This photograph was taken in 1963 when Zhang Qian accompanied Premier Zhou Enlai to a delegation of foreign women. Zhang Qian was 41 years old at the time, and she accompanied Premier Zhou as the "first diplomatic lady"

This photograph was taken in 1963 when Zhang Qian accompanied Premier Zhou Enlai to a delegation of foreign women.

Zhang Qian was 41 years old at the time, and she accompanied Premier Zhou to receive foreign guests as the "first diplomatic lady".

Zhang Qian wears a suitable and fashionable costume, carries a delicate small handbag on her left wrist, she is full of smiles, elegant temperament, beautiful and generous, which fully reflects the style of the "first diplomatic lady" of New China.

Zhang Qian was the third wife of Marshal Chen Yi, at the beginning of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Yi, who was then the commander of the first detachment of the New Fourth Army, went to the Yunling branch for a meeting, when Zhang Qian, as an actress of the New Fourth Army Field Service Corps, was performing the anti-war propaganda drama "One Year".

Zhu Kejing, as the leader of the regiment, saw the doorway and asked Chen Yi if he wanted to help introduce it, but Commander Chen Yi refused, and he frankly said that it was better to chase the girl himself.

Before another performance, the leader of the troupe, Zhu Kejing, intended to match Zhang Qian and Chen Yi, so he asked Zhang Qian to go to Chen Yi to borrow the clothes of the chief who needed to perform.

Zhang Qian saluted Commander Chen Yi with a military salute and said, "Chief, we need to borrow one of your clothes for the performance, is it convenient for you to see?" ”

Chen Yi looked up to see that it was Zhang Qian, then pointed to the hanger against the wall and said, "Of course, there is no problem, there is one on the hanger." ”

But Chen Yi forgot that there was a note in the pocket of this dress, which was a love poem he wrote when he missed Zhang Qian in the morning.

When Zhang Qian returned to the dormitory, when she was sorting out her clothes, a note fell out of her pocket, Zhang Qian opened it, and what caught her eye was "Zan Chunlan" three dashing and beautiful characters, she blushed at once, because Chunlan was her breast name, and when talking to Commander Chen Yi before, Zhang Qian said that her breast name was Chunlan.

The poem reads:

"The little arrow is the first to leave the post,

It seems to be yellow.

Delicate and elegant in the world is difficult to find,

Wan Zi Qianhong was jealous of the fragrance. ”

After reading this love poem full of love and thoughts, Zhang Qian was touched, and she decided to respond to this sincere love.

Finally, in the spring of 1940, Chen Yi was 39 years old, and Zhang Qian had just turned 18, and they got married.

After the founding of New China, Chen Yi concurrently served as minister of foreign affairs, and Zhang Qian was also known as the "first lady of China's foreign affairs".

In 1958, Foreign Minister Chen Yi suddenly fell ill on the eve of the first formal meeting with the ambassadors of various countries, and in desperation, he could only ask his wife Zhang Qian to attend in his place.

Zhang Qian was in danger of being ordered, the first time she faced such a big scene, her heart was also very nervous, but Zhang Qian quickly adjusted her state and must not live up to the expectations of the motherland.

When attending the event, in the face of ambassadors from various countries, she spoke generously, answered reporters' questions with clear ideas, polite and decent, and said that there must be some middle and no lack of humor, and her debut surprised ambassadors.

From this moment on, the name Zhang Qian officially entered the international diplomatic arena.