Love in Poetry: Wang Jingwei and Chen Bijun

編輯 EditorAbout the books

汪精衛〈十二月二十八日雙照樓即事〉

Wang Jingwei’s calligraphy of a poem he dedicated to his wife, Chen Bijun. (Wang Jingwei Poetry - Newly Edited, p. 2)

In Shuangzhaoloushici duhouji (“Reflections After Reading Shuangzhaolou Poetry”), (Wang Jingwei Poetry - Newly Edited, p. 2) Ho Mang Hang made the following observation about the relationship between Wang Jingwei and Chen Bijun:

Wang’s use of “Shuangzhao” to name his poetry collection illustrates how much the author cherished the love between himself and his wife.…Through his poetry, we can see that the relationship between the two was extraordinary.HO MANG HANG

Shuangzhao came from the Tang poet Du Fu’s  〈月夜〉 “Moonlit Night” about  missing his wife. In his own poetry, Wang wrote many poems that describe the joys of the couple traveling together and the sadness of being separated. Wang himself said (Wang Jingwei Poetry - Newly Edited, p. XXII):

My true legacy and most heartfelt feelings were represented in my poetry collection Shuangzhaolou.WANG JINGWEI
In Shuangzhaolou poetry collection, Chen Bijun appeared under the name Bingru no few than thirty times. In addition to martial sentiments, as revolutionary comrades, their shared passion for the country and its people also showed through in many Wang’s poems.
The couple shared their lives, passions, and determinations; and encouraged each other. Their “Shuangzhao” manifested in poetry leaves readers in deep admiration.MANG HANG, Shuangzhaoloushici duhouji (“Reflections After Reading Shuangzhaolou Poetry”)

Many similar discoveries can be found by analyzing the original manuscripts and materials in all the books in the Wang Jingwei & Modern China.

For more intimate observations on the relationship between Wang Jingwei and Chen Bijun, read Ho Mang Hang's recollections in Wang Jingwei: His Life, Ideas and Beliefs.