Song Meiling will miss Song Qingling, who is seriously ill, and hope to take this opportunity to let her go back to the mainland to see her sister for the last time. However, after receiving the telegram, Song Meiling only replied with four words: "Send my sister to New York for treatment."
Family. Song Meiling's indifferent attitude made everyone disappointed, and they also understood that it was impossible for her to come back. Because she didn't even sign her name on the telegram, it shows that she is hard-hearted.
Sadly, on May 29, 1981, Song Qingling died of illness in Beijing, and Song Meiling learned the bad news on the same day.
She had sent a letter to Chiang Ching-kuo in Taipei, revealing to him information that Mrs. Sun was critically ill, but Soong Meiling did not respond to this. The appearance of this letter undoubtedly proves Song Meiling's ruthlessness.
In recent years, some people claim that Song Meiling was grief-stricken when she heard the news of Song Qingling's death, and wrote in her diary that "there is a period of loneliness, and a reunion can be waited......But I doubt it.
However, one thing is certain, Song Meiling did feel lonely after the death of her second sister. She once said to her nephew Song Zhonghu: "My sister is gone, my brother and brother are also gone, I don't know why God still let me stay in the world." ”
Song Meiling's life is full of regrets, does she really feel happy in the American life where she has no worries about food and clothing? Did she ever regret the loss of her loved ones?
And Song Qingling firmly believes that although there have been political differences between brothers and sisters, the family relationship that blood is thicker than water cannot be divided. Her story teaches us that family and politics can't be both.
Once, Song Qingling entertained foreign friends at a banquet and served a hot and sour soup. This soup is made up of tofu and chicken blood cut into thin strips, red and white, and dotted with a few slices of green coriander.
Soong Ching-ling told foreign friends with a smile and fluent English: "This dish called hot and sour soup was once used as a delicacy for Chiang Kai-shek to entertain *** during the negotiations in Chongqing. Because the chicken blood in the production process is red, and the tofu is white, some people call it'Kuomintang-Communist cooperation soup'。
I really appreciate the name. This is Soong Ching Ling's sincere and humorous expression, she sincerely hopes that the KMT and the CCP can cooperate again in order to better realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and she is also looking forward to reuniting with her sister Soong Meiling.
During her illness, Soong Ching Ling often recalled the past, especially when the three sisters met in Hong Kong in 1940, when they chatted in Shanghainese while shopping, as if they had returned to their girlhood.
It would be nice if that kind of fun could go on forever......