Soong Ai-ling

1.1. Birth and Family

Soong Ai-ling was born on July 15, 1889, in Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, Qing Dynasty. Her parents were Charlie Soong (Soong Yao-ju), a wealthy Methodist missionary-turned-businessman and a staunch supporter of Sun Yat-sen, and Ni Kwei-tseng. She was the eldest of the renowned Soong sisters, her younger siblings being Soong Ching-ling (who later became the wife of Sun Yat-sen) and Soong Mei-ling (who married Chiang Kai-shek). She also had two younger brothers, T. V. Soong (Soong Tse-vung), a prominent politician and businessman, and Soong Zi-liang, and Soong Zi-on. Her Christian name was Nancy.

1.2. Education

Soong Ai-ling began her education at the McTyeire School in Shanghai at the age of five. At 14, she embarked on a journey to the United States, arriving at the Port of San Francisco, California, on June 30, 1904, aboard the SS Korea. She pursued higher education at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. During her studies in the U.S., she notably attended a party hosted by President Theodore Roosevelt at the White House in 1905, accompanied by her uncle. After graduating, Soong Ai-ling returned to China in 1909.

2.1. Marriage to H. H. Kung

Soong Ai-ling met her future husband, H. H. Kung (Kung Hsiang-Hsi), in 1913. They married the following year in Yokohama, Japan. Kung Hsiang-Hsi, who was the second husband of H. H. Kung and a 75th generation descendant of Confucius, was a prominent banker and one of the wealthiest individuals in the early 20th-century Republic of China, and his union with Soong Ai-ling further strengthened the financial and political ties of the influential Soong family.

2.2. Children

Soong Ai-ling and H. H. Kung had four children:

• Kung Ling-i (daughter)
• Kung Ling-kan (son)
• Kung Ling-chun (daughter), also known as Kung Ling-wei
• Kung Ling-chie (son), also known as Louis C. Kung, who later became an American oil executive. He married actress Debra Paget in 1964; they divorced in 1980. The couple had one son, Gregory Teh-chi Kung (born in 1964). Louis C. Kung died in 1996 in Houston, Texas.

3.1. Early Career as Secretary to Sun Yat-sen

In late 1911, after returning from her studies abroad, Soong Ai-ling began working as a secretary for Sun Yat-sen, the provisional president of the Republic of China. In this role, she participated in national surveys and contributed to the planning of a vast railway network, aiming for a total length of approximately 62 K mile ^{(100.00 K km)}. When Sun Yat-sen's "Second Revolution" failed in 1913, she accompanied her father to Japan and continued her secretarial duties there. After returning to China, she also worked as an administrator at the Mingxian School in Shanxi Province. Her position as Sun Yat-sen's secretary was later taken over by her younger sister, Soong Ching-ling, who would become Madame Sun Yat-sen.

3.2. Business Activities

Following her marriage, Soong Ai-ling briefly taught English. However, she soon transitioned into significant entrepreneurial endeavors. In 1936, she founded the Sandai Company, also known as Sanbu Company, and quickly established herself as a highly successful and immensely wealthy businesswoman in her own right. Her financial acumen and strategic investments contributed significantly to her family's vast fortune.

3.3. Wartime Relief and Social Work

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Soong Ai-ling was actively involved in various relief and social work initiatives. She participated in child welfare work and supported the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives. She was a key figure in organizing the Women's Leadership Committee and establishing the National Children's Welfare Association. She also served as the chair of the Hong Kong section of the Committee of the National Friends of the Wounded Soldiers.

The three Soong sisters made joint public appearances in Hong Kong to promote relief efforts until 1940. When Japanese radio suggested they would evacuate rather than join the Chinese government in Chongqing to endure wartime conditions, they relocated to Chongqing. There, they continued to boost public morale by touring hospitals, air-raid shelter systems, and bomb sites. They co-founded the Indusco (also known as Gungho) organization, which aimed to protect Chinese industry during the war, with Soong Ai-ling being the most active of the sisters in this endeavor.

4.1. Move to the United States

In the later years of the Second Sino-Japanese War, particularly around 1947, Soong Ai-ling, her husband, and their children began transferring their vast wealth and business interests abroad. They subsequently relocated to the United States in the 1940s, where she spent the remainder of her life.

4.2. Death and Burial

Soong Ai-ling died at the age of 84 on October 20, 1973, at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City due to cancer. She is interred in a mausoleum at Ferncliff Cemetery in Westchester County, New York. Notably, she did not attend her brother T. V. Soong's funeral, reportedly holding a grudge because he had previously opposed her husband, H. H. Kung, politically, and had not attended H. H. Kung's funeral.

5.1. General Assessment

Soong Ai-ling is often characterized by her strong affinity for wealth and her shrewd business sense. Her nickname was "The Woman who Loved Money." From a young age, she was intelligent, quick-witted, and very practical. In China, a popular saying influenced by the film The Soong Sisters suggests that "Soong Ai-ling loved money, Soong Mei-ling loved power, and Soong Ching-ling loved the country," encapsulating the perceived priorities of the three sisters. She was seen as a pragmatic and decisive individual, known for her willingness to employ strong measures to overcome obstacles, often operating discreetly behind the scenes.

5.2. Positive Contributions

Despite criticisms, Soong Ai-ling's achievements as a businesswoman were undeniable. Her entrepreneurial spirit and financial acumen contributed significantly to the Soong family's influence. Beyond her business ventures, she played a notable role in social causes, particularly during the Sino-Japanese War. Her involvement in wartime relief organizations, child welfare, and efforts to protect Chinese industry demonstrated a commitment to national well-being during a critical period.

5.3. Criticism and Controversy

Soong Ai-ling faced significant criticism and controversy, particularly during the later years of the Second Sino-Japanese War. She, along with her husband and children, was accused of graft, corruption, black-marketing, and war profiteering. These accusations led to her husband being asked to step down as Minister of Finance in 1944. Chiang Kai-shek's grand-nephew, Chiang Hsiao-chen, reportedly remarked to Dai Li, "The Generalissimo's illness can only be cured by Soong (Soong Mei-ling). Madame's (Soong Mei-ling's) illness can only be cured by Kong (Soong Ai-ling). But Kong's illness (the corruption within the Kong family) cannot be cured by anyone." This statement highlights the perception of deep-seated corruption associated with her family. She was also described as "secretive and insidious," willing to use strong measures if necessary, which contributed to her controversial public image.

5.4. Influence

Soong Ai-ling's actions, immense wealth, and strategic family connections exerted a profound influence on Chinese society and politics during the tumultuous early 20th century. Her marriage to H. H. Kung further consolidated the financial power of the Soong family, enabling them to play a pivotal role in the Republic of China's economic and political landscape. Her business acumen and her behind-the-scenes influence within the Nationalist government had a lasting impact on subsequent generations, shaping perceptions of wealth, power, and political integrity in China.