The Exquisite Taste of a Noble Lineage: Property from the Family of K’ung Hsiang-Hsi

K’ung Hsiang-Hsi (1880-1967), born in Taigu, Shanxi province, to a well-established family of businessmen and educated by Christian missionaries, K’ung was a 75th-generation descendant of Confucius.

K’ung Hsiang-Hsi was a passionate advocate for education – having studied at Oberlin College and Yale University before returning to China in 1907, he helped to set up schools in his hometown of Taigu to fulfil his vision of strengthening China through education in the 1910s. His initial career as an educator was cut short by the political disruption caused by the fall of the Qing dynasty. He was quickly appointed the civil administrator of Taigu and division commander of the local army. Shifting politics obliged K’ung to spend time in Japan, where he met and in 1914 married Soong Ailing (1889-1973), eldest of the three famed Soong sisters and eventually became the brother-in-law of Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek, all of whom were pivotal figures during the Republic of China period, leaving enduring imprints on modern Chinese history.

K’ung also engaged in business, trading internationally in kerosene and other natural resources through his Xiang Ji Company. K’ung Hsiang-Hsi served in several critical posts in the Republic of China government: Minister of Industry and Commerce (1928-1931), Minister of Finance (1933-1944), Governor of the Central Bank of China (1933-1945), and Premier of the Republic (1939-1945). During his career, he enacted important economic reforms and was among the key architects of China’s modern financial and industrial systems.

The K’ung couple, with their profound knowledge and unique vision, amassed a significant and important collection of jewels, jade, Chinese paintings and works of art in modern China. A prominent figure of the time, K’ung Hsiang-Hsi had significant political achievements and connections both domestically and abroad, laying the foundation for his prominent collection of various art treasures. Many works were directly dedicated to K’ung and his family, reflecting the development and trajectory of 20th-century Chinese history. In 1947, he relocated to the United States, where these treasures became part of the K’ung family's legacy.

Christie’s had the honor of showcasing a collection of jewelry, Chinese paintings and works of art from the esteemed K’ung family in the year 2015. The auction was notably distinguished by the sale of Zhang Daqian's masterpiece, Lotus Pond, which sold for over 20 million Hong Kong dollars, nearly 14 times its pre-sale low estimate.

In 2017, Christie’s continued its success by revisiting the historical footsteps of the prestigious family, showcasing the legendary glory of the K’ung family through a special auction featuring Fu Baoshi's The Song of the Pipa Player, a masterpiece that had not been seen in public for over sixty years. It was sold for over 200 million Hong Kong dollars, setting a world record for Fu Baoshi's works and reaffirming K’ung's unmatched artistic appreciation and the exceptional quality of his family's collection.