Julia Tien Hsiang Wu

Their marriage and partnership spanned seventy years and their lives over a century.

Julia was born in 1921, the eldest daughter of a banker. Her childhood was spent in Tientsin, China with her sister and brother before attending college. In 1948 she left her family behind to attend graduate school at Ohio State University. A year later, the Communist Revolution in China made her a political refugee and she would not see her family again for the next thirty years. In those thirty years, she attained a Master’s Degree from Ohio State and a Ph.D from Teacher’s College, Columbia University (Special Education) became a tenured professor at Hunter College, City University of New York, met and married Cheng Tsu and became a mother. A gifted singer, she performed regularly with a noted amateur Peking Opera troupe at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

Cheng Tsu was born in 1922, the eldest son of a Kuomintang army general. His childhood was spent in Sichauan, China with his three brothers and sister. In 1949, he left his family behind to attend graduate school at Ohio State University. The Communist Revolution that year also made him a political refugee. Like Julia, he would not see his family again for thirty years. In those decades, he attained a Master’s Degree from Ohio University and a Ph.D from Clark University (Political Geography), became a tenured professor at Hunter College, City University of New York, was twice appointed a New York City Human Rights Commissioner, met and married Julia, and became a father. He was a gifted practitioner of the Chinese martial art Tai Chi Chuan and taught tai chi well into his 80s.

Although they had only one child and no extended family in America, their lives were full of many close friends and the generations of students – American and Chinese – and young people that they welcomed into their lives and, often, into their home.

Julia & Cheng Tsu are survived by their son Shanlon Wu, a lawyer, as well as two granddaughters: Allison Chi Tsen Wu and Julie Chi Fan Wu.

“That inclusion of others, that innate ability to welcome others to your interests, to make your home theirs, I think it started someplace close to your own home. Namely, your parents. Especially your mom. In both times I visited, there were always relatives and other guests. Though your parents only had one child, the sense of family seemed limitless. As if it could extend as far as the heart was open.”

- Jonathan Field, A.B. Vassar College; M.F.A./Playwriting, U.C. San Diego; R.N. University of New England

(family friend & college classmate of Shan)

ORDER OF SERVICE

Introduction by Celebrant Mark D. Thiel

Remembrances

Ms. Ling Yun Rice

- Ling lived with her aunt & uncle – Julia & C.T. for eight years. She holds a degree from Hunter College in Chinese Literature & Art History. She has worked at the New York Public Library for the past 34 years and is currently a reference librarian at the Business Center of the New York Public Library.

Mr. Sat Chuen Hon

- Sat lived with Julia, Cheng Tsu & Shan during the weekends in high school. His brother, Johnny Hon, had been a student of C.T’s. Sat first studied Tai Chi with C.T. and practiced martial arts with Shan. He holds an B.A. in Psychology from Princeton University, a Masters in Fine Arts in Modern Dance/Movement Therapy from Connecticut College, an O.M.D. (Oriental Medicine Doctorate) from Guangzou TCM Medical in Guangzhou, China, and is a world-renowned teacher of tai chi and medical qigong in New York City.

Wendy & Lisa Gui

- Wendy & Lisa lived with Julia & Cheng Tsu as young students for ten years. Lisa holds a degree in Public Accounting and Wendy holds a degree in Finance – both from Pace University, Westchester County, New York.

Julie Chi Fan Wu

- Julie is the youngest granddaughter of Julia & C.T. She is a former pre-professional ballerina and currently a junior at Barnard College, Columbia University where she is majoring in Psychology. This summer she will intern at J.P. Morgan.

Allison Chi Tsen Wu

- Allison is the eldest granddaughter of Julia & C.T. She is a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a former Junior Olympics quarterfinalist and graduated from Smith College with a degree in English Language and Literature & a Certificate in Asian American studies from the Five Colleges Consortium. She is a 2017 Teach For America corps member alum and currently works as a program manager at Platform of Hope, a non-profit that focuses on supporting underserved families who have been displaced through gentrification, a MMA coach at Urban Boxing, and is the founder/owner of a functional health education business for underserved communities.

Shanlon Wu

- Shan is the only child of Julia & C.T. He is former amateur boxer and kickboxer who holds an English Literature degree from Vassar College, a M.F.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a law degree from Georgetown University. A former federal prosecutor who served as counsel to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, he is a frequent commentator on CNN, MSNBC, NewsNation whose writing appears regularly in the Daily Beast.

CONCLUSION: Celebrant invites guests to join the family at the reception.