Chang, Eileen

▪ 1996

      (CHANG AI-LING), Chinese writer (b. Sept. 30, 1920, Shanghai, China—found dead Sept. 8, 1995, Los Angeles, Calif.), wrote sad, bitter love stories that gained her a large devoted audience in Chinese communities as well as critical acclaim as one of the giants of modern Chinese literature. Her outlook was shaped partly by the cruelty of her father, who subjected her to mental torture, and her unhappiness with her first husband, who collaborated with the Japanese during World War II and was unfaithful to her. After Chang's education at the University of Hong Kong was halted by the Japanese invasion, she returned to Shanghai and pursued a writing career, beginning with film scripts and romantic works. Her novella Chinsuo chi (1943, "The Golden Cangue"; The Rouge of the North, 1967) was her first critical success. It was one of many works that were later made into motion pictures. Chang moved to Hong Kong in 1952 and to the U.S. three years later. Two of her most widely known novels were published during that period: Yang-ko (1954; The Rice-Sprout Song, 1955), which was written first in English but published first in Chinese and which brought Chang her audience in the West, and Chih-ti chih lien (1954; Naked Earth, 1956). Though Chang held visiting positions at several U.S. universities over the years, she became increasingly reclusive. She refused interviews with editors who wanted to meet with her, communicated with her editor in Taiwan via a fax machine installed at a neighbourhood store, and—when she received a major Taiwanese literary award in 1994—sent a selection of photographs of herself in lieu of appearing in person.

* * *