In keeping with its mission, The Wang Jingwei Irrevocable Trust is pleased to announce its donation of the Ho Mang Hang (1916-2016) collection of archival and research materials to Columbia University’s C.V. Starr East Asian Library. Many of the items in the collection have been published in the 2019 series Wang Jingwei & Modern China and will continue to be revealed in forthcoming publications.
Ho Mang Hang had been a frequent visitor to the Wang Jingwei household since childhood. In 1939, he married Wang’s second child and eldest daughter Wang Wenxing and became inseparable from the Wang family. As a result, Ho witnessed important historical events during Wang’s life and was present at Wang’s bedside on the day he died. After retirement in 1980 and until the early 2000s, Ho devoted his time to gathering, studying and annotating materials and documents written by and related to Wang Jingwei. In addition to organizing his own collection of archival material, Ho Mang Hang photocopied and hand copied poetry, letters, and other works handwritten by Wang and collected by Wang Jingwei’s associates. He also identified, authenticated and analyzed the works Wang left behind.
The donation of “Ho Mang Hang’s Collection of Historiographic Materials Concerning Wang Jingwei” coincides with the donation of other material of Wang Jingwei and his associates such as the papers of Chen Gongbo, donated to Columbia University, the Wang Jingwei Lin Baisheng Photograph collection now held at the East Asia Library at Stanford University, and the papers of Wang Jingwei and the Chan collection recently acquired by the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
The C.V. Starr East Asian Library agrees that the Ho Mang Hang collection, “once organized and processed as available for use, will be open to all researchers, regardless of affiliation or other considerations.” This furthers the wishes of Ho Mang Hang and his wife Wang Wenxing (Wang Jingwei’s daughter) who founded the Wang Jingwei Irrevocable Trust for the benefit of future generations of scholars, and to further the understanding of Wang Jingwei. Most of all, the history of modern China.
Ho Mang Hang’s research, analysis and work process.
“Ho Mang Hang’s Collection of Historiographic Materials Concerning Wang Jingwei” includes:
- an unfinished handwritten draft of Wang Jingwei’s autobiography;
- a set of books originally published in 1905-1944 that compile Wang’s major political writings;
- reproductions of Wang’s calligraphy, poetry drafts and letters;
- original manuscripts for annotations and glossaries entitled「雙照樓詩詞讀後記」 Shuangzhaoloushici duhouji which Ho compiled in the 1980’s;
- the manuscript for 「汪精衛 • 現代中國」 “Wang Jingwei: Modern China” which forms the basis for the series Wang Jingwei & Modern China;
- a complete reproduction of Wang’s original handwritten manuscript of 「南社詩話」 “Nanshe Shihua,” which confirms Wang’s authorship of the work;
- the handwritten manuscript and illustrations of Cloud, Smoke, Scattered Memories, the Memoir of Ho Mang Hang;
- historical photographs;
- rubbings and woodblock print with Wang’s calligraphy;
- original recordings of Wang’s speeches;
- Wang’s annotations of Tao Yuanming poetry, handcopied by his daughter Wang Wenxing;
- correspondence between Ho and Wang Jingwei associate Fang Junbi;
- correspondence between Ho and scholars and writers who sought his advice and help in their research includes important eye witness accounts, insights, factual verifications and analyses; and
- books and journal articles on Wang Jingwei with annotations and errors painstakingly marked by Ho Mang Hang which reveal his unique insights, opinions and experiences.
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