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'''Soong Mei-ling''' (1897-2003), also '''Madame Chiang Kai-shek''', was the wife of Chinese leader [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (1887-1975).<ref>Soong was her family name; Chiang was his family name. Her given name was Mei-ling and his was Kai-shek. In Chinese, the family name is given first.</ref> She was educated in the U.S. and spoke fluent English. She visited the U.S. in 1943 and spoke to a joint session of Congress.<ref>Soong Mei-ling, “[http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=1297&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Addresses to the House of Representatives and to the Senate],” February 18, 1943.</ref> For many years, she was wildly popular in the U.S., a symbol of China's resistance to Japanese aggression during World War II.<ref>"[http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/personoftheyear/archive/stories/1937.html Man and Wife of the Year]", ''Time'', 1937.</ref>

'''Soong Meiling''' (1897-2003), also '''Madame Chiang Kai-shek''', was the wife of Chinese leader [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (1887-1975).<ref>Soong was her family name; Chiang was his family name. Her given name was Meiling and his was Kai-shek. In Chinese, the family name is given first.</ref> She was educated in the U.S. and spoke fluent English. She visited the U.S. in 1943 and spoke to a joint session of Congress.<ref>Soong Mei-ling, “[http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=1297&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Addresses to the House of Representatives and to the Senate],” February 18, 1943.</ref> For many years, she was wildly popular in the U.S., a symbol of China's resistance to Japanese aggression during World War II.<ref>"[http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/personoftheyear/archive/stories/1937.html Man and Wife of the Year]", ''Time'', 1937.</ref>

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The Soong family was China's most prominent family in finance. T.V. Soong, Mei-ling's brother, was governor of China's central bank and was said to be the richest man in the world. She graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and was an active Methodist. When she married Chiang in 1927, he converted to Christianity. They had no children. Their opulent wedding took place in Shanghai during the Northern Expedition. The expedition, which was led by Chiang, unified China under the leadership of the Nationalist Party.

The Soong family was China's most prominent family in finance. T.V. Soong, Meiling's brother, was governor of China's central bank and was said to be the richest man in the world. Her sister, Soong Qingling, had married [[Sun Yat-sen]], founder of the [[Chinese Nationalist Party]] (KMT).

 

Meiling graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and was an active Methodist. When she married Chiang in 1927, he converted to Christianity. They had no children. Their opulent wedding took place in Shanghai during the Northern Expedition. The expedition, which was led by Chiang, unified China under the leadership of the Nationalist Party.

With her poise, her perfect English and her exotic charm, she campaigned endlessly to familiarize Americans with China. Christians who supported missionary work in China were especially attracted to her. She was often named by Americans as one of their ten "most admired" women in the world.

With her poise, her perfect English and her exotic charm, she campaigned endlessly to familiarize Americans with China. Christians who supported missionary work in China were especially attracted to her. She was often named by Americans as one of their ten "most admired" women in the world.