# Ho Miu-ling

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Hong Kong philanthropist

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Ho Miu-ling Mme Wu Tingfang (Ho Miu-ling) in elaborate dress, photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress. Traditional Chinese 何妙齡 Simplified Chinese 何妙龄 Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hé Miàolíng Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hòhmiuhlìhng Jyutping ho4 miu6 ling4

Madame Wu Tingfang (Ho Miu-ling), from a 1908 publication.

**Ho Miu-ling** (1847–1937) was a philanthropist in [British Hong Kong](/source/British_Hong_Kong). Her influential family included her brother, barrister [Kai Ho](/source/Kai_Ho), her husband, diplomat [Wu Tingfang](/source/Wu_Tingfang), and her son, diplomat [Wu Chaoshu](/source/Wu_Chaoshu). The [Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital](/source/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](/source/Hoh_Fuk_Tong_Centre) (1818-1871), a Chinese Christian preacher and writer in Hong Kong. Her brother was Sir [Kai Ho](/source/Kai_Ho).[1]

## 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[2] 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.[3] She was reported to have bound feet,[4] but to be against the practice of [foot binding](/source/Foot_binding) as a result of her travels.[5] She also pointed out the health-damaging effects of [corsets](/source/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."[6]

In widowhood Ho Miu-ling returned to Hong Kong, where she was a major donor to charities, including building funds for churches and scholarships.[1] Ho Miu Ling Hospital opened in 1906, funded by Ho Miu-ling[7][8] and operated under the auspices of the [London Missionary Society](/source/London_Missionary_Society); it eventually merged with two others to form the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital.[1]

## Personal life

Ho Miu-ling married [Wu Tingfang](/source/Wu_Ting-fang) (1842–1922) in 1864. Their son [Wu Chaoshu](/source/Wu_Chaoshu) (1887–1934) was born in [Tianjin](/source/Tianjin), educated in American schools,[9] and followed his father into a career in diplomacy. She survived both her husband and her son, and died in 1937, aged 91 years.[1]

United States District Court judge [George H. Wu](/source/George_H._Wu) is her great-grandson.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Choa_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Choa_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Choa_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Choa_1-3) Gerald Hugh Choa, [*The Life and Times of Sir Kai Ho Kai: A Prominent Figure in Nineteenth-century Hong Kong*](https://books.google.com/books?id=nzWs6_BUBPoC&dq=%22Ho+Miu-ling%22+Wu&pg=PA17) (Chinese University Press 2000): 14-17, 60. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789622018730](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789622018730)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Isabel Joyce, ["Oriental Atmosphere to Envelope Washington's Exclusive Society"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25201634/ho_miuling_1908/) *[Washington Times](/source/Washington_Times)* (August 9, 1908): 31. via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Josephine Hutchings, ["Early Hong Kong Members of Lincoln's Inn"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065434/https://www.lincolnsinn.org.uk/images/word/Library/EarlyHongKongMembers.pdf) Lincoln's Inn Library.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["From Far Cathay"](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=) *Westralian Worker* (December 14, 1900): 8. via [Trove](/source/Trove)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Notes for Women"](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=) *The Telegraph* (May 2, 1903): 5. via [Trove](/source/Trove)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Mme. Wu on Small Waists"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25201904/ho_miuling_1901/) *Baltimore Sun* (November 3, 1901): 2. via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [*Plague, SARS and the Story of Medicine in Hong Kong*](https://books.google.com/books?id=WBx6McA35iYC&dq=%22Ho+Miu-ling%22+Wu&pg=PA102) (Hong Kong University Press 2006): 102. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789622098053](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789622098053)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["About Women"](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=) *Albury Banner and Wodonga Express* (July 5, 1907): 14. via [Trove](/source/Trove)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Chinese Minister's Son a Public School Boy"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25202072/ho_miuling_1901/) *The Western Advocate* (August 2, 1901): 6. via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ho Miu-ling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Miu-ling) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Miu-ling?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.