Chiang Kai-shek's diary: a comparison between the original and copies compiled by Mao Sicheng – using the entries from July 1926 as examples

Abstract

Studying the original diaries of Chiang Kai-shek juxtaposed with its various compiled editions is much more important than simply distinguishing which edition is more or less authentic. The differences between the original and its copies resulted from deliberate efforts on the part of Chiang as well as his aid to edit and revise the original for public view. Hence, a comparison between the original and revised editions of the diary goes beyond the mere study of the authenticity of the editions and is of important historical value. This study examines original text from Chiang Kai-shek's diary and compares it with compiled editions produced by Mao Sicheng, who worked as Chiang's secretary in the early 1920s. Using entries primarily from the period of July 1926 as a case study, I carefully examine the similarities as well as the differences between the original diary of Chiang Kai-shek and Mao's copies, both the indexed version and the quoted entries in A Chronicle of Chiang Kai-Shek's Life which Mao compiled and which was published after Chiang passed away in Taiwan. I aim to show what changes were made to the original text in the published versions of Chiang's diary, and to deduce possible explanations of the changes and the ramifications of the modifications.

Keywords:

• Chiang Kai-shek
• diary
• copies
• chronicle

Notes

¹The indexed copy of Chiang's diary and Chiang's Life: A Draft Chronicle, both authored by Mao Sicheng, along with 182 other documents were donated to the Second Historical Archives of China (hereafter SHAC) in June 1985 by Mao's grandson. All of these manuscripts are now part of a special collection under the heading of Chiang Kai-shek Papers.

²Wang Xiaofang, “Fang Mao Sicheng xiansheng zhangsun Mao Ding” [An Interview with Mao Sicheng's Odest Grandson Mao Ding], http://wangxiaofang1.blshe.com/post/13103/497799.

³Mao Ding, “Jiang Jieshi Zi fan lu jiqi bianzhe Mao Sicheng” [Chiang Kai-shek's Self Reflections and Its Editor Mao Sicheng], http://wangxiaofang1.blshe.com/post/13103/497799.

⁴“Mao Sicheng luli” [A Dossier on Mao Sicheng], SHAC, no. 3041, 44.

⁵Mao Ding, “Jiang Jieshi Zi fan lu”.

⁶Parts of Mao's indexed copy of Chiang's diary under “party affairs, June 1919–December 1926” and “military affairs, January 1919–December 1922” were published in a series by Minguo dang'an [Republican Archives] between 1998 and 1999, which totaled more than 50,000 words.

⁷Wan Renyuan and Fang Qingqiu, eds., Jiang Jieshi nianpu chugao [Chiang Kai-shek's Biographical chronicle — A Draft] (Beijing: Dang'an chubanshe, 1992), reprinted by Jiuzhou Press in 2011.

⁸“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: junwu lei” [An Indexed Copy of Chiang Kai-shek Diary: Military Affairs], July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 39.

⁹Mao Sicheng, Jiang Jieshi xiansheng sishi yiqian nianpu (1926) [A chronicle of Chiang Kai-shek's Life before He Turned 40, 1926], SHAC, no. 3041, 33–4.

¹⁰Mao Sicheng, Jiang gong Jieshi nianpu chugao [Chiang's Life: A Draft Chronicle], SHAC, no. 3041, 33–3.

¹¹See the cover of Mao Sicheng's “Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: xue xing yi” [An Indexed Copy of Chiang Kai-shek Diary: Moral Cultivation, Volume One], SHAC, no. 3041, 115.

¹²Ibid., SHAC, no. 3041, 40, 115.

¹³Yang Tianshi, “Jiang Jieshi riji de xianzhuang jiqi zhenshixing wenti” [The Current Status of Chiang Kai-shek's Diary and Issues about its Authenticity], in Zhaoxun zhenshi de Jiang Jieshi [In Search of the Real Chiang Kai-shek] (Taiyuan: Shanxi renmin chubanshe, 2008), 3.

¹⁴Chiang Kai-shek's Diary, entry dated 1 July 1926, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Box 5.

¹⁷Wan and Fang, Jiang Jieshi nianpu chugao, 604.

¹⁵“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: junwu lei, za zu lei” [An Indexed Copy of Chiang Kai-shek Diary: Military Affairs and Miscellaneous], 1 July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 39.

¹⁶Ibid.

¹⁸See the header and footer on the entries dated July 1926 in the original Chiang Kai-shek's Dairy.

¹⁹Chiang Kai-shek's Diary, entry dated 30 July 1926, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Box 5.

²⁰“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: dang zheng lei” [An Indexed Copy of Chiang Kai-shek's Diary: Party Affairs], 30 July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 39.

²¹“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: junwu lei”, 30 July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 39.

²²“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei, za zu lei”[An Indexed Copy of Chiang Kai-shek Diary: Family Affairs and Miscellaneous], 1 February 1931, SHAC, no. 3041, 112; 36.

²³“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: junwu lei”, 1, 3, 14, 27, 29 July, 1936, SHAC, no. 3041, 39.

²⁴Wan and Fang, Jiang Jieshi nianpu chugao, 605.

²⁵Wan and Fang, Jiang Jieshi nianpu chugao, 628.

²⁶Yang Tianshi, “Jiang Jieshi riji de xianzhuang jiqi zhenshixing wenti”, 3.

²⁷Mao, Jiang gong Jieshi nianpu chugao, SHAC, 3041, 33–3.

²⁸“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei” [An Indexed Copy of Chiang Kai-shek's Diary: Family Affairs], April 1925–June 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 112.

²⁹Chiang Kai-shek's Diary, entry dated 2 July 1926, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Box 5.

³⁰“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei”, 11 January 1931, SHAC, no. 3041, 112.

³¹“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei”, 10, 30 July 1926; 12 November 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 112. “Her extravagant life style and materialism” was added in Mao's copy.

³²“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei”, 13 July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 112. “Stubbornness and arrogance” was revised into “stubbornness in her personal character” in Mao's copy.

³³“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei”, 21 November 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 112.

³⁴Chiang Kai-shek's Diary, entry dated 2 July 1926, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Box 5.

³⁵Mao, Jiang gong Jieshi nianpu chugao, 2 July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 33–3.

³⁶“Jiang Jieshi riji lei chao: jiating lei”, 6 August 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 112.

³⁷Yang, Zhaoxun zhenshi de Jiang Jieshi, 50

³⁸Chiang Kai-shek, “Gao haiwai qiaobao shu” [To Overseas Chinese], in Mao Sicheng, Jiang gong Jieshi nianpu chugao, 9 July 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 33–3 .

³⁹Mao, Jiang gong Jieshi nianpu chugao, 13, 17 July 1926; 5 August 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 33–3.

⁴⁰Ibid., 15 August 1926, SHAC, no. 3041, 33–3.