Song QinglingA close friend of the year, never married, and after his death, the urn was kissed by Song Qingling
In 1981, Li Yan'e, the nanny of Song Qingling's family, died of illness at the age of 70. On the day of Li Yan'e's funeral, Song Qingling personally held her urn, tears slipped down, and walked towards the cemetery.
At the last moment of the burial, Song Qingling kissed the urn affectionately, as if she had made a final farewell to Li Yan'e before parting in the world. Song Qingling is so affectionate to a maid and nanny of her own that many people who don't know the inside story are puzzled.
Song Qingling has a prominent background, Mrs. Sun Yat-sen, and is also the pearl of the Song chaebol. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, she held a number of important positions in the capital. In contrast, Li Yan'e is just an ordinary woman from a poor background, and her social status cannot be compared with Song Qingling, and she has only worked as a nanny and maid in Song Qingling's house in her life.
So, why did Song Qingling personally carry an urn for the funeral of his own servant, and the status gap between the two was so big?
Li Yan'e not only served as a maid in Soong Ching Ling's house, but also the closest sister in her life. Song Qingling never put pressure on Li Yan'e because of her status, but treated each other as equals and got along day and night.
Whenever Li Yan'e encountered difficulties, Song Qingling always reached out to help. Her generosity, kindness and cordial way of dealing with the world deeply touched Li Yan'e. In the following half century, Li Yan'e also repaid Song Qingling's kindness with her life, just like the mountains and seas.
Song Qingling and Li Yan'e established a deep friendship and spent 54 years together. After Li Yan'e divorced her husband when she was young, she never married, and she accompanied Song Qingling wholeheartedly until she died of illness in 1981.
How did two women with such a huge disparity in status develop such a deep friendship and stay with each other until the end of their lives? What kind of special experience happened between them to create such a wonderful fate?
Soong Ching Ling and Li Yan'e began with the Song chaebol family in Shanghai. Born in 1893, Soong Ching Ling enjoyed a privileged family environment from an early age, which provided a good foundation for her growth.
The young Soong Ching Ling had traveled to many countries in Europe and the United States, and was influenced by the advanced science and democratic ideas of the West, and the concepts of freedom and equality were deeply rooted in her heart.
After returning to China, she did not choose to marry the children of a rich family and enjoy the glory and wealth, but chose her own path.
In 1911, in a poor family in Zhongshan, Guangdong, Li Yan'e was born. Her family environment is difficult and the family is surrounded by walls. However, Li Yan'e was not discouraged by this.
On the contrary, with her strong will and unremitting efforts, she eventually became an important leader of the Chinese Democratic Republican Movement. In 1925, after her husband Sun Yat-sen died of illness, Li Yan'e took over her husband's last wish and continued to work for the early realization of a democratic republic in China.
The rewritten new copy retains the original core idea, that is, Li Yan'e, like Soong Ching-ling, took over her husband's last wish after his death and continued to fight for China's democratic and republican cause.
But the new copy changed the way the original text was expressed, using more positive language, emphasizing Li Yan'e's strong will and unremitting efforts, making her image more distinct.
In that era when patriarchal thinking was prevalent, Li Yan'e was sent by her father to her uncle's house far away. However, this new family became the beginning of her nightmare. His uncle was an alcoholic gambler, and after incurring a foreign debt, he decided to marry Li Yan'e to a ruffian hooligan who collected debts.
The titular husband punched and kicked her, often using violence to vent his unhappiness.
Li Yan'e has never felt the warmth of humanity since she was born, which makes her life full of despair. After a few months, she finally couldn't stand this inhuman life anymore and decided to flee.
With the help of her neighbors, she bought a ticket to Shanghai and prepared to leave the place that was causing her so much pain once and for all. Li Yan'e, who had just arrived in Shanghai, had nothing, but fortunately met a fellow countryman.
Li Yan'e's tragic experience made the fellow feel sympathetic, and after the introduction of the fellow, Li Yan'e came to the mansion of Soong Qingling in the French Concession. This fellow used to work as a domestic servant in the Song family, and she was convinced that the eldest lady of the Song family would treat Li Yan'e, a poor girl, kindly.
With apprehension, Li Yan'e accepted the job, and so, in that magnificent hall, Mrs. Soong Ching Ling met the weather-beaten Li Yan'e.
Looking at the girl with a melancholy face, Song Qingling felt pity, held Li Yan'e's hand full of cracks, and empathized with her misfortune. Song Qingling immediately decided to hire the poor girl and let her work in the mansion.
Li Yan'e was very surprised by Song Qingling's decision, she didn't expect that a rich daughter of a noble birth would be able to treat a humble ordinary person with such a tolerant and equal attitude.
All this deeply touched Li Yan'e, and she immediately expressed her willingness to use her life to repay Song Qingling's kindness.
In the following decades, Li Yan'e became Soong Ching Ling's personal maid, and she did her best to take care of Soong Ching Ling's daily life every day. Although she was only a maid in the family, Song Qingling had never been harsh on Li Yan'e, let alone had a temper with the eldest lady.
Song Qingling instead treated Li Yan'e as her friend, and never called her with the slanderous words of her subordinates, but habitually called Li Yan'e, who was more than ten years younger than herself, "Sister Li".
Since Li Yan'e walked into the Song family's mansion 54 years ago, she has been feeling unprecedented warmth under Song Qingling's care. She decided to repay the favor with her life.
However, just as her life was gradually improving, her "husband" came to her door again and harassed her and demanded money. When she had nothing to do, Song Qingling reached out again.
With the strong power of the Song family, she successfully got rid of the shackles with this "husband", and Li Yan'e no longer had to worry about anything. Song Qingling knows the details of Li Yan'e's life well, and when Li Yan'e is unwell, Song Qingling will ask her to suspend work and talk to herself.
On Li Yan'e's birthday, Song Qingling is also very concerned, and every time she will give her cakes and gifts, even if she is not at home, she will ask her family to help prepare them. Song Qingling's careful care deeply moved Li Yan'e, and even said that she was just a subordinate, and there was no need for the eldest lady to be so attentive to her.
Song Qingling firmly believes that everyone is equal and has no distinction between high and low, and her love for Li Yan'e is like treating her own flesh and blood. In order to protect Song Qingling, Li Yan'e has always stood firmly by her side.
In 1949, the general trend of the Kuomintang was gone, and internal strife continued. Chiang Kai-shek was suppressed by Li Zongren's Gui clique due to the unfavorable situation of the war and was forced to go into the wilderness.
On the north bank of the Yangtze River, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is ready to launch a campaign to cross the Yangtze River at any time. In order to realize the peace talks between the KMT and the CPC as soon as possible, Li Zongren personally came to Shanghai to meet Soong Ching-ling, hoping that she, as Mrs. Sun, could mediate with them.
However, Soong Ching-ling had become completely disillusioned with the Kuomintang, and she firmly believed that only the Communist Party could save China, so she resolutely rejected Li Zongren's invitation.
Chiang Kai-shek discovered that Soong Ching-ling was inclined to turn to the CCP, so he secretly sent spies to monitor her movements. However, the spies ignored Song Qingling's personal nanny Li Yan'e, who was not only Song Qingling's loyal assistant, but also a sister who shared life and death with her.
Li Yan'e was loyal to Song Qingling and informed her about the spy coming to the door. Therefore, Song Qingling trusted Li Yan'e more and regarded her as a reliable contact. The military commander's agents were outraged by Li Yan'e's non-cooperation and threatened that if she continued to do not cooperate, she would not be able to leave the French Concession.
The arrogance of the spies even spread to the point of threatening Li Yan'e's life, claiming that if they can't move Song Qingling, they will definitely be able to move her, a little subordinate.
In the face of life and death threats, Li Yan'e still did not waver, and used her life to protect Song Qingling's safety. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Song Qingling was invited to work and live in Beijing, and Li Yan'e, who was a good friend, naturally went to Beijing together.
When Song Qingling went out to work, Li Yan'e took care of the housework at home. Song Qingling's former residence can be so well preserved, thanks to Li Yan'e's persistence for decades.
After decades of companionship, Li Yan'e is familiar with Song Qingling's living habits, whether it is the temperature of hot water, the softness of towels, or even the placement of the copywriting desk, they all appear in Song Qingling's line of sight just right.
When things go wrong in life, the two will confide in each other and comfort each other. In this way, they spent half a century in ups and downs. During this period, Li Yan'e did not remarry, and she regarded Song Qingling as her relative without children and daughters.
The relationship between the two has long been very deep, and they firmly believe that only death can separate them.
Li Yan'e's sudden death made Song Qingling, who was more than ten years older than her, unable to accept it. In 1979, Li Yan'e was diagnosed with cervical cancer and was in serious condition. When Song Qingling heard the news, her heart was deeply shocked, but instead of being immersed in grief, she immediately arranged for Li Yan'e to be ** in the best hospital in Beijing.
Although Song Qingling is 86 years old, she will still find time to go to the hospital to care about Li Yan'e's ** situation and cheer her on.
Although her legs and feet were inconvenient, Song Qingling still insisted on maintaining her health and personally visited Li Yan'e who was sick. After the doctor's full efforts**, Li Yan'e's physical condition improved, and the two then went to a comfortable place on the outskirts of Beijing to recuperate.
Li Yan'e could no longer take care of Song Qingling's trivial matters, but she was very happy because she could finally chat with Song Qingling.
During this leisure time, the two spent time together, strolling in the sun, sitting on a park bench, watching the bits and pieces of the past fifty years, flashing through each other's minds like a movie.
Song Qingling told her not to divulge her illness to Li Yan'e, but she had actually guessed her condition. Feeling that time is running out, with Song Qingling at this moment, she feels the warmth of home, and she is also trying to recall, before leaving this world, she still wants to do something for Song Qingling, and these things have not yet been completed.
She remembered the official residence in Shanghai, where Song Qingling's bedroom still had some things to deal with, so she offered to go back and finish the work. However, her body was weakening and could not withstand the fatigue of such a journey.
By January 1981, Li Yan'e's cancer had spread throughout her body, and she was unable to get up or even speak. Song Qingling has always been unwilling and wants to send her to Beijing Hospital to try it again.
At the last moment of her life, Song Qingling held Li Yan'e's hand tightly and accompanied her through the last moment of her life.
Before Li Yan'e died, she used her last strength to say to Song Qingling: "Madam, I am about to leave, and the only thing I miss the most is you." Li Yan'e passed away with deep reluctance to Song Qingling at the age of 70.
On the day of Li Yan'e's funeral, Song Qingling, supported by the entourage, carried Li Yan'e's urn to the vicinity of the Song cemetery in Shanghai. At the time of the burial, Song Qingling was reluctant to put down the urn for a long time, she understood that when the loess lid was closed, it was the farewell of the two sisters.
Although her heart is full of sadness, she knows that this is the inevitability of life, and it is also the respect and remembrance of the deceased.
Song Qingling's heart was full of reluctance, hoping that this moment would come later. She kissed Li Yan'e's urn deeply, and expressed her thoughts with words of reluctance and goodbye.
After the death of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, Song Qingling and the brothers and sisters of the Song family gradually drifted apart due to differences in ideology, and only Li Yan'e was always by her side, becoming a warm sunshine in her life.
The appearance of Li Yan'e gave Song Qingling's lonely life a family-like warmth.
Originally, Song Qingling and Li Yan'e had an agreement, promising that the two would sleep together after their deaths and be by their side forever. However, only two months later, Song Qingling also passed away.
According to her will, everyone buried her and Li Yan'e together. Perhaps, is it that after Li Yan'e's death, Song Qingling's world lost its spiritual pillar, which made her follow so quickly?
Regardless, however, they eventually fulfilled their promise to each other and remained with each other after their deaths, which is a perfect example of the realization of their half-century-long sisterhood.
Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Mansion is undoubtedly one of the must-see attractions for every domestic and foreign tourist who comes to Shanghai. Here, Mrs. Soong Ching Ling's neat and spacious bedroom is a place that Li Yan'e has been concerned about all her life, and it is also under her careful protection that gives us the opportunity to see the true style of Mrs. Soong Ching Ling's former residence.
Every year during the Qingming Festival, people come to the cemetery where they are buried together to offer flowers and worship, and the story of Song Qingling and Li Yan'e is still praised by people.