Madame Chiang Kai-shek dies at age 106

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, October 25, 2003

Madame Chiang Kai-shek dies at age 106

Madame Chiang Kai-shek, once the most influential woman in China, died in her sleep at her New York home on Friday (Beijing time). She was 106.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Madame Chiang Kai-shek, once the most influential woman in China, died in her sleep at her New York home on Friday (Beijing time). She was 106.

She passed away very peacefully,'' a relative who was present at Madame Chiang's apartment in Manhattan said.

A devout Christian educated at the elite Wellesley College in Massachusetts, Madame Chiang, or Soong Mei-ling, was born in southern China and married Chiang Kai-shek in 1927.

Madame Chiang's elder sister, Soong Ching Ling, married Dr Sun Yat-sen, a forerunner of the Chinese revolution and the founder of the Kuomintang and the Republic of China (1912-49). She was elected the vice-president and honorary president of the People's Republic of China for her great contribution made to Chinese revolution.

Soong Ai-ling, another sister of Madame Chiang, married Kung Hsiang-hsi, the Nationalist financial minister, another tycoon in the Republic of China.

In 1949, she fled to Taiwan. Her influence only began to fade with Chiang Kai-shek's death in 1975. Still officially revered but cut off from real power, Madame Chiang left Taiwan in September 1991 for a "long-term rest" at a family estate in New York.

Madame Chiang with Eleanor Roosevelt (AP Photo)

Questions?Comments? Click here

Madame Chiang to Celebrate 105th Birthday

Chiang Kai-shek's Office to Become Museum

US manufacturers' wish to complain to WTO about RMB: a good thing for China ( 4 Messages)

548 billion yuan invested in China's education last year ( 4 Messages)

President Hu talks about Taiwan, SARS, RMB ( 6 Messages)

How far we are away from a space power? ( 6 Messages)

India's after joint military maneuver with China ( 13 Messages)