Meiping Cheng’s Legacy
Meiping Cheng was the daughter of Nien Cheng and Kang-chi Cheng. She grew up as a talented pianist, a passionate academic, and pursued a career as an actress for the Shanghai Film Studio. Meiping had a very close relationship with her mother. Cheng recounted in her memoir that the pair communicated covertly while the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sentenced Cheng to house arrest and forbade her from speaking to anyone. In the midst of Nien Cheng’s imprisonment during the Cultural Revolution, Meiping died under mysterious circumstances. Cheng noted in her memoir that the CCP officially declared Meiping a victim of suicide in 1967 at the age of 24. However, Cheng always suspected foul play by cultural revolutionaries caused her daughter’s death. Cheng described her daughter as virtuous and caring, highlighting how Meiping considered those less fortunate than her and wanted to make a tangible difference in the world. In honor of Meiping and her compassionate nature, Cheng sponsored a scholarship in her name for Slippery Rock University students.
Meiping from the Collections
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The Meiping Cheng Memorial Scholarship
Nien Cheng and Louis Razzano developed the Meiping Cheng Memorial Scholarship. They collaborated to create something that fostered support for students while also preserving the image of Meiping’s life. In the spirit of Meiping’s desire for equality, Cheng decided to allow students from all backgrounds and majors to apply for the scholarship. Cheng funded the scholarship through her national book tours and personal estate. The first applications for the scholarship opened in 1987 and required applicants to submit a two-page paper about how their education would benefit society, among other qualifications. Winners of the Meiping Cheng Memorial Scholarship were also invited to attened a formal reception and tea to honor their achievements and Meiping Cheng.
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Overlapping Values
In an interview, Bob Watson speculated about why Cheng chose Slippery Rock University to host the Meiping Cheng Memorial Scholarship. He believes it was because she shared the same values as Louis Razzano, SRU Vice-Provost and Associate Vice President. Razzano was passionate about financially helping students through their undergraduate journey. Additionally, Slippery Rock University has been dedicated to providing education to all students, regardless of their background. Both of these messages resonated with Cheng. Cheng fondly remembered how Meiping’s compassion shaped her daily life and wanted to give to an institution that shared those values. The selection criteria for the Meiping Cheng Memorial Scholarship reflected these same values. Cheng specifically requested that the scholarship be accessible for individuals from all demographics.
Remembrance Concert
In 1988, the university held a concert in honor of Meiping and her scholarship, which featured a duo composed of a vocalist and a pianist. Together, they preformed a combination of Asian folk songs and classical music to highlight Meiping’s heritage and creative personality.
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