"The years do not spare people, but I spare the years. This phrase seems particularly appropriate to describe the older generation, who are still active in people's eyes regardless of their age. On December 12, 2023, a news that moved countless people came, a 104-year-old man named Zhou Sophie quietly left us in Beijing Hospital. Sophie Zhou, whose name may not be so well-known among the younger generation, is not only the soul of the Ma Haide Foundation, but also a leader in the Chinese entertainment industry. What did she leave us in the prime of life? And how did she come to the end of her life step by step? Let us find out.
Zhou Sophie, formerly known as Zhou Suzhen, was born on May 19, 1919 in an ordinary family in Zhoushan, Zhejiang. The young Sophie Zhou has an incomparable passion for performing arts, and her artistic path began in stage plays and gradually entered the film industry, and she is known by the stage name "Sophie". In 1943, she joined the Communist Party of China, and since then, her life trajectory has been closely linked to China's revolutionary history.
Ms. Sophie's husband, George Haydem, or better known as "Ma Haide," is a medical doctor from the United States. In 1933, at the age of 23, George decided to cross the ocean to China. His original intention was simple: to combat the many diseases that were raging in China during that era. In 1936, on the recommendation of Soong Ching-ling, he joined the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and became a consultant to the Ministry of Health, and since then he has formed an indissoluble bond with China.
The meeting between the two can be said to be fate. In the continuous torrent of revolution, the love story of George and Sophie Zhou began. Together, they experienced the flames of war and witnessed the birth of New China. In 1950, Ma Haide was appointed as an adviser to the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, and this was also the year he proudly became a citizen of the People's Republic of China.
Ma Haide is best known for his investment in leprosy treatment in China. His research and efforts have brought back sight to countless leprosy patients. And after Ma Haide's death, Ms. Sophie did not choose to bask in grief, but picked herself up and devoted her life to the treatment and education of leprosy. She became the vice president of the China Leprosy Association and continued to promote the development of the Ma Haide Foundation, serving patients without regrets.
Ms. Sophie's life is a magnificent history. In her 104-year-old life, she not only witnessed China's transformation from poverty to prosperity, but also participated in the process herself. Her life has been a constant pursuit of love, faith and responsibility. Even in her later years, she is still active in various public welfare activities, and continues to convey love and hope in her own way.
In Sophie Zhou's later years, her son Pony became her strongest backing. On the evening of December 12, 2023, she left this world with a smile on her face when she closed her eyes peacefully in a hospital in Beijing. This scene was affectionately recorded by the pony. The pony recalls that her mother had told her that she wanted her to leave peacefully and quietly, and that she didn't want to cause trouble to anyone. This calmness and calmness is a portrayal of her life.
Her life is a legend like no other. From the small island of Zhoushan to the metropolis of Beijing, from a young actor to the wife of a philanthropist and revolutionary, every step is firm and powerful. At the age of 104, she still stirred up waves in people's hearts. In her own way, she interprets the power and charm of a woman.
Ms. Sophie's life is also a history of cultural exchanges between China and the United States. The combination of her and Ma Haide is not only a transnational love, but also the integration and collision of two cultures. Under her influence, countless bridges of Sino-foreign cooperation have been established. Her life story inspires everyone who knows her, whether it is in art or public welfare, she has left an indelible mark.
After her death, not only her family, but the whole society expressed deep respect and nostalgia for her. From the government to the general public, from the art circle to the medical community, they all regret the fall of this evening star. Ms. Sophie showed what the true light of life is, and even on the other side of the world, there are people who are moved by her.
Sophie Zhou's life is like a wonderful movie, showing how a woman insists on herself in the wind and rain, and how she finds the power of hope in the predicament. She is not only the wife of Mr. Ma Haide, but also the eldest sister of countless people in suffering. She tells us that no matter what the situation, love and responsibility can make a person's life shine. As the old saying goes, "A true life is a life that contributes to the world." Ms. Sophie Zhou, with her life, interpreted the profound meaning of this sentence.