in p>1971, Song Ziwen died in San Francisco. At that time, Sino-US diplomacy began to thaw. President Nixon thought that Song Ziwen's death could just provide an opportunity for Song Ailing in the United States, Soong Ching Ling in mainland China and Song Meiling in Taiwan Province Province to get together in the United States. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, Nixon can greatly promote the process of establishing diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Therefore, he immediately invited the Song Ziwen sisters to attend the funeral in the United States.

At that time, the Song sisters were in different situations because they chose different paths.

Sister Song Ailing finally visited her sister Meiling who stayed in Nanjing in 1947, and then came to settle in the United States. Never set foot on the land of China again. In America, Aileen is still used to seclusion. After Kong Xiangxi died in 1967, Aileen became more indifferent to the world. For many years, although both Zhang Ailing and Song Ziwen lived in the United States, there was no communication between them because of the conflict between Song Ziwen and Kong Xiangxi. Even Kong Xiangxi's funeral, Song Ziwen didn't attend. Aileen has always had a hard time letting go of Song Ziwen.

Soong Ching Ling held different political views from other brothers and sisters, so she had little contact with them during the National Government. When Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan Province Province, only Qingling stayed behind without hesitation. * * * The Party and the people respect this loyal friend very much and give her high honor and status. When Song Ziwen died in 1971, Qingling was in Beijing.

Song Meiling, who followed Chiang Kai-shek to retreat to Taiwan Province, remained firmly on the throne of "First Lady", and her influence remained unchanged. She keeps in touch with American elder sister Aileen and has a close relationship.

When he learned the news of Song Ziwen's death, the Song sisters had different reactions, each with his own worries. Soong Ching Ling immediately replied to accept the invitation. However, since China and the United States have not formally established diplomatic relations, it is impossible to fly directly from Beijing to the United States, so we can only find a way to charter flights. Song Meiling also agreed to come to the United States and soon flew to Hawaii. After a little trimming, he planned to fly to new york on April 27th, and Song Ailing, who was in the United States, said that he would attend the funeral.

however, things changed dramatically later. When Chiang Kai-shek learned that Soong Ching Ling was going to the United States, he immediately sent an urgent telegram to Song Meiling who had arrived in Hawaii, instructing him to "stop flying to the United States to attend the funeral". Song Meiling is in a dilemma. Helpless, she had to stay in Hawaii for a few days to see the situation.

On the day before the funeral, the government of China called. Soong Ching Ling couldn't fly to the United States to attend Song Ziwen's funeral because she couldn't rent a charter flight. After receiving this news, Nixon quickly informed Song Ailing and Song Meiling, hoping that they could come to new york to attend the funeral. However, after discussing with Chiang Kai-shek, Song Meiling, who was stranded in Hawaii, still felt that there might be a political trap in this matter, and finally decided not to attend Song Meiling.

Song Ailing of the United States also expressed doubts about this matter. She hesitated whether to attend the funeral until the morning of the funeral. In order to wait for the last possible relative of the Song family, our funeral was held in the afternoon. But Song Ailing didn't show up until the last minute. The divergence of political opinions and the entanglement of economic interests eventually split this once brilliant family. Even Nixon said with emotion, "I really don't understand you China people!"

Finally, apart from Song's wife and their children, only my brother and some other friends attended the funeral.

Mystery of Song Ziwen's sudden death: After Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan Province Province, the Song brothers and sisters went their separate ways. Song Ziwen arrived in the United States in June 1949 and lived in the United States until his death in April 1971.

Song Ziwen's sudden death

One day in April p>1971, in the western American city of San Francisco, in the evening, a streamlined ivory car slowly stopped in front of No.158 Linsen Road in the Bay Area, and 77-year-old Song Ziwen got off. Although his temples are frosty and old, he still likes to wear a white coat as before. That night, he and his wife, Zhang Leyi, came to the Bay Area and were invited to a gathering of friends. Song Ziwen had a big appetite while drinking delicious food, but no one expected that while Song Ziwen was chatting excitedly, he suddenly burped. After burping, Song Ziwen stopped talking. And his face was red and purple, and his eyes were bright just now. I don't know why they are crazy. When Zhang Leyi saw her husband suddenly tilt his head to the left, he immediately felt something terrible. She immediately went up to help her husband, whose head was leaning on the back of the chair on the right, only to find that as soon as she reached out, Song Ziwen's head and neck got a stalk and hung down.

Half an hour later, several American doctors who hurried to check on Song Ziwen who was already lying in bed. The doctor was disappointed and said to Zhang Leyi, who was crying into tears, "It's hopeless, madam. Teacher Song's cause of death has been ascertained. When he was eating, he accidentally swallowed a piece of food into the trachea because of excessive excitement, which led to poor breathing and finally died of heart failure! "

Nixon expected "drama"

April 25th, 1971. "She will probably come!" Nixon seems to have a confident smile. "I said I would take Song Ziwen's funeral as an opportunity to promote Soong Ching Ling's visit to the United States. We also want to tell Song Meiling and send an invitation letter to Song Ailing who lives in new york. Please come to Song Ziwen's funeral with the Soong sisters. I think this is human nature. No matter what differences Soong Ching Ling, Song Meiling and Song Ailing have in political views and ideologies, they should all be able to come. "

Taipei's worries

I thought about it in Song Meiling, Taipei, and said to Chiang Kai-shek, "Can I go to Wen Zi's funeral?"

"It is human nature that you go to Wen Zi's funeral. At the same time, Madam can show her diplomatic skills as before. Today, when the relationship between Washington and Taipei is very cold, it is beneficial for my wife to go to the United States for both public and private purposes! " Song Meiling decided to board the plane to the United States in a hurry, because he has a dual mission of public and private. Song Meiling, with Kong Xiangxi's daughter Kong Lingwei and several servants, boarded the plane Meiling in a hurry. However, just as her passenger plane flew over Hawaii, she received a telegram from Chiang Kai-shek: < P > Lady: Please land in Hawaii, but don't fly to new york. What time does it take off? Please let us know.

When the plane landed in Hawaii, Song Meiling made a quick and decisive judgment with his wisdom and sensitivity in politics for many years. Song Meiling said to Kong Lingwei beside him, "Ling Wei, you should immediately order the guards to go to the street and buy me some English newspapers. Remember, buy a copy of all the newspapers in the United States that day, and I want to read it right away! "

Soon, Kong Lingwei bought all the American newspapers of that day and sent them to Song Meiling. Song Meiling put on reading glasses and flipped through them quickly. Suddenly, she found an American reporter's newsletter from Washington on the The New York Times page, with the title: "Song Ziwen's funeral is just around the corner, Chinese people and Vice President Soong Ching Ling will fly to new york in the near future".

"ah! I found it, so here's the secret! " Song Meiling read the news several times, shook his head and remained silent for a long time. Finally, she said decisively to Kong Lingwei, "Ling Wei, you should draft two telegrams for me at once, one for Taibei. The other is to call your grandmother in new york and ask her if she knows the news in the newspaper and whether she can attend the funeral on April 3? "

Song Ailing's Dilemma

Song Ailing is now an 83-year-old woman. Since coming to the United States with her husband Kong Xiangxi in the spring of 1948, she has been living in a garden building with simple appearance but luxurious interior decoration in the residential area of Lockster Valley on Long Island. After her husband Kong Xiangxi died here in 1967, Song Ailing became more isolated and easily disliked public appearances.

When Kong Lingyi, the eldest daughter, sent a telegram from Hawaii to Song Ailing, she was obviously excited because her mother was going to the United States to meet her two sisters. Not long ago, after receiving a notice from Song Ziwen Funeral Service Company, Song Ailing immediately said that he would attend Song Ziwen's funeral in new york on April 3th. However, just when Song Ailing decided to attend her younger brother Song Ziwen's funeral, suddenly came the news that her second sister Soong Ching Ling would come to the United States from the mainland. Just hearing the news of Soong Ching Ling's future, Song Ailing was really happy for a while. Who knows, at this moment, the news that Third Sister Song Meiling arrived in Hawaii and her telegram were placed in front of her, which made her wonder whether she was happy or sad.

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

The confidential secretary accompanying me presented a secret telegram: "It is natural to go to the United States to attend my brother's funeral, but China plans to send Mrs. Sun because the United States seems to have a digression. In order to avoid falling into the trap of United front in China, I hope your wife will think twice after seeing the electricity and don't go to new york again. "

" Hum, suspicion leads to darkness! What a digression! What a good United front trap! " After reading her husband's telegram, Song Meiling scolded angrily. In the blink of an eye, he tore the telegram to pieces and threw it out of the window.

At the lonely funeral, the three sisters failed to reunite.

Washington, USA. In the Oval Office of the White House, the Secretary of State sent a secret document. Kissinger quickly received the telegram just sent from new york, only to find that it read: "The Song Ziwen Funeral Preparation Office received an urgent notice from the relevant authorities in Beijing this morning: Vice Chairman Soong Ching Ling could not go to the United States to attend the funeral of his younger brother, Teacher Song Ziwen, because of the charter flight problem in a short time."

Nixon stood up, breathed a long sigh of relief and said: "Now, there is nothing to be redeemed. You'd better inform Jiang and Song's family that Ms. Soong Ching Ling can't come to the United States in time. "

On the morning of April 3th, the day Song Ziwen held a funeral in new york, the special plane "Meiling" stopped at Honolulu Airport really took off. But instead of flying to new york, it brought Song Meiling back to Taipei.

Song Ailing, who lives in Long Island, new york, has been hesitating whether to attend his brother's funeral. In order to wait for her, the funeral was postponed until that afternoon. When Song Ailing confirmed that his second sister didn't leave Beijing by plane, she was late for Song Ziwen's funeral.

The legendary Song sisters in China's history failed to reunite in new york, which was a painful thing for both the living and the dead, and also a great pity for their families!