The wonderful Peter Yang
Taiwan’s first none Asian former first lady
August 14th 2009 05:32
Faina Ipat’evan Vakhreva was a former first lady of Taiwan during the late 70th and early 80th. Fiana Vakhreva was born in 1916, her husband was Chiang Ching-kuo President of Taiwan from 1978~1988.
Fiana Vakhreva’s background as Russian noble caused her to lost both her parents since a young age, as they were been executed by Starlin. Fiana Vakhreva grew up as an orphan, raised by her older sister Anna Vakhreva in Starlin’s reeducation camp. Fiana Vakhreva was eventually led to work in a communist factory and at the age of 17 she met Chiang Ching-kuo.
In that time, Chaing Chin-kuo was living in Russia due to political reasons between China and the Soviet Union, in name Chaing Ching-kuo was an exchange student to Russia, in reality he was a political prisoner.
In Chaing Chin-kuo autobiography, he also wrote that Fiana Vakhreva was his only real friend during his time, living in the Soviet Union.
According to historical record, their meeting comes into existence when Chaing Ching-kuo saved, Fiana Vakhreva’s life or something like that. Despite been a political prisoner, Chaing Ching-kuo was still the deputy chief of the factory, which Fiana Vakhreva worked in and command some respect from the communist.
The young Fiana Vakhreva was described to be an out going and passionate person and her hobbies included riding bicycle, swimming and to ski. Later onwards when she became first lady of Taiwan, she was described to be as a simple person, by the people working in the presidential palace.
Chaing Ching-kuo father’s also happened to be China’s late president Chaing Kai-shek, known to be one of the mightiest Generals, of the early 20th century.
At the age of 19 (1935) Fiana Vakhreva married Chaing Ching-kuo who was still a political prisoner in Russia and Fiana Vakhreva become known as Fiana Chaing. Chaing Ching-kuo was 25 years old at the time. Because of Chaing Ching-kuo’s special identity as Chaing Kai-Shek’s son, the communist party always keeps a close eye on the couple and like many Russians under Starlin’s rule they lived a very poor life.
In Chaing Ching-kuo’s autobiography, he also wrote that he was eventually even be send to reeducation camp by the communist and lost his job, leaving his wife as the bread winner of the family, for about half a year.
In 1936 Chaing Kai-shek led Chinese troops up to the north of China and defeats the Warlords who seize control of the Northern part of the nation. Chaing Kai-shek used this opportunity also to threaten Starlin, forcing him to release his son and his newly married wife and his baby grand son, back to China. Starlin agreed to Chaing Kai-shek’s demands.
In 1937 Fiana Chaing, Chaing Ching-kuo and their baby son returned to China. Fiana Chaing eventually adopted the Chinese name and became known as Chaing Fang-liang. During the 1930s the Western world and the Eastern world was extremely different and it was recorded Chaing Fan-liang still remembered the difficulties she faced, including language barriers and numerous culture clashes. But it made no changes towards Chaing Fang-liang’s happy and outgoing personality.
To most people’s knowledge Fiana Chaing never return to the Soviet Union after arriving at China, although it was known that she did returned to Russia once, during the Second World War, where China and Russia was allies.
Surprisingly, China was a much more powerful nation then the Soviet Union, during WW2 and Starlin found himself, in need of Chinese protection, against the Japanese who was marching into the Soviet Union, destroying entire Russian armies, without any effort.
History recorded that Chaing fang-liang was extremely keen to seek the approval of her President father in law, knowing that her husband has a great relationship with his father. Chaing Kai-shek is rather found of Chaing fang-liang and is also known to be the one who give Fiana Chaing her Chinese name, which she gladly accepts.
Historically, it is known that Chaing Fang-liang is so keen to seek Chaing Kai-shek’s approval that her standard in speaking Chinese and understanding of Chinese custom, eventually become even higher then most Chinese themselves.
However, although Chaing Ching-kuo is consider being the best president in Taiwan’s history, just like Bill Clinton, he has a bit of a player tendency and during the late 1930s when he was serving as mayor in China, he was known to, at one stage have an affair with a woman working in the mayor office named Chang Ya-ruo and had a pair of twin sons.
Chaing Fang-liang forgive her husband for the affair, but she never knew about the twin boys until the late 1990s, when one of the two boy serving as a Senator decided to adopted his father’s last name. In that time Chaing Fang-liang was almost eighty years old.
In 1938 Chaing Fang-liang got into politic for the first time, when her husband became mayor. To encourage women to join the work force, Chaing Ching-kuo opened up many state own child care centers and Chaing Fang-liang was known to be running one of those many child care centers.
However, that was Chaing Fang-liang’s entire political career and it ended when she move to Taiwan along with her husband, government, military and an entire truck load of refugees, after China fall to Communist rule.
In the late 1940s, the Communist started to revolt against the government and started to seize control over China, the Republic’s Senate turned to the only man they could turn to, in the fight against Communist, who is Chaing Kai-shek, which the Senate originally forced out of power, due to disagreement (Chaing Kai-shek wanted to destroy the Communist red army in 1945, but the Senate voted against Chaing Kai-shek and force him out of power, because they believing the Red army to be loyal and useful allies.) Chaing Kai-shek resumes his position as president.
By 1949 Chaing Kai-shek decided that there is no way of saving China from the communist and decided to retreat the government and the army, to the remaining island along the East coast of China, Taiwan and hoping that someday, there will be a chance to take China back from the communist, which never happened.
During the early 1950s Chaing Fang-liang, Chaing Ching-kuo and their children lived in an apartment within Taipei city of Taiwan, which Chaing Kai-shek declared to be the new capital of China. Chaing Fang-liang dedicated herself to play the role of a good wife and mother. Chaing Fang-liang recorded that to be the happiest time in her life.
Chaing Fang-liang is known as a simple person, the neighbors loved her and said that it is very common to see her riding bicycle into the market, to get grocery or see her cleaning the window outside their apartment almost on a daily basis, because the window get dirty easily by the railway, right behind the apartment.
Chaing Ching-kuo eventually took up the office of Defense Minister and later onwards became the Secretary of State and the family moved to official resident for minister of the Secretary of State, with increase security.
The Cold War made it extremely difficult for Chaing Fang-liang to stay in contact with her sister Anna Vakhreva, who still live in Russia and the two of them eventually lost contact.
In prior to the Cold War Chaing Fang-liang and Anna Vakhreva exchanged letter frequently and after the out break of the Cold War they were still able to exchange letters occasionally, but when Chaing Ching-kuo became Secretary of State, the few letters from Anna Vakhreva send to Chaing Fang-liang become a consideration of national security. Most of these letters was destroyed.
One of the Taiwanese intelligence agents later onwards recorded that he once received a letter in his office, send to him by a British MI5 agent, who disguises as a British reporter, to send a letter to Chaing Fang-liang from Anna Vakhreva. When Chaing Ching-kuo received the letter he had a quick look at it and destroyed it, telling the agent not to reveal this information to anyone.
Because, Chaing Fang-liang was not well educated, Chaing Ching-kuo keeps her out of politic all together and she rarely showed face in the media or political functions. When Chaing Ching-kuo was serving as Secretary of State, it was also the worse period of time between the marriage between Chaing Fang-liang and Chaing Ching-kuo, all three of Chaing Ching-kuo’s sons at that time was known as trouble youth and was causing troubles on a 24/7 basis.
The children can get Chaing Ching-kuo so angry that he would hit them, every time they cause trouble, especially if it was been release in the media. Chaing Fang-liang was extremely against hitting the children, no matter what and sometime she can get so angry at her husband, she would want to go back to Russia, taking her children with her. For a short period of time Chaing Fang-liang became addicted to Chinese poker, which was a form of gambling, but she soon seeks help and resolved the problem.
The couple’s relationship eventually gotten better and in 1978, Chaing Ching-kuo was elected as president, by this time, his father Chaing Kai-shek is dead.
The people working in the presidential palace refer to Chaing Fang-liang as an extremely simple person, who still cook and do all the house work herself, despite the fact there are servants, within the Presidential palace.
Chaing Fang-liang continue to stay out of politic, when her husband was president, it was known that when some politicians’ wife, asked Chaing Fang-liang to talk in favor of their husband, in front of the President, Chaing Fang-liang always replied with answer, saying let the men work out their own issues within the Senate.
During his second term as President, Chaing Ching-kuo, passed away and the position of President was been passed down to, Vice President Lee Teng-hui.
Chaing Fang-liang has three sons and one daughter and all three of her sons died during the late 80s~early 90s. Her youngest daughter moved to the US after she gotten married.
As an old lady, Chaing Fang-liang is known to be kind, friendly and easily approachable person, there were always people who are interest about her life in Russia, under Starlin’s rule and she never get tire of telling them about it.
In 1990 the Cold War is over and Taiwan and Russia started working together to rebuild their destroyed relationship. Chaing Fang-liang’s identity as a former first lady of Taiwan made her an instant celebrity in Russia. In 1992 she was been visited by the Russian ambassador to Taiwan, where the ambassador delivered the message from the Russian President that the Russian government is willing to pay an entire full fee to let Chaing Fang-liang, take a trip back to visit her hometown, including the rest of Russia. An offer Chaing Fang-liang did not took up and by that time Chaing Fang-liang was 76 years old.
When the media asked the Chaing Fang-liang’s grand daughter, how her grand mother felt loosing all her three sons and husband, her grand daughter replied to the media, “That is a pain you won’t understand until at least you are another 40 years older.”
In 2004 Chaing Fang-liang suffered from lung cancer and was send to Lon-Zhong Hospital in Taipei, hospital staff said in that time, the 88 years old lady, no longer care whether she live or died, she told hospital staff in fluent Chinese that when she die, she want to be buried next to her husband. Later onwards, she seem to start seen things that isn’t there telling the nurses to help her to change into some new cloth, because her husband and her boys are taking her out to dinner. The nurses said they found it to be a little bit spooky, because that happened around mid night.
Chaing Fang-liang died on the 15th of December 2004, aged 88 years old. Chaing Fang-liang was been honored with a state funeral, with her coffin covered by the nation’s flag, people who attended the funeral included former President Lee Teng-hui, (who served as president for twelve years.) and President Chen Shui-bian. (Now, former President.) In Chaing Fang-liang’s funeral, member of the National party said that although Chaing Fang-liang lives like an ordinary woman, she was probably really one of the greatest women alive.
Chaing Fang-liang/ Fiana Vakhreva’s death made news headline in both Taiwan and Russia.
Fiana Vakhreva’s sister, Anna Vakhreva who lived in Russia her entire life never have kids, she eventually went to university and gotten married, Anna Vakhreva has no idea that most of her later letters, which was written to her sister was been destroy by the Taiwanese intelligence, which is why Fiana Vakhreva never wrote back.
By now, Anna Vakhreva is also dead.
Chaing Fang-liang was been refer to as a woman who love her husband and children dearly and dedicate her entire adult life to them.
Chiang Fang-liang / Faina Ipat'evna Vakhreva
Fiana Vakhreva’s background as Russian noble caused her to lost both her parents since a young age, as they were been executed by Starlin. Fiana Vakhreva grew up as an orphan, raised by her older sister Anna Vakhreva in Starlin’s reeducation camp. Fiana Vakhreva was eventually led to work in a communist factory and at the age of 17 she met Chiang Ching-kuo.
In that time, Chaing Chin-kuo was living in Russia due to political reasons between China and the Soviet Union, in name Chaing Ching-kuo was an exchange student to Russia, in reality he was a political prisoner.
In Chaing Chin-kuo autobiography, he also wrote that Fiana Vakhreva was his only real friend during his time, living in the Soviet Union.
Photo of the young Chaing Ching-kuo
According to historical record, their meeting comes into existence when Chaing Ching-kuo saved, Fiana Vakhreva’s life or something like that. Despite been a political prisoner, Chaing Ching-kuo was still the deputy chief of the factory, which Fiana Vakhreva worked in and command some respect from the communist.
The young Fiana Vakhreva was described to be an out going and passionate person and her hobbies included riding bicycle, swimming and to ski. Later onwards when she became first lady of Taiwan, she was described to be as a simple person, by the people working in the presidential palace.
Chaing Ching-kuo father’s also happened to be China’s late president Chaing Kai-shek, known to be one of the mightiest Generals, of the early 20th century.
Chaing Ching-kuo & Chaing Kai-shek
At the age of 19 (1935) Fiana Vakhreva married Chaing Ching-kuo who was still a political prisoner in Russia and Fiana Vakhreva become known as Fiana Chaing. Chaing Ching-kuo was 25 years old at the time. Because of Chaing Ching-kuo’s special identity as Chaing Kai-Shek’s son, the communist party always keeps a close eye on the couple and like many Russians under Starlin’s rule they lived a very poor life.
Early days of Faina Chaing &Chaing Ching-kuo at Russia
In Chaing Ching-kuo’s autobiography, he also wrote that he was eventually even be send to reeducation camp by the communist and lost his job, leaving his wife as the bread winner of the family, for about half a year.
In 1936 Chaing Kai-shek led Chinese troops up to the north of China and defeats the Warlords who seize control of the Northern part of the nation. Chaing Kai-shek used this opportunity also to threaten Starlin, forcing him to release his son and his newly married wife and his baby grand son, back to China. Starlin agreed to Chaing Kai-shek’s demands.
Chiang Fang-liang & Chaing Ching-kuo Second Wedding in China
In 1937 Fiana Chaing, Chaing Ching-kuo and their baby son returned to China. Fiana Chaing eventually adopted the Chinese name and became known as Chaing Fang-liang. During the 1930s the Western world and the Eastern world was extremely different and it was recorded Chaing Fan-liang still remembered the difficulties she faced, including language barriers and numerous culture clashes. But it made no changes towards Chaing Fang-liang’s happy and outgoing personality.
To most people’s knowledge Fiana Chaing never return to the Soviet Union after arriving at China, although it was known that she did returned to Russia once, during the Second World War, where China and Russia was allies.
Surprisingly, China was a much more powerful nation then the Soviet Union, during WW2 and Starlin found himself, in need of Chinese protection, against the Japanese who was marching into the Soviet Union, destroying entire Russian armies, without any effort.
Chiang Fang-liang & Chaing Ching-kuo early photo in China
History recorded that Chaing fang-liang was extremely keen to seek the approval of her President father in law, knowing that her husband has a great relationship with his father. Chaing Kai-shek is rather found of Chaing fang-liang and is also known to be the one who give Fiana Chaing her Chinese name, which she gladly accepts.
Historically, it is known that Chaing Fang-liang is so keen to seek Chaing Kai-shek’s approval that her standard in speaking Chinese and understanding of Chinese custom, eventually become even higher then most Chinese themselves.
However, although Chaing Ching-kuo is consider being the best president in Taiwan’s history, just like Bill Clinton, he has a bit of a player tendency and during the late 1930s when he was serving as mayor in China, he was known to, at one stage have an affair with a woman working in the mayor office named Chang Ya-ruo and had a pair of twin sons.
Chaing Fang-liang forgive her husband for the affair, but she never knew about the twin boys until the late 1990s, when one of the two boy serving as a Senator decided to adopted his father’s last name. In that time Chaing Fang-liang was almost eighty years old.
In 1938 Chaing Fang-liang got into politic for the first time, when her husband became mayor. To encourage women to join the work force, Chaing Ching-kuo opened up many state own child care centers and Chaing Fang-liang was known to be running one of those many child care centers.
However, that was Chaing Fang-liang’s entire political career and it ended when she move to Taiwan along with her husband, government, military and an entire truck load of refugees, after China fall to Communist rule.
In the late 1940s, the Communist started to revolt against the government and started to seize control over China, the Republic’s Senate turned to the only man they could turn to, in the fight against Communist, who is Chaing Kai-shek, which the Senate originally forced out of power, due to disagreement (Chaing Kai-shek wanted to destroy the Communist red army in 1945, but the Senate voted against Chaing Kai-shek and force him out of power, because they believing the Red army to be loyal and useful allies.) Chaing Kai-shek resumes his position as president.
By 1949 Chaing Kai-shek decided that there is no way of saving China from the communist and decided to retreat the government and the army, to the remaining island along the East coast of China, Taiwan and hoping that someday, there will be a chance to take China back from the communist, which never happened.
Chiang Fang-liang doing a Taiwanese Aboriginal Dance in Taiwanese Aboriginal Costume
During the early 1950s Chaing Fang-liang, Chaing Ching-kuo and their children lived in an apartment within Taipei city of Taiwan, which Chaing Kai-shek declared to be the new capital of China. Chaing Fang-liang dedicated herself to play the role of a good wife and mother. Chaing Fang-liang recorded that to be the happiest time in her life.
Chaing Fang-liang is known as a simple person, the neighbors loved her and said that it is very common to see her riding bicycle into the market, to get grocery or see her cleaning the window outside their apartment almost on a daily basis, because the window get dirty easily by the railway, right behind the apartment.
Chaing Ching-kuo eventually took up the office of Defense Minister and later onwards became the Secretary of State and the family moved to official resident for minister of the Secretary of State, with increase security.
The Cold War made it extremely difficult for Chaing Fang-liang to stay in contact with her sister Anna Vakhreva, who still live in Russia and the two of them eventually lost contact.
Chiang Fang-liang & Chaing Ching-kuo's daughter (Left) Chaing Ching-kuo's step mother, Soong Mai-Ling (middle) Chiang Fang-liang (Right)
In prior to the Cold War Chaing Fang-liang and Anna Vakhreva exchanged letter frequently and after the out break of the Cold War they were still able to exchange letters occasionally, but when Chaing Ching-kuo became Secretary of State, the few letters from Anna Vakhreva send to Chaing Fang-liang become a consideration of national security. Most of these letters was destroyed.
One of the Taiwanese intelligence agents later onwards recorded that he once received a letter in his office, send to him by a British MI5 agent, who disguises as a British reporter, to send a letter to Chaing Fang-liang from Anna Vakhreva. When Chaing Ching-kuo received the letter he had a quick look at it and destroyed it, telling the agent not to reveal this information to anyone.
Because, Chaing Fang-liang was not well educated, Chaing Ching-kuo keeps her out of politic all together and she rarely showed face in the media or political functions. When Chaing Ching-kuo was serving as Secretary of State, it was also the worse period of time between the marriage between Chaing Fang-liang and Chaing Ching-kuo, all three of Chaing Ching-kuo’s sons at that time was known as trouble youth and was causing troubles on a 24/7 basis.
The children can get Chaing Ching-kuo so angry that he would hit them, every time they cause trouble, especially if it was been release in the media. Chaing Fang-liang was extremely against hitting the children, no matter what and sometime she can get so angry at her husband, she would want to go back to Russia, taking her children with her. For a short period of time Chaing Fang-liang became addicted to Chinese poker, which was a form of gambling, but she soon seeks help and resolved the problem.
The couple’s relationship eventually gotten better and in 1978, Chaing Ching-kuo was elected as president, by this time, his father Chaing Kai-shek is dead.
Chaing Fang-liang and two of her Grand children
The people working in the presidential palace refer to Chaing Fang-liang as an extremely simple person, who still cook and do all the house work herself, despite the fact there are servants, within the Presidential palace.
Chaing Fang-liang made a rare political appearance
Chaing Fang-liang continue to stay out of politic, when her husband was president, it was known that when some politicians’ wife, asked Chaing Fang-liang to talk in favor of their husband, in front of the President, Chaing Fang-liang always replied with answer, saying let the men work out their own issues within the Senate.
The elderly Chaing Ching-kuo and Chaing Fang-liang
During his second term as President, Chaing Ching-kuo, passed away and the position of President was been passed down to, Vice President Lee Teng-hui.
Chaing Fang-liang has three sons and one daughter and all three of her sons died during the late 80s~early 90s. Her youngest daughter moved to the US after she gotten married.
Chaing Ching-kuo & one of his sons
As an old lady, Chaing Fang-liang is known to be kind, friendly and easily approachable person, there were always people who are interest about her life in Russia, under Starlin’s rule and she never get tire of telling them about it.
In 1990 the Cold War is over and Taiwan and Russia started working together to rebuild their destroyed relationship. Chaing Fang-liang’s identity as a former first lady of Taiwan made her an instant celebrity in Russia. In 1992 she was been visited by the Russian ambassador to Taiwan, where the ambassador delivered the message from the Russian President that the Russian government is willing to pay an entire full fee to let Chaing Fang-liang, take a trip back to visit her hometown, including the rest of Russia. An offer Chaing Fang-liang did not took up and by that time Chaing Fang-liang was 76 years old.
When the media asked the Chaing Fang-liang’s grand daughter, how her grand mother felt loosing all her three sons and husband, her grand daughter replied to the media, “That is a pain you won’t understand until at least you are another 40 years older.”
An elderly Chaing Fang-liang
In 2004 Chaing Fang-liang suffered from lung cancer and was send to Lon-Zhong Hospital in Taipei, hospital staff said in that time, the 88 years old lady, no longer care whether she live or died, she told hospital staff in fluent Chinese that when she die, she want to be buried next to her husband. Later onwards, she seem to start seen things that isn’t there telling the nurses to help her to change into some new cloth, because her husband and her boys are taking her out to dinner. The nurses said they found it to be a little bit spooky, because that happened around mid night.
Chaing Fang-liang died on the 15th of December 2004, aged 88 years old. Chaing Fang-liang was been honored with a state funeral, with her coffin covered by the nation’s flag, people who attended the funeral included former President Lee Teng-hui, (who served as president for twelve years.) and President Chen Shui-bian. (Now, former President.) In Chaing Fang-liang’s funeral, member of the National party said that although Chaing Fang-liang lives like an ordinary woman, she was probably really one of the greatest women alive.
Chaing Fang-liang funeral, she is the one in the coffin
Chaing Fang-liang/ Fiana Vakhreva’s death made news headline in both Taiwan and Russia.
Fiana Vakhreva’s sister, Anna Vakhreva who lived in Russia her entire life never have kids, she eventually went to university and gotten married, Anna Vakhreva has no idea that most of her later letters, which was written to her sister was been destroy by the Taiwanese intelligence, which is why Fiana Vakhreva never wrote back.
By now, Anna Vakhreva is also dead.
Chiang Fang-liang & Chaing Ching-kuo elderest grandson said "My grandfather and great grandfather might have been Presidents, but I am a business man and I don't care about politic"
Chaing Fang-liang was been refer to as a woman who love her husband and children dearly and dedicate her entire adult life to them.
Chaing Fang-liang / Faina Ipat’evan Vakhreva 1916~2004
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