Photo: Christian Ursilva / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jung Chang is credited as an autobiographer, writer and biographer. Jung Chang was born in Yibin, People's Republic of China on March 25, 1952. That works out to 74 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Shishi High School and University of York. Listed accolades include Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2024) and honorary doctorate (1998).
My Take
Jung Chang is, to me, a model of literary courage. Wild Swans turned three generations of women into a window onto modern Chinese history, selling over ten million copies worldwide while remaining banned at home, a contradiction that says everything about the power of her testimony. Her later biography of Mao pressed even harder against official memory. The 2024 CBE feels like belated recognition of a writer who treats remembrance as resistance. I admire how she fuses intimate family detail with sweeping historical argument; few authors carry that double burden so steadily, and her work endures because of it.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jung Chang
- Name (Japanese)
- ユン・チアン
- Reading
- ゆん・ちあん
- Born
- March 25, 1952 (age 74)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Dragon
- Origin
- Yibin, People's Republic of China
- Occupation
- autobiographer / writer / biographer / linguist / poet
2. Background
- High school
- Shishi High School
- University
- University of York
Awards & achievements
- 2024 Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- 1998 honorary doctorate
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Mao: The Unknown Story | — | |
| Notable work | Wild Swans | — | |
| Notable work | Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.jungchang.net/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jung%20Chang
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A6%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%81%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235291
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jung Chang born?
Born March 25, 1952 (age 74).
Where is Jung Chang from?
Jung Chang is from Yibin, People's Republic of China.
What does Jung Chang do?
Jung Chang works as autobiographer, writer, biographer, linguist, poet.
What is Jung Chang known for?
Notable works include Wild Swans, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China.
Autobiographer — see all → · Writer — see all → · More people from the People's Republic of China →