Nora Sun

Sun Suifen (1946 – January 29, 2011), a native of Shanghai, was born in the summer of 1946. Her grandfather was Sun Yat-sen, a renowned Chinese revolutionary and statesman, and her father was Sun Ke, who served as an advisor to the Republic of China's presidential office and as a Legislative Yuan member. Her mother was Lan Ni. Sun Suifen spent her childhood in Shanghai; during her early years there, she was kidnapped while her family was stranded, which caused significant financial loss.

In 1955, after completing high school in Hong Kong, she was accepted to a U.S. home church college and awarded a four-year study abroad scholarship. However, she was unable to study there due to visa issues. Subsequently, she became the youngest flight attendant in Taiwan. During her work, she met her future husband, Sun Kangwei, an American pilot who had participated in World War II. In 1957, she married Sun Kangwei in Taiwan, and they had three sons named Sun Zhongren, Sun Zhongjie, and Sun Zhongwei.

In 1976, Sun Suifen decided to return to studies. Due to her age, she became one of the longest-enrolled students in the history of the University of Arizona. She graduated with diplomas in secretarial and finance majors and was awarded the Wall Street Journal Award, attracting media attention in the United States. In 1985, she began venturing into the business field. The following year, she served as a Business Consul at the U.S. Department of Commerce, becoming a Chinese-American diplomat. She later continued her diplomatic career at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai and the U.S. Embassy in Paris, serving as Business Consul and Business Counselor, respectively. In 1994, she resigned from public office and returned to Hong Kong to establish a consulting firm called Hong Kong Shunya Consultants Ltd., actively engaged in expanding trade between China and the U.S.

Under the pseudonym "Nora," Sun Suifen was active in Shanghai's social circles. She emphasized that she did not enjoy the attention that came with being a granddaughter of Sun Yat-sen, believing that individuals should create their life value through their own efforts. Regarding Sun Yat-sen's image, she remarked that film and television works could not fully capture his temperament and charisma. She had limited knowledge of her grandfather and admitted that her understanding was similar to that of the general public.

On New Year's Day in 2011, Sun Suifen was involved in a traffic accident in Taipei. After severe injuries and multiple surgeries, her condition gradually improved but deteriorated due to multiple organ failure, leading to her death on January 29, 2011. Her funeral and memorial services were held in Taiwan, where leaders such as Ma Ying-jeou expressed their condolences. Throughout her life, Sun Suifen experienced a rich and diverse journey across multiple countries and cultural backgrounds, exemplifying a colorful and multifaceted life story.