About two years ago, Guoliang called me and mentioned that he would write a book about Charlie Jones Soong, Rosamondes （Song Qinglings） father. At that time, I just said OK and didnt pay too much attention to it. He called me again before long and told me that he had finished the book and he wanted me to write an introduction for it. I was very hesitant because I had known nothing about Charlie Jones Soong. I didnt even reply, but he mailed his manuscript and a letter. I could not reject it.
He wrote: “Education is a general topic for mankind. What role does it play in the development of mankind? What can change the superficial existence and inner world? The books and classrooms? The mountains and oceans? Teachers, friends and historical sites? Religions and theology? It seems that they can and they cannot change all. Whether one resides at home or overseas, Where are his roots? During the past one hundred years and more, the Chinese ancestors and sages have experienced so much hardship and the resources about them suffice us for a broad and indepth study. I have made great efforts in this field for the past ten years and more, and I tried to start with the individuals and then tried to understand these individuals as well as the impacts of historical changes on them. I wanted to reveal the truth of the history, calmly and objectively.”
Thats what it was!
This book is totally different from those often seen on the market. It is not a book that takes advantage of the big names, and it does not intend to please the readers and seek popularity and profits. Guoliang and his two coauthors, Li Rongnan and Chen Chaohe, obviously have higher expectations and higher goals. No wonder the first sentence in Guoliangs letter is so impressive:
“Charlie Jones Soong was not so distinguished; he was less wellknown than his children. But he was the real founder of this family. There are many things in him that are worth discovering.”
What are those? Guoliang, in the same letter, has given us one of the answers:
“We plan to take Charlie Jones Soongs ideas on education as the nucleus to probe into the influence of American ‘Sparta’—the ‘Christianity’ spirit on him; to explore his family educational mode that Charlie Jones Soong and his wife, Ni Guizhen, selfconsciously, calculatedly, and painstakingly, utilized; to discover how his family education mode influenced a nation, the Chinese history in modern times, and todays society as well.”
Such an objective of the authors seems to be too rigorous and far away from the readers at first sight. But lets take a closer look at the real situation of the millions of parents who want their children to achieve greatness. On one hand, they try their best to connect with the powerful and authoritative people just to enable their children to enter a prestigious school （even a kindergarten）， so that good conditions will be created for their future success. On the other hand, they feel so hopeless and helpless when facing many actual problems in their childrens study and growth. They either spoil them or turn to violence. It is not difficult to realize that Charlie Soongs educational ideas and the success he had in educating his descendants have special significance today.
The most valuable point is that the case study by Guoliang and his associates is not a boring and tasteless preaching. This study, a vivid and concrete description of what charlie Jones soong had done, reveals his spiritual journey and demonstrates that his eventual success was brought about by the family education process carried out by Soong and his wife, Ni Guizhen, after they returned to China.
“The appearance and manner of Soong family siblings is similar: urbane manner; graceful behavior; rich literacy; uncommon tolerance; bewitching elegance…and yet, they also have definitely different personalities: Nancy was frank and had courage to do anything; Rosamonde had a gentle appearance, doughty willpower, and gracious quietness; Mayling was amiable and generous, dealing with events fearlessly; Tseven was clever and quickwitted, having uncommon courage and insight; Tseliang was experienced and honest; Tsean was sedate, calm and introversive.”
We cannot replicate the success story of Charlie Jones Soongs family education nowadays. However, his educational conception and some specific methods can undoubtedly serve as good examples and insightful tips for millions of parents.
Translated by Zhang Jingqun
Proofread by Xie Tianwei