He Family Three Sisters: Three Different Fates of the Three Sisters

Author: Chen Tingyi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-05-01
Features: This is a story long buried in the dust for nearly a century. From the legend of "the Empress emerging from the He Family Tomb" at the turn of the century, to the red azaleas of Jinggang Mountains and the "Jinggang Romance" between Mao Zedong and He Zizhen, to the ten years the couple spent together, enduring hardships, and their 25,000-li Long March to northern Shaanxi, where He Zizhen mysteriously disappeared from Yan'an. The story seems to draw a pause here, like a rainbow fading into the sky. However, the beauty of the story, like a rainbow or a fleeting peony, has been etched into the hearts of a generation like mine. A buried story can only be like a moon in the water or a cake in a painting, allowing us to savor it in the fragments of our long nights of dreams. After He Zizhen's "mysterious disappearance," Jiang Qing appeared by Mao Zedong's side, replacing He Zizhen. Later, when Jiang and Mao grew apart, Mao Zedong once painfully and emotionally asked his staff, "Where should I go to divorce?" Despite Mao's utter dissatisfaction with Jiang Qing, constrained by traditional Chinese customs and considering his own position, he dared not cross the line. It wasn't until the later historical tragedy that Jiang Qing, who called herself the Empress, led the "Gang of Four" in seizing power, which was ultimately crushed by the nation. Only then did the buried He Zizhen resurface, reigniting people's reflection and imagination about history.
After He Zizhen resurfaced, she was also appointed as a "National Committee Member," and the news, once published in the People's Daily on June 11, 1979, caused an uproar among the Chinese people: He Zizhen was back! He Zizhen was alive! People spread the word. Overnight, letters and telegrams fell like snowflakes on He Zizhen's desk. The writers included her former relatives and friends, fellow revolutionaries who had fought side by side with her, young people who had never met her before, and even overseas Chinese. He Zizhen became a public figure, the target of reporters, including myself. At that time, I wrote some scattered articles, but they never gained much traction. It wasn't until May 7, 2002, in the new century, that the Fourth Plenary Session of the Fourth Council of the China Popular Literature and Art Research Association was held in southern Jiangxi. Coincidentally, the "He Zizhen Museum," after enduring countless hardships and three rises and falls, finally opened its doors to visitors. History reignited the author's passion. Earlier, I had written a literary biography of the "Three Sisters of the Song Family," which was well-received by readers. The He family also had three sisters, each like a flower blooming from the water, vibrant and striking. One married Mao Zedong, another married Mao Zetan, and the third was blinded by the Kuomintang and died as a hero, becoming a "Liu Hulan-style" martyr. I was as excited as Columbus discovering a new continent when I saw this idea. I shared it with Zhang Guiqin, the vice president of the China Popular Literature and Art Research Association, and she immediately supported it. We decided to visit the He Zizhen Museum one last time before leaving Jinggang Mountains, to interview and take photos, gathering as much material as possible.
The story of the three He sisters primarily follows the love between He Zizhen and Mao Zedong as the main thread, with the other sisters as supporting lines, praising the beauty of humanity, the arduous beginnings of the Chinese revolution, and the hard-won establishment of the new China. The He family sacrificed over 40 relatives for the revolution. Reading this book will reveal many untold, vivid stories while also offering you much inspiration and reflection.
This book, centered on the personal growth of the three Song sisters—Soong Ai-ling, Soong Ching-ling, and Soong Mei-ling—pursues a story with a clear beginning and end, focusing on their marriages. It vividly portrays the distinct personalities of "one who loves money, one who loves the country, and one who loves power," highlighting the two major splits within the Song family and their connection to the Chinese revolution. The personal emotional journeys of the sisters and their deep bonds with one another profoundly depict how political forces separated them, yet family ties remained unbreakable, embodying the theme of "true human emotions endure forever."