The literary career of Eileen Chang achieved sudden prominence in Japanese-occupied Shanghai between 1943 and 1945. Renamed Ailing by her mother at age ten, the writer developed a distinct narrative voice that blended the structures of traditional Chinese linked-chapter novels with the sensibilities of modern urban melodrama to examine the complex psychology of her characters.
Early Life and Education
Born Zhang Ying in the Shanghai International Settlement on September 30, 1920, she was the daughter of Zhang Zhiyi and Huang Suqiong. Her childhood was marked by domestic instability, including her parents' 1930 divorce and her father's opium addiction. She attended St. Mary's Hall, Shanghai, before entering the University of Hong Kong to study English Literature. Her education was interrupted in 1941 when Hong Kong fell to the Empire of Japan, preventing her from completing her degree.
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Influenced early by the classic Dream of the Red Chamber, Chang began writing as a child, producing her first short novel at age twelve. Her work flourished under the mentorship of editor Zhou Shoujuan in Shanghai. During the 1940s, she produced acclaimed titles such as Love in a Fallen City and The Golden Cangue. Her writing often utilized the urban backdrops of Shanghai and Hong Kong to frame her exploration of human psychological states.
Personal Life and Migration
In 1952, she moved from the People's Republic of China to British Hong Kong, eventually settling in the United States. In 1956, she married the American screenwriter Ferdinand Reyher at a ceremony in New York City. She later held a position at the University of California, Berkeley. Reyher remained her spouse until his death in 1967 following a series of strokes.
Death and Legacy
Eileen Chang died of cardiovascular disease in her apartment on Rochester Avenue in Westwood, Los Angeles, on September 8, 1995. Following her death, her estate was managed by Stephen Soong and later his son, Roland Soong. Her manuscripts, including translations and unfinished novels such as The Young Marshall, were donated to the University of Southern California and studied by scholars like Rosanna Fong.
Fast facts
- Born: 30 September 1920, Shanghai
- Died: 8 September 1995, Westwood
- Notable work: Lust, Caution
- Education: University of Hong Kong
- Spouses: Hu Lancheng, Ferdinand Reyher
- Languages: English, Chinese, Mandarin, Shanghainese, Nanjing dialect
- Employer: University of California, Berkeley
Questions readers ask
What was the cause of Eileen Chang's death?
She died of cardiovascular disease in 1995.
Where are her manuscripts kept?
Portions of her manuscripts were donated to the East Asian Library at the University of Southern California.
