Days Spent Around Soong Mei-ling

Author: Zhang Zige
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The manuscript is complete, yet upon finishing the writing, one feels lost in thought. Time and space intertwine, reflecting the vicissitudes of life. Unveiling long-buried past events and rediscovering the lost youth, even plants know sorrow, and youthful glory turns to gray. Can one not feel heartbroken? Can one not feel ashamed of being mediocre? Song Meiling was an important figure in China during the 20th century. To record the truth and restore her original character is certainly a meaningful endeavor. However, whether to praise or criticize her is inevitably prone to the suspicion of unfairly weighing her merits and faults. Whether others will praise or blame me is beyond measure.
This book is a ( meaning "documentary" in English), not a general literary work, nor a novel. Therefore, it is presented in its original form, ( meaning "truthfully recorded"). The book primarily covers some of Song Meiling's activities, work, and scenes during the War of Resistance Against Japan. It includes detailed accounts of her work and activities while chairing the National Women's Guidance Committee and the War-time Children's Welfare Association; delicate scenes of her leading prominent women on spring outings to support the army; intimate portrayals of her comforting wounded soldiers for over 17 hours and working tirelessly at night to rescue orphans; moving moments where she was affectionately referred to as the "mother of orphans"; her family life, including visits to doctors, making medicine, hosting family dinners, enjoying picnics, and walking alongside villagers; her candid discussions about her marriage and societal rumors and opinions; her interactions with individuals such as Lu Zuofu, Shi Liang, Deng Yingchao, Guo Moruo, and Wu Shifang; her political and diplomatic records of mediating among military leaders and rebuking foreign secret agents; and even historical facts about the rescue of CCP prisoners of war from the Xinjiang camp in Xi'an, which have never been disclosed before.