One of President Chiang Kai-shek's boyhood memories is of fish swimming upstream against the swift mountain brooks near his home at Chikow in Fenghua of Chekiang. The courage of the tiny swimmers left an indelible impression on the boy's mind. "In the same way," he said later, "men have to fight against the odds of life, often repulsed but never despairing."
President Chiang took this lesson deeply to heart. He has been a fighter all his life. He is a fighter still in any cause which he believes to be right. He has had triumphs at the summit and reverses which took him into the valley. Never for a moment has his courage faltered. He is at his best when swimming against the tide.
This was dramatically evidenced on the Double Tenth National Day of 1971. Ramrod straight although his 84th birthday of October 31 was less than a month away, President Chiang stood on the balcony of the Presidential Building in downtown to salute and wave his soldier's cap to the enthusiastic crowd of 250,000 compatriots. Madame Chiang was at his side as he led the vast throng in the victory cheers of the day.
The year had been a difficult and trying one for the Republic of China and the free Chinese people. This was in no way reflected in either the demeanor or words of the leader who has manned 's helm of state for nearly a half century. He bade his countrymen maintain their moral courage, although others have lost theirs. The present "age of agony" will not last for long, he said. Soon the world will return to righteousness and freedom and to "true peace instead of a false peace of humiliation."
Recalling the faith of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Founding Father, that "Where there is a will there is a way," President Chiang said the Chinese people would male use of their own sincerity, wisdom and determination to transform the adverse environment of lethargy and appeasement. Changes will be met with "heightened alertness and adaptability to change," he said, and the nation will fight on to the victory of national recovery during the seventh decade of the Republic.
What manner of man is this soldier-statesman whose career has spanned the 20th century and who has contributed so much to China and to the defeat of authoritarianism of both the Communist left and militaristic Japanese right? Many who have known him well have tried to answer that question. Some are great men and ranking leaders. Others are ordinary people who have served with him in one way or another. All are agreed that he is unique in our time - a commander and chief executive of great and universally recognized charisma, perspicacious observer of the international scene, and a dedicated individual with great faith in himself, his countrymen and his God.
Dr. Hollington K. Tong, the leading biographer of President Chiang, took account of obstacles to objective assessment in this way. "An almost insuperable difficulty presented itself - his baffling reticence. The Generalissimo could, if he would, clear up the misunderstood incidents of life, but he has shown slight interest in self-revelation. He has little of the personal showmanship which makes some of his contemporaries such easy subjects for the biographer. He does not enjoy self-exhibition. The truth of this statement will be recognized if a careful study is made of his public utterances. Few autobiographical details will be found there. When he refers to himself, it is, almost invariably, only as one of the instruments employed by destiny in the rejuvenation and reformation of the country."
Chiang Kai-shek was born in 1887 to a Chikow farm family in the district of Fenghua, which is part of the coastal . His father died when the son was only 8 and his upbringing thus fell largely to his mother, who remained a vital force in his memory long after her death.
Childhood illnesses were overcome. Possibly because of them, he acquired the simple ways of living which were to reinforce his remarkable health through a long and busy life that would have felled many who appeared to have greater physical stamina. He is said to have been a mischievous boy and an inquisitive one. At about 3, he tried putting chopsticks down his throat to see how far they would go. The chopsticks got stuck and were extricated painfully. He was not nonplussed. Asked by his grandfather about his throat, the boy said, "I can speak. I am not dumb."
At 6, he was fond of bathing in the swift, icy stream which ran by his house. There were several narrow escapes from drowning. He fell into a jar of stored rain water and barely got out with his life. Prophetically, he liked war games and commanded the neighborhood children. He learned history early and liked to tell playmates tales of heroism and self-sacrifice in righteous causes.
His life was not easy. In 1934, he said, "When I was a little boy I was required by my parents and teachers to do many tasks such as sweeping and mopping the floor, cooking rice and preparing food in general, and even washing dishes. If I carelessly dropped a few grains of rice, or failed to fasten my clothing properly, I was severely taken to task."
In 1945, he said, "I am an orphan born to a poor family. Deprived of any protection after the death of her husband, my mother was exposed to the most ruthless exploitation by neighboring ruffians and the local gentry. The efforts she made in fighting against the intrigues of these family intruders certainly endowed her child, brought up in such an environment, with an indomitable spirit to fight for justice. I felt throughout my childhood that mother and I were fighting a helpless, lone war. We were alone in a desert; no available or possible assistance could be looked forward to. But our determination was never shaken, nor hope abandoned. Such an environment inevitably moulded the shape of my personality. There is constantly a smouldering fire burning inside me, although I am reticent in giving vent to my emotions. Throughout my life, I have always been surrounded and sometimes overpowered by enemies, but I know how to endure. This is one of the peculiar characteristics of one who has been constantly oppressed."
At 10, he heard one of his teachers say that presidents of the regarded themselves as servants of the people and led simple lives without pomp. Other students could scarcely believe the teacher's words. Young Chiang rose to tell them, "The president of the United Slates of America is a man. There is nothing strange in his living in as simple a fashion as an ordinary citizen."
He put a Japanese military instructor in his place in 1906 during a lecture on hygiene. Putting a cubic inch of earth on his desk, the instructor said it would support 400 "million microbes and went on to compare the lump with , which then had a population of 400 million. Chiang inquired whether the 50 million people of were to be compared with an eighth of an inch of soil.
Chiang Ching-kuo, the elder son of President Chiang, has written of his father in a preface to his book Time of A Hairs Breadth:
"A senator of the Ming dynasty, Yu Chien, wrote a famous verse in praise of limestone's persistence in purity. After thousands of blows from the hammer, the limestone is removed from the deep mountains and sent to the kiln. There it is burned in hot fires without a single groan. Having become powder, the limestone still retains the pure white of its color.
"This verse reveals the truth that man can endure the tests to which he is put, as in the hammering and burning of the limestone, yet maintain a personal character of the same purity as the limestone. In the end the man will survive and succeed.
"The year 1949 was a hair breadth's occasion for the Chinese people. The Chinese nation was as a lone boat sailing stormy seas on a black night. Survival hung on the change of any minute. With his perseverance and undaunted spirit, my father safely led the nation through the crisis. I didn't realize this until the storm was over.
"My father said in 1949: 'This year we face many difficulties and dangers. If we do not persevere and stand up to all attacks from within and without, there is almost no chance of survival.'
"Communists occupied the mainland in 1941: Many people thought the National Government would collapse and there was no hope of continuing the fight against Communism. However, my father told General Douglas MacArthur on June 20 of that year, 'Taiwan soon will become the new political hope of in the anti-Communist struggle.'
"My father told President Elpidio Quirino of tile at July 11, 1949: 'I pledge that the Chinese government will not be exterminated by the Communists. If the government should surrender or collapse, I would take over the leadership to continue our fight against Communism to the end.'
"Facts and developments of the past have proved that my father was right. They have also demonstrated the far-sightedness, perseverance and determination of my father."
On another occasion, in an article "Drink Ice Water in Cold Winter to Have Every Drop Reach the Deepest Heart," Chiang Ching-kuo said:
"My father gave me a Chinese translation of the book Streams in the Desert. My father had read this religious book daily since July of 1944 and had made many comments. He asked me to read the book and take note of his comments.
"After copying out the comments, I came to realize that my father has the courage to face any difficulty because of his complete sincerity in seeking the salvation of his people, his nation and the world. This power is strong and without limit. As Westerners have said, 'Woman is weak; but when she is a mother she is of great strength. In preserving the life of her children, she doesn't care about herself, not even her own life.' My father's sincerity is of the same order. He is saving the whole nation. Because of this he can tolerate what other people cannot and endure more than others. This is the source of strength for his revolutionary endeavors and the reason why he is always victorious."
These are examples of the comments which Chiang Kai-shek made about Streams in the Desert:
The original text said:
" 'Let us run with patience.' (Heb. 12:1 ).
"To run with patience is a very difficult thing. Running is apt to suggest the absence of patience, tile eagerness to reach the goal. We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet, I do not think the invalid's patience the hardest to achieve.
"There is a patience which I believe to be harder - the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: It is the power to work under a stroke; to have a great weight at your heart and still to run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily task. It is a Christlike thing.
"Many of us would nurse our grief without crying if we were allowed to nurse it. The hard thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in bed, but in the street. We arc called to bury our sorrows, not in lethargic quiescence, but in active service - in the exchange, in the workshop, in the hour of social intercourse, in the contribution to another's joy. There is no burial of sorrow so difficult as that; it is the 'running with patience.'
"This was Thy patience, O Son of man! It was at once a waiting and a running - a waiting for the goal, and a doing of the lesser work meantime. I see Thee at turning the water into wine lest the marriage feast should be clouded. I see Thee in the desert feeding a multitude with bread just to relieve a temporary want. All, all the time, Thou went bearing a mighty grief, unshared, unspoken. Men asked for a rainbow in the cloud; but I would ask more from Thee. I would be, in my cloud, myself a rainbow - a minister to other's joy. My patience will be perfect when it can work in the vineyard. - George Matheson."
President Chiang commented: "These paragraphs are a narration of the life I have given to revolutionary work. A faithful follower should be patient. Under the enemy's heavy pressure and blows, and at a time when he is deeply anguished of spirit, he must still carry out his tasks."
The original text said: "Our faith is at the center of the target at which God doth shoot when He tries us; if any other grace shall escape untried, certainly faith shall not. There is no way of piercing faith to its very marrow like the sticking of the arrow of desertion into it; this finds it out whether it be of the immortals or no. Strip it of its armor of conscious enjoyment, and suffer the terrors of the Lord to set themselves in array against it; and that is faith indeed which can escape unhurt from the midst of attack. Faith must be tried, and seeming desertion is the furnace, heated seven times, into which it might be thrust. Blest the man who can endure the ordeal! - G. H. Spurgeon.
"Paul said, 'I have kept the faith,' but he lost his head. They cut that off, but it didn't touch his faith. He rejoiced in three things - this great Apostle to the Gentiles; he had 'fought a good fight,' he had 'finished his course,' he had 'kept the faith.' What did all the rest amount to? won the race; he gained the prize, and he has not only the admiration of earth today, but the admiration of Heaven. Why do we not act as if it paid to lose all to win Christ? Why are we not loyal to truth as he was? Ah, we haven't his arithmetic. He counted differently from us; we count the things gain that he counted loss. We must have his faith, and keep it if we would wear the same crown."
President Chiang commented: "These paragraphs seem to me to reflect my experience during the last 10 years. The most serious test of a faith is imposed when a person is abandoned by the rest of the world."
The original text said:
"The stones from the wall said, 'We come from the mountains far away, from the sides of the craggy hills. Fire and water have worked on us for ages, but made us only crags. Human hands have made us into a dwelling where the children of your immortal race are born, and suffer, and rejoice, and find rest and shelter, and learn the lessons set them by our Maker and yours. But we have passed through much to fit us for this. Gunpowder has rent our very heart; pickaxes have cleaved and broken us; it seemed to us often without design or meaning, as we lay misshapen stones in the quarry; but gradually we were cut into blocks, and some of us were chiseled with finer instruments to a sharper edge. But we are complete now, and in our places, and are of service.
"But you are in the quarry still, and not complete, and therefore to you, as once to us, much is inexplicable. But you are destined for a higher building, and one day you will be placed in it by hands not human, a living stone in a heavenly temple."
President Chiang commented: "This is another description of my life and experiences during the last 20 years. To cut and polish the useful person, he must pass through trials."
The original text said:
"There are seasons when to be still demands immeasurably higher strength than to act. Composure is often the highest result of power. To the vilest and most deadly charges Jesus responded with deep, unbroken silence, such as excited the wonder of the judge and the spectators. To the grossest insults, the most violent ill-treatment and mockery that might well bring indignation to the feeblest heart, he responded with voiceless complacent calmness. Those who are unjustly accused, and causelessly ill-treated know what tremendous strength is necessary to keep silence to God.
" said, 'None of these things move me.'
"He did not say, none of these things hurt me. It is one thing to be hurt, and quite another to be moved. had a very tender heart. We do not read of any apostle who cried as did. It takes a strong man to cry. Jesus wept, and He was the manliest Man that ever lived. So it does not say, none of these things hurt me. But the apostle had determined not to move from what he believed was right. He did not count as we are apt to count; he did not care for ease; he did not care for this mortal life. He cared for only one thing, and that was to be loyal to Christ, to have His smile. To , more than any other man, His work was wages, His smile was Heaven. - Margaret Bottome."
President Chiang commented: "These paragraphs reflect what I have experienced during the last 24 years, especially the last four years. Composure is really the highest result of power. Be still despite the vilest and most deadly charges, to the grossest in suits, to the most violent ill-treatment and mockery; how great the power to keep quiet and silent always."
Of the whole book, President Chiang said: "In the latter part of 1944 I encountered many difficulties and dangers. But I was not shaken and safely passed through the crisis, partly due to the influence of this book."
Chiang Ching-kuo further quoted from his father: "The success or failure, or the ease or difficulty, of an undertaking is determined by the psychology of the individual. He should never fall into the devil's trap by becoming pessimistic and disappointed. Drink ice water in cold winter to have every drop reach the deepest heart. This reflects the totality of his sincerity to contribute all that he can to the salvation of his country."
Only a wife may know a man's heart. Only a secretary may know his mind and habits of work. Chin Hsiao-yi, who is secretary to President Chiang, has written on "Ten Small Facts I Have Learned by Working With President Chiang."
"Many people know that President Chiang has written a lot," Chin Hsiao-yi said, "but few know exactly how much. I have discovered that since 1912, the President has written (this was up until 1957) more than 1,700 articles. This is to say that he has written an average of more than 40 articles a year. From this rich outpouring, one can imagine how diligent the President has been in the service of nation and people.
"Some may suppose that these writings are but a record of the President's speeches. This is completely wrong. Before making a speech, the President always makes an outline; in the draft, he sets forth materials for word-by-word checking and study. The draft of the speech may be revised several times. Even after the draft has gone to the printers, the President may make additional changes. This shows that he has injected his feelings into every word of the draft.
"Many people never go over their writing once it has been completed. This is not the case with President Chiang. After finishing an article, he always gives further thought to the wording. Sometimes when he is sitting outside in the evening, he may call a secretary and add a few words or even a few paragraphs. Let me cite an example. One day the President had completed the draft of a speech and gone to Yangmingshan (). His secretaries thought the draft was final. Suddenly a telephone call came from the President, who said he wanted to change some of the wording. The secretary did not have the manuscript with him. Later, when he checked the manuscript, he found that the President had not erred in indicating which paragraphs were to be changed. This showed the excellence of the President's memory and his intentness upon the service of the nation.
"In working for the President, we have found that if someone is rushing in and out of the Presidential office, this tends to indicate that an important message or speech is shaping up. Tao Shi-sheng, political commentator and adviser to the President in political affairs, once said that those working for the President were merely doing the job of a typewriter. In truth, we secretaries to the President are not worthy even of being called typewriters. If anyone thinks the writings of the President are ordinary works typed by stenographers, he couldn't be more wrong.
"The President always prepares a broadcast ten days in advance and the recording usually takes place in his office. When the time comes, the President has on his desk a microphone, a draft of the text and a blue and red pencil. He wears his usual office garb and sits upright at the desk. Then the room goes deathly quiet and the President starts recording in solemn manner as if he were speaking to the whole nation. He keeps to a steady tempo, neither too slow nor too fast. If there is any fault in the recording, he is willing to do it over and over until it is perfect. Once the recording is finished, he likes to listen to a playback to make sure there are no errors and to check on the time.
"President Chiang reads five or six newspapers in the morning, plus some radio and television scripts. In the afternoon, he reads three or four newspapers, including one or two from Hongkong. He reads the news carefully and gives attention to every important point. He checks important matters with his blue and red pencil, and sometimes draws maps for further study. He personally cuts out editorials to keep in his diary. As a result of all this, he never misses important news and is able to go deeply into everything that happens. He doesn't content himself with political events but also pays attention to social news. An example of this was his anger when he learned that a 90-year-old man, had committed suicide because his family neglected him. Another time the President heard that a policeman had interfered with a citizen's personal freedom. In both cases, the President ordered investigations and further reports.
"President' Chiang enjoys to give personal advice, even with regard to table manners. At a dinner party, he urged the guests to eat both soup and fruit. One time at a briefing, he discovered a high-ranking official asleep. He didn't say anything then. Later, he sent a note to the official, urging him to be alert. I have never known the President to tire, at conferences or on trips, even though the time was long and the labor arduous.
"Some people think the President is stern in appearance. That may be, but he is always kind at heart. One day a general came to see the President about a job to which he had been appointed. In talking to the President, the general showed an excellent personality. But on leaving, he bumped into a small table and slipped to the floor. He was deeply concerned and feared he would not get the job. However, the President found no fault in him and comforted him, saying, "Don't mind. Are you hurt?" The general still got the appointment. On another occasion, the President asked a high official about his family. Tears came into the official's eyes as he said his mother-in-law had died. The President showed warmth and sympathy.
"President Chiang reads a lot and always shows an eagerness to learn. Busy as he is with national affairs, he always finds time for worthwhile reading. When receiving a guest, he listens carefully. When he hears something new, he likes to make a note of it. He has ordered that all officials returning from abroad should report to him on what they have learned. I-k often asks questions of detail on key points. The President reads academic reports and looks over new textbooks and other public materials.
"Most people know that President Chiang is learned in philosophy, science and military strategy. But they may not know he is also knowledgeable in liberal arts. He knows poetry and has a fine sense of rhythm. These are few of his aphorisms:
"-'Cultivate the righteous spirit of the universe, with the perfection of history as an example.'
"-'During a time of peace, think of dangerous threats. When emergency arises, be calm and persistent, so as to achieve success.'
"-'Be relaxed when fighting in the front lines. Be serious when upholding humanity and justice.'''
Chin Hsiao-yi has written another article about President Chiang's habits and hobbies. He said:
"The President likes to take walks of from two to four miles. He enjoys visiting the mountains and bodies of water, there to find the quiet needed for deep thinking or meditation. One year he went to Kinmen on his birthday. He ignored strong wind and tumultuous waves to visit soldiers on the front line of the offshore island and to take pictures with them.
"The President enjoys boating on lakes and visiting waterfalls. From childhood, he has liked to watch fish swimming upstream. In his mind's eye, this symbolizes the life struggle of the individual. He finds that mountains and waters share the inspiration of nature with him and provide spiritual strength and power.
"President Chiang is austere in his personal life. He doesn't eat much. The foods he likes especially are such small dishes as salted bamboo shoots, sesame jam and fried shallots with bamboo shoots. Except for the rooms reserved for receiving guests, his house is simply built and decorated. The President has often said that although he is chief of state, he is still an ordinary man, ordained to lead a simple life.
"The President likes to spend time in his garden. After a meal, he may walk around the fish pond and look at the flowers. Standing in front of the pond, he may urge a fish to appear by clapping his hands. On an evening walk, he enjoys the company of chickens or ducks. When the long day is over, he may enjoy to sit in the garden and watch the moon.
"President Chiang has a special affection for plum trees, the blossom of which is 's national flower. Some hundred plum trees grow around his house. In the winter, he braves the cold winter to stay outside with his trees. He also enjoys planting. One day he visited a farm and found some space which might be devoted to additional trees. He asked the owner to put out seedlings. He has said: 'There is friendship between mankind and trees.'
"The President is a faithful Christian. In addition to morning prayer and evening meditation, he reads a selection from the book Streams in the Desert and listens to Madame Chiang read from the Bible. At his request, the Bible was retranslated into Chinese, and a Chinese translation was made of Streams in the Desert. The President gave his personal attention to the editing of both works.
Tsao Sheng-fen, publisher of the Central Daily News, has written an article about President Chiang's conduct and activities. He said:
"President Chiang has a kind heart and loves the people deeply. Although he appears to be strict, he forgives those who make mistakes, provided they do not repeat them. However, he has a deep dislike for those who tell lies. One day a military officer came to see the President before leaving for a military attache's post in . At that time, the President had just completed his book China's Destiny. Only a few copies had been made available to the President's secretariat. The officer borrowed a copy from one of the secretaries but told the President he had bought the book and had been reading it carefully. Of course, the President knew the man was lying and asked where he had bought the book. President Chiang was angry. Still, he forgave the falsifier and asked him to reflect upon himself.
"The President has a special love for young people. In the winter of 1945, when he reached after World War II, he planned to speak to some 18,000 students gathered at a square. The students suddenly broke their lines and swarmed up to the President exclaiming: 'Long Live the Chairman!' and asking to shake hands with him. [At this time, Chiang Kai-shek was chairman of the National Government.] The President's guards were annoyed by this breach of protocol but the chief of state was happy about it and said the students were very sincere.
"In 1946, when the President visited a small town in he took a rest at a tea house along the road. It so happened that a group of students was staying there. One of the students recognized the President and asked for his autograph. President Chiang was happy to comply and used the student's pen to write his name.
"Juvenile delinquency began to appear in in the late 1950's. The President was concerned but said it was not young people who should be held responsible, but rather the family, the school and society. He said so-called problem students were usually outstanding young people mentally and physically and if properly trained, could become excellent citizens. He instructed government authorities to treat the students considerately and give them every opportunity for self-improvement.
"The President's health is excellent. According to his doctors, his blood pressure is lower than normal and he doesn't weigh as much as he might. These are indications of health and longevity. His good health results both from his inherent physical endowment and his consistent program of exercise. The strong body comes from his farming ancestors and he has cultivated simple habits. This regulation of life has led not only to good health, but to the high spirit and endless energy necessary to the carrying out of his heavy tasks.
"The daily life of the President may be described in a few simple words: tidiness, cleanliness, simplicity, plainness. He never overeats. He prefer water to tea. He neither drinks nor smokes. Even when there are state guests, he toasts in gesture only.
"At ceremonies of national importance, the President prefers to wear his military uniform. He likes a simple civil uniform on other public occasions. At home, he favors a Chinese gown. He doesn't ask special materials for his clothes. Whether uniform or gown, clothing may last eight to ten years. If there is any noticeable wear, he would rather have the suit mended than buy a new one.
"Although the President's house is simply decorated, he does enjoy his large garden and the planting of trees and flowers. He has long been interested in horticulture. When office hours are over, he may enjoy an opportunity to garden as well as walk. "
"President Chiang loves literature, art and music. On the Chinese mainland, he used to attend Chinese opera. He has not been able to do so since coming to ." (Since this was written, television has come to and in recent years President Chiang has been able to watch Chinese opera through that medium.)
Chow Lien-hwa, a clergyman, has written about his first impressions of the President. He said:
"For many years I had hoped to meet President Chiang. Finally this opportunity came. A friend asked me if I would conduct a service at the chapel where the President worshipped. I said I would.
"Those attending the service were respectful and quiet when the President came in with Madame Chiang at 11 o'clock. Naturally, I was nervous, but quickly found that the first couple were very kind. They took their seats like anyone else and gave no sign of being dignitaries.
"As I was giving my sermon, I noted that the President was turning the pages of the Bible with great deliberation and obviously knew the pages to which I referred. I knew the President was a good and practicing Christian."
These estimates of Chiang Kai-shek the man and the leader suggest the respect and affection that is in the hearts of the Chinese people as they sign scrolls of good wishes for the President's birthday. Their deepest wish is that his patience and determination will be rewarded with return to the mainland to render his great remaining service of unity in freedom for the whole of the Chinese people.
The last words are properly left to Hollington Tong. Although written two decades ago, these are as penetrating as ever.
"Even during the darkest days of free 's struggles," Dr. Tong said, "Generalissimo Chiang has never, at any time, lost faith in the rebuilding of the nation. He has predicted that the Chinese puppet regime, through its own terrorism, would rapidly lose the support of the people and would head into final collapse. As against an orgy of atrocities and injustices behind the iron curtain, a new is rising in the citadel of with its guiding star shining brighter every day.
"It is on this island that the Generalissimo has given his tacit pledge to return to the mainland. As in his famous utterances during the dark days of the war against when he assured the people of ultimate victory over the enemy, his remarkable vision is still charting the future path of the Chinese people. In contemplating the tomorrow of the Republic of China, one should have renewed confidence in this man's conviction, a conviction that has almost invariably been proved right by the events of the past."