Exhibition on Charles Soong Marks Sun Yat-sen's 160th Birth Anniversary
"The Hidden Patriot of Revolution: An Exhibition on Charles Jones Soong" has opened at the Mausoleum of Soong Ching Ling in Shanghai to mark the 160th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen.
Charles Soong, father of Sun's wife Soong Ching Ling, was among Sun's earliest revolutionary comrades, as well as a prominent Shanghai industrialist and social activist. Sun once hailed him as "a hidden gentleman of his age, engaged in church work and business while quietly passing on revolutionary ideas."
China's first comprehensive thematic exhibition dedicated to Charles Soong features 138 exhibits. Combining historic photographs, archival documents, artifacts and multimedia displays, it chronicles the life of this behind-the-scenes revolutionary.
The show traces his journey: from a peasant boy born in Hainan who crossed the Pacific to Boston, Massachusetts, to work as an apprentice in his adoptive father's tea and silk shop, to a baptized student and later a missionary posted to Shanghai, where he grew into a successful industrialist and social advocate.
It also highlights his unwavering support for Sun's revolutionary cause, alongside his devotion to family and his focus on his children's education.
Hosted by the Shanghai Administrative Committee for the Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ching Ling Cultural Relics, the exhibition's opening ceremony on Friday drew over 50 attendees, including Soong family descendants, officials and academics.
Clifford Feng, representing the Soong family, donated precious relics: a plaque documenting his great-grandfather's baptism, plus silver tableware that once belonged to his grandfather T.V. Soong.
In his address, Feng recounted the extraordinary life of his great-grandfather. As a Soong descendant, he recalled hearing from childhood about the historic contributions Charles Soong and Soong Ching Ling made toward the founding of modern China.
He said the family deeply feels the enduring values handed down across generations: no matter one's political beliefs, one must love the motherland, cherish education and assist people in need.
Feng thanked museum and cultural professionals for bringing Charles Soong's legacy out of obscurity and sharing it with the public, enabling audiences to fully appreciate his profound patriotism.
If you go
Venue: Mausoleum of Soong Ching Ling, Honorary President of the People's Republic of China
Address: 21 Songyuan Rd, Changning District, Shanghai (上海市长宁区宋园路21号)
Admission: Free
Duration: Through January 15, 2027
