Ho Miu-ling

{{Short description|Hong Kong philanthropist}} {{Chinese |pic=Mme. Wu Tingfang, by Frances Benjamin Johnston.jpg |caption=Mme Wu Tingfang (Ho Miu-ling) in elaborate dress, photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, [[Library of Congress]]. |t=何妙齡 |s=何妙龄 |j=ho4 miu6 ling4 |y=Hòhmiuhlìhng |p=Hé Miàolíng }} [[File:HoMiuLing1908.jpg|thumb|Madame Wu Tingfang (Ho Miu-ling), from a 1908 publication.]] '''Ho Miu-ling''' (1847–1937) was a philanthropist in [[British Hong Kong]]. Her influential family included her brother, barrister [[Kai Ho]], her husband, diplomat [[Wu Tingfang]], and her son, diplomat [[Wu Chaoshu]]. The [[Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital]] is named for her and for her sister-in-law, Alice Walkden.

==Early life== Ho Miu-ling was one of the eleven children of Rev. [[Hoh Fuk Tong Centre|Hoh Fuk Tong]] (1818-1871), a Chinese Christian preacher and writer in Hong Kong. Her brother was Sir [[Kai Ho]].<ref name="Choa">Gerald Hugh Choa, [https://books.google.com/books?id=nzWs6_BUBPoC&dq=%22Ho+Miu-ling%22+Wu&pg=PA17 ''The Life and Times of Sir Kai Ho Kai: A Prominent Figure in Nineteenth-century Hong Kong''] (Chinese University Press 2000): 14-17, 60. {{ISBN|9789622018730}}</ref>

==Diplomacy and philanthropy== Ho Miu-ling married at age 17, and supported her husband through his legal studies in London. She traveled with him and performed the duties of an official hostess<ref>Isabel Joyce, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25201634/ho_miuling_1908/ "Oriental Atmosphere to Envelope Washington's Exclusive Society"] ''[[Washington Times]]'' (August 9, 1908): 31. via [[Newspapers.com]]{{open access}}</ref> when he was a Minister of Imperial China from 1896 to 1910, serving in the United States, England, Peru, Mexico, Spain, Cuba, and Japan. He was also a government minister of the Republic of China, from 1910 to 1922.<ref>Josephine Hutchings, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065434/https://www.lincolnsinn.org.uk/images/word/Library/EarlyHongKongMembers.pdf "Early Hong Kong Members of Lincoln's Inn"] Lincoln's Inn Library.</ref> She was reported to have bound feet,<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/148299120?searchTerm=wife%20Wu%20Ting%20Fang%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits= "From Far Cathay"] ''Westralian Worker'' (December 14, 1900): 8. via [[Trove]]{{open access}}</ref> but to be against the practice of [[foot binding]] as a result of her travels.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/173444014?searchTerm=Mme.%20Wu%20Ting%20Fang%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits= "Notes for Women"] ''The Telegraph'' (May 2, 1903): 5. via [[Trove]]{{open access}}</ref> She also pointed out the health-damaging effects of [[corsets]] for Western women: "While I am exceedingly fond of America and enjoy many of its privileges and ways," she explained, "yet I prefer having small feet to a little waist. My vital organs are not affected in any way or injured by the confinement of my feet in childhood, but the health of many an American woman is ruined by the constriction of her waist."<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25201904/ho_miuling_1901/ "Mme. Wu on Small Waists"] ''Baltimore Sun'' (November 3, 1901): 2. via [[Newspapers.com]]{{open access}}</ref>

In widowhood Ho Miu-ling returned to Hong Kong, where she was a major donor to charities, including building funds for churches and scholarships.<ref name="Choa" /> Ho Miu Ling Hospital opened in 1906, funded by Ho Miu-ling<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=WBx6McA35iYC&dq=%22Ho+Miu-ling%22+Wu&pg=PA102 ''Plague, SARS and the Story of Medicine in Hong Kong''] (Hong Kong University Press 2006): 102. {{ISBN|9789622098053}}</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/99831202?searchTerm=wife%20Wu%20Ting%20Fang%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits= "About Women"] ''Albury Banner and Wodonga Express'' (July 5, 1907): 14. via [[Trove]]{{open access}}</ref> and operated under the auspices of the [[London Missionary Society]]; it eventually merged with two others to form the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital.<ref name="Choa" />

==Personal life== Ho Miu-ling married [[Wu Ting-fang|Wu Tingfang]] (1842–1922) in 1864. Their son [[Wu Chaoshu]] (1887–1934) was born in [[Tianjin]], educated in American schools,<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25202072/ho_miuling_1901/ "Chinese Minister's Son a Public School Boy"] ''The Western Advocate'' (August 2, 1901): 6. via [[Newspapers.com]]{{open access}}</ref> and followed his father into a career in diplomacy. She survived both her husband and her son, and died in 1937, aged 91 years.<ref name="Choa" />

United States District Court judge [[George H. Wu]] is her great-grandson.

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:1847 births]] [[Category:1937 deaths]] [[Category:Chinese women philanthropists]] [[Category:Chinese philanthropists]] [[Category:People from British Hong Kong]] [[Category:Hong Kong philanthropists]] [[Category:20th-century women philanthropists]] [[Category:19th-century women philanthropists]] [[Category:Wu family]]