Oral history interview with Peter H.L. and Edith Chang, 1993

Biographical Note

Peter H. L. Chang (pinyin: Zhang, Xueliang; Wade-Giles: Chang, Hsueh-liang; Chinese: 張學良, 张学良; courtesy name/字: Hanqing, 漢卿, 汉卿; alias/号: Yi'an, 毅庵) was born in 1901 in Haicheng, Liaoning province, China. He graduated from the Fengtian Military Academy in 1919, became a colonel in the Fengtian Army, and appointed as his father Chang Tso-lin's (Zhang Zuolin/張作霖) bodyguard. After his father was assassinated by the Japanese in 1928, Chang took his place as the "Young Marshal" (少帥). In 1930, he became the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Chinese Armed Forces and traveled to Europe in 1933. After returning to China, he instigated the Xi'an Incident of 1936 where he detained Chiang Kai-shek and convinced him to unite front between the Nationalist and Communist and focus on fighting the Japanese force in China. After the incident, he surrendered to Chiang who placed him under house arrest in mainland China and Taiwan. During his confinement in Taiwan, he became a Baptist and spent most of his time writing, reading the Bible, and studying history. After his release in 1995, he immigrated to Honolulu, Hawaii. Chang died in Honolulu, Hawaii at the age of 100 in 2001. Edith Chao Chang (pinyin: Zhao, Yidi; Wade-Giles: Chao, I-ti; Chinese: 趙一荻, 赵一荻; original name: Zhao Qixia, 趙綺霞, 赵绮霞; alias: 赵四小姐) was born in 1912, Hong Kong. She was the daughter of Lu Baozhen (吕葆贞) and Zhao Qinghua (趙慶華), a senior official. Edith met Peter Chang in 1928 and left her family while she was still in her teens to become his companion. She followed him into exile in mainland China and in Taiwan, and they spent the rest of their lives together. Her devotion moved Chang's first wife Yu Feng-Tze that she released him from his marriage vows in 1964, allowing him to marry Edith. She died in Honolulu, Hawaii at the age of 88 in 2000

Scope and Contents

The contents of the Peter Chang interview are not in chronological order, and each interview session has a repetitious mix of themes. Chang discusses his relationship with his family, especially with his father who was assassinated in 1928. He covers the history of Manchuria in the early 20th century. He analyzes his relationships with other Chinese generals in the region, and the intentions of Japan, the Western Powers, and the Soviet Union/Russia in the Northeastern part of China from 1900 to 1936. The greatest emphasis is on events of the 1920s and 1930s including the Mukden Incident in 1931. Chang also talks about his relations with other Chinese warlords, the Communist Party, Chiang Kai-shek, and the Nationalist Party before and after the Xi'an Incident in 1936. Other topics mentioned are his personal, political, philosophical, religious beliefs and education and how these were affected by his trip to Europe as a young man. The interview also covers his later years under house arrest following the Xi'an Incident and how that influenced his writings. Chang speculates on developments in Chinese history at the time of the interview. There is extensive discussion of people surrounding Chiang Kai-shek, Madame Chiang Soong Mayling, other high-ranking Chinese Nationalist officials, and the Generalissimo's son and former president of Taiwan, Chiang Ching-kuo. He discusses his family life and personal habits. He also analyzes the nature of modern Chinese studies in the United States and Columbia University in particular, with some reference to other American institutions of higher learning

Subjects

• Chiang, Ching-kuo, 1910-1988.
• Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975.
• Chiang, May-ling Soong, 1897-2003.
• China--Foreign relations.
• China--History--Republic, 1912-1949.
• China--History--Xi'an Incident, 1936.
• Generals--China.
• Interviews.
• Manchuria (China)--History--20th century.
• Mukden Incident, China, 1931.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Zhang, Xueliang, 1901-2001--Interviews.
• Zhang, Zhibing, interviewer.
• Zhang, Zhiyu, interviewer.
• Zhang, Zuolin, 1875-1928.
• Zhao, Yidi, interviewee.
• Zhao, Yidi--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1992 By request of Peter and Edith Chang, audio from the tapes is made available for background purposes only. Citations and quotations should reference the text of the transcript