The Soong Sisters are often summarised through one of Mao Zedong’s famous sayings: “One loved money, one loved power, one loved her country.” Although very different, these three women led extraordinary lives, nurtured just as extraordinary relationships, and even changed the course of Chinese history. During the early 20th century, opportunities for women were far rarer than they are today. But one way to achieve influence was to marry into it, so the Soong Sisters did just that.
Humble beginnings
The sisters’ story begins with their father, Charles Jones Soong (1863-1918). Raised in Hainan, the smallest and southernmost province of the People’s Republic of China, Charlie Soong was a peasant boy with big dreams. Following an apprenticeship in the East Indies, he relocated to the United States to be educated and trained as a Methodist missionary. After a brief stint working as a publisher of Chinese Bibles back in Shanghai, he switched gears completely and, with the help of an American patron, he quickly became a wealthy industrialist involved in a number of different businesses.
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ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 132 من All About History UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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