Wild Swans author Jung Chang presents a true story of love, war and betrayal: the lives of the Soong sisters, who each rose to the heights of power and left an indelible mark on modern China.
They were the most famous sisters in China. As the country battled through a hundred years of wars, revolutions and seismic transformations, the three Soong sisters from Shanghai were at the centre of power, and each of them left an indelible mark on history.
Red Sister, Ching-ling, married the ‘Father of China’, Sun Yat-sen, and rose to be Mao’s vice chair.
Little Sister, May-ling, became Madame Chiang Kaishek, first lady of pre-Communist Nationalist China and a major political figure in her own right
Big Sister, Ei-ling, became Chiang’s unofficial main adviser–and made herself one of China’s richest women.
All three sisters enjoyed tremendous privilege and glory, but also endured constant mortal danger. They showed great courage and experienced passionate love, as well as despair and
heartbreak. They remained close emotionally, even when they embraced opposing political camps and Ching-ling dedicated herself to destroying her two sisters’ worlds.
In this podcast, internationally bestselling author Jung Chang joins us to tell their remarkable story.