Chinese Orchids by Madame Chiang Kai-Shek
Chinese Orchids by Madame Chiang Kai-Shek (First Lady of China - Soong May-ling) 蔣宋美龄.
Very scarce first edition.
Beautifully produced book bound in traditional Japanese style. Thread sewn binding. Silk covers with an exquisite see-through spiral design endpaper.
The book is in fine condition - looks unread. Contains 24 prints of her Orchid paintings. Forward page written by her husband Chiang Chung-cheng (Chiang Kai-Shek). Published in Taiwan, 1971. 中央月刊社, (Taipei) : Zhong yang yue kan she, Minguo 60 (1971).
Large folio size book - 432mm high x 268mm wide.
The book is contained in an outer folio card cover in very good condition - all intact but a little shelf worn and discoloured with a sticker removal mark on the reverse.
Soong May-ling, (or May-ling Soong Chiang) also known as Madame Chiang Kai-Shek was a remarkable and important figure in the history of the Republic of China. She was the First Lady of the Republic of China between 1948 and 1975, married to Generalissimo and President Chiang Kai-Shek. She lived from 1898 to 2003. With her first class education in the USA, and with her resultant excellent English she played an important role in political discussions. She was a politician and involved in charitable causes, as well as an accomplished painter in the traditional Chinese style, and after the death of her husband in 1975, moved from Taiwan back to the USA. Around 1988 to 1990 she did return to Taiwan and tried and become involved in politics again, but this time was unsuccessful, and returned to the USA. She was a beautiful and formidable lady, and has even been nicknamed The Last Empress.