Chang Ch ung ho

Chang Ch'ung-ho or Zhang Chonghe was a Chinese-American poet, calligrapher, educator and Kunqu opera singer. She was hailed as "the last talented woman of the Republic of China" (民國最後一位才女). She was born in Shanghai in 1914, with her ancestral home in Hefei, Anhui. Her great-grandfather, Zhang Shusheng, was a high-ranking military officer in the Huai Army. Her father, Zhang Wuling, was an educator. Her mother, Lu Ying, was a housewife. She had six brothers and three sisters. Her eldest sister, Chang Yuen-ho, was a Kunqu expert. Her second sister, Zhang Yunhe, was also a Kunqu expert. Her third sister, Chang Chao-ho, was a teacher and writer, and the wife of the celebrated novelist Shen Congwen. At the age of 21, she was accepted to Peking University. After graduating from PKU, Chang Ch'ung-ho became an editor for the newspaper Central Daily News. In 1947, Chang met Hans Fränkel at Peking University, they married in November 1948, and settled down in the United States in January 1949. They had a daughter, Emma Fränkel, and a son, Ian Frankel. Ch'ung-ho taught at Yale University, Harvard University and 20 other universities, teaching traditional Chinese culture. She was also a renowned poet and calligrapher, who published several collections of poems and essays, such as Taohuayu (Peach Blossom Fish), which won the Golden Tripod Award in Taiwan. She was also a master of Kunqu opera, a traditional Chinese musical theatre. She performed and taught Kunqu for many years, and was honored as a "living national treasure" by the Chinese government. Chang Ch'ung-ho was a remarkable woman who lived through turbulent times in China and the world. She witnessed the fall of the Qing dynasty, the rise of the Republic of China, the Japanese invasion, the Chinese Civil War, the Communist takeover, the Cultural Revolution, and the opening up of China. She also experienced the challenges and opportunities of living in a new country and culture. She was a bridge between the East and the West, and a promoter of Chinese culture and heritage. She died in New Haven, Connecticut, on June 17, 2015, at the age of 101.