Chapter 9 4. She is neither Chinese nor Western, and she has returned to China

Just when Song Meiling was fascinated by the Chinese culture on the far side of the Pacific Ocean, her father flew to the United States with letters one after another, urging her to return to China. One day, Song Meiling received another letter from her father.In the letter, my father said earnestly: "Meiling, I still remember that when you were 6 years old, you had a stroke and you had pustules on your right leg within a few days, which frightened Dad. Dad never shed tears. When I saw you lying on the bed, Dad shed tears for his daughter for the first time in his life. Until you were 9 years old and left Dad. Now 10 years, Dad has been worrying and praying for you. A few days ago, you wrote I don’t want to come back anymore, my father has had several sleepless nights again... If you really want to be of my father’s blood, you should come back, you should come back immediately, my father is waiting for you..."

Wanli Feishu urged his daughter to return, expressing his eagerness to become an elderly father's wish. Called by her father, on August 3, 1917, she bid farewell to Wellesley University and her teachers, classmates and friends who had been with her day and night. Back in the old Shanghai, the naive little girl has become a graceful and beautiful girl.A biography describes her like this: "Her cheeks are flushed like ripe peaches, and her red mouth is like a pomegranate flower. She has a high nose, which is delicate and straight. She has deep eyes like antelopes, and long Long eyelashes. The curved eyebrows seem to be painted with black paint. The black curly hair hangs down in waves along the smooth forehead..."

When she walked into the long-lost home, when her kind parents kissed the little daughter who returned after a long absence, Soong Meiling truly felt that she had returned to the motherland and her own home. In this reunion family, the happiest thing is her mother.Regardless of her poor health, she cooks by herself, combining Chinese and Western dishes, and cooked a table of hearty dishes.The mother put Meiling's favorite "Four Treasures" in front of her little daughter. Meiling deeply appreciates the joy and warmth of home. "Come on, pick up the wine glass and welcome the wind for our little princess!"

The father did not forget his pet name for the youngest daughter. "Yes, welcome back little sister."The eldest sister then agreed. There was a burst of clinking of glasses. The mother doesn't know how to drink, and keeps adding vegetables to the little daughter's plate. Song Meiling was intoxicated with happiness. She noticed that the second sister was not there. She heard that the second sister married Dr. Sun, and it seemed that the family was not happy. She was well educated and did not mention this issue. That night, her father held a family dance just for her.Shanghai beach celebrities Du Yuesheng, Chen Yingshi and others were invited to participate.

Soong Meiling danced lightly, which attracted bursts of applause. A father watches his daughter return after 10 years of separation. The dance is over. The entertainment is not over, let's talk about it. Meiling looked at this very attached home, and giggled. "Father, you are famous overseas, this house is not commensurate with your reputation?" Father was speechless. Mei Ling added: "Compared with American families, we are too backward. We should have modern homes and bathrooms. If Dad agrees, I am willing to help Dad design." "Okay, okay." The daughter just came home, and as a father, he couldn't criticize his daughter outright.

He thought to himself: My daughter has changed, completely and completely. He felt that his little daughter was about to do something big. Soong Meiling studied in the United States for 10 years, and her worldview and way of thinking have been completely Americanized.Her understanding of the United States is beyond the reach of ordinary Chinese. Even he, a senior who studied in the United States in the early years, felt ashamed of himself. He insisted on his own children's education policy, asking his daughter to make up lessons and make up Chinese culture lessons. Song Meiling also thought so.

She is determined to learn Chinese again and master Chinese. She is determined to master fluent Chinese and master the classics of the motherland. From the beginning, she became a student of Mr. Private School again. The difference is that she can sit still, she follows the tutor, shaking her head and reciting, memorizing those epigrams and reciting those chapters over and over again... What books did she go back to?According to the memories of the staff around her, there are "University", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Mencius", "Zuo Zhuan", "Historical Records"...etc.

These will help her draft manuscripts and speeches in the future. Song Meiling has completely become a figure at the intersection of Chinese and Western cultures, and has become an important figure who has influenced history by combining Chinese and Western cultures.