Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao


Ruth Mulan Chu Chao (Chinese: 趙朱木蘭; March 19, 1930 – August 2, 2007) was a Chinese-American philanthropist and matriarch of the Chao family, renowned for her role in supporting the founding of the , a leading dry bulk shipping company established in 1964 by her husband, Dr. . Born into a distinguished family in Province, , where education was prioritized regardless of gender, she immigrated to the , raised six daughters—including , the first Asian American woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet as Secretary of Labor—and became a cornerstone of family enterprises and charitable endeavors. Her legacy includes significant philanthropy, with the Chao family establishing foundations that fund scholarships and educational initiatives, culminating in honors such as the naming of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center for Executive Education at in 2016. Despite facing personal challenges, including a seven-year battle with , Chao exemplified resilience and virtue, as chronicled in her biography Calm Amidst the Storm.

Early Life

Birth and Family Background

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao was born on March 19, 1930, in Lai'an County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province, . She was the second of five children in a prominent known for its progressive values, including a strong emphasis on educating daughters at a time when such opportunities were rare for . Her parents, described as enlightened and forward-thinking, prioritized for all their children, enabling Ruth to pursue formal schooling despite societal norms favoring education. This family background instilled values of intellectual pursuit and resilience, reflected in her name, which honored the legendary Chinese heroine , symbolizing courage and unconventional strength. As one of the few women of her generation to receive an , she benefited from her family's and commitment to gender equity in learning.

Education and Upbringing in China

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, born on March 19, 1930, in Lai'an County, Province, grew up as the second of five children in a prominent that emphasized for daughters in defiance of traditional Confucian norms favoring male . Her father, Vei Ching Chu, a scholar and businessman who served as a member of 's Judiciary Yuan, and her , Hui Ying Tien Chu, instilled values of resilience, kindness, and intellectual pursuit amid a culturally rich but turbulent environment. Chao's upbringing was profoundly shaped by the and ensuing chaos, forcing her family to flee conflict zones and relocate repeatedly for safety. Under the age of ten, she exhibited early fortitude by embarking on solo, hazardous missions to recover hidden family gold, evading military checkpoints and wartime perils in occupied territories. To shield her from Nanjing's violence, her parents enrolled her in a school in Jiading near , where she first met James Si-Cheng Chao, her future husband. Her formal spanned primary and secondary levels during the 1930s and 1940s, reflecting her family's progressive commitment to female scholarship despite societal barriers and interruptions from hostilities. She attended Ming Teh Girls High School in , acquiring proficiency in English, though wartime disruptions repeatedly halted classes; undeterred, she continued her studies, embodying the perseverance her family cultivated.

Marriage and Family

Meeting and Marriage to James S.C. Chao

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao met in during through mutual friends, amid the disruptions of the Japanese occupation and ensuing . Their initial courtship was halted when her family relocated her for safety, separating them as the civil war intensified. In 1949, as the concluded with the Communist victory on the mainland, both Chao and James independently fled to . James, determined to reunite with her, searched for over a year before locating her name in a local newspaper, enabling a renewed . They married in , establishing a partnership that lasted 57 years until her .

Immigration to the United States

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao immigrated to the in 1961, joining her husband , who had arrived alone three years earlier in 1958 to pursue educational and economic opportunities amid limited prospects in . She traveled from with their three young daughters, including the eldest, , aged eight, enduring a grueling 37-day journey aboard a to . This reunion marked the family's transition from post-war displacement in —where both had fled independently to in 1949 amid the —to establishing roots in . Upon arrival, the Chaos settled in , where Ruth, then in her early thirties and a trained , confronted the typical adversities of immigrants during that , including barriers, financial strain, and cultural adjustment. James supported the family through low-wage maritime jobs while studying for a in at St. John's University, which he completed in 1964 before founding Foremost Maritime Corp. Ruth contributed by managing the household and instilling values of education and perseverance, drawing from her own scholarly background in Asian history and literature, as the couple navigated and separation from networks severed by geopolitical upheaval. Their determination laid the foundation for eventual prosperity in the shipping industry, exemplifying the immigrant pathway enabled by U.S. policies favoring skilled entrants and prior to the 1965 Immigration Act's broader reforms.

Raising the Six Daughters

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao raised her six daughters—, , May, , , and —in , , following the family's , where the three youngest were born. While supporting her husband in building the shipping enterprise, she nurtured the daughters in a supportive yet disciplined environment, emphasizing strong and a sense of responsibility. Chao instilled a profound commitment to education, reflecting her own upbringing in a progressive family that valued learning for women irrespective of traditional constraints. All six daughters attended universities, with four—Elaine, Grace, Jeanette, and Angela—graduating from , a distinction that underscores the family's focused academic orientation. Known for her modesty, optimism, and quiet perseverance, Chao provided love and encouragement that contributed to her daughters' later accomplishments, including Elaine's roles as U.S. Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation. She modeled reliability and honor, fostering interpersonal trust as a core principle amid the challenges of immigrant family life and business growth.

Philanthropy and Civic Engagement

Commitment to Education

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao was raised in a prominent family in Province, , that prioritized irrespective of gender, a value that shaped her lifelong dedication to learning. She attended Ming Teh Girls High School, one of the few educational opportunities available to women of her generation, where she acquired proficiency in English. As matriarch of her family, Chao instilled a strong emphasis on in her six daughters, four of whom earned MBAs from between 1987 and 2001. This focus on mirrored her own upbringing and contributed to the professional successes of her children in fields such as , , and maritime industry. Chao's philanthropy reinforced her commitment through family-led initiatives aimed at broadening access to . The Foremost Foundation, co-founded by Chao and her husband , directs resources toward enabling young people to pursue and economic opportunities. In 2018, the family established the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao and James Si-Cheng Chao Endowed Scholarship Fund at SUNY Maritime College to support students in maritime studies, explicitly fulfilling their vision of education as a conduit to success. A landmark contribution occurred in 2012 when the Chao Family Foundation donated $40 million to , funding the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center for , dedicated on June 6, 2016, as the institution's first building named for an individual woman. The center, encompassing 83,000 square feet, facilitates executive training programs and fellowships, embodying Chao's belief in education's transformative power, as articulated by family members during the dedication. Additional grants from the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation have supported educational programs at institutions including and National Taiwan Ocean University, with allocations such as $250,000 to Harvard in recent years for advancing learning initiatives.

Family Foundations and Major Donations

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao and her husband, James Si-Cheng Chao, established the through their shipping , , with a primary mission to support access and for youth. The has funded initiatives in maritime , including the 2007 establishment of the Mulan Simulation Memorial Building at Maritime University to honor her legacy in . In 2019, it supported the groundbreaking for the Mulan Maritime Building at National Taiwan Ocean University, advancing training in and . The family also created the James Si-Cheng Chao and Family Foundation, which channeled a $40 million gift to in 2012 as a tribute to Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. Of this amount, $35 million funded construction of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center, a facility for programs serving approximately 10,000 participants annually, while $5 million established the Ruth Mulan Chu and Family Fellowship to aid students with financial needs. Following her death, the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation was founded in 2009 in , emphasizing barriers to educational success, , and , with serving as trustee. By fiscal year 2023, it held assets of $85,155 and distributed grants such as $100,000 to for education and $25,000 to New York-Presbyterian Fund for health initiatives, reflecting ongoing family commitments aligned with her values. These efforts underscore the Chao family's broader philanthropy in fostering U.S.- educational exchanges and institutional advancements.

Illness, Death, and Immediate Aftermath

Battle with Lymphoma

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao was diagnosed with in 2001. She underwent treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in . Her illness progressed over seven years, during which she maintained a focus on family and despite the physical toll. Chao received care amid a period marked by the disease's characteristic involvement, though specific treatment regimens such as protocols remain undocumented in public records. On August 2, 2007, at age 77, Chao succumbed to the in after this protracted struggle. The family's accounts emphasize her resilience, but medical outcomes reflect the malignancy's resistance to available interventions at the time.

Death and Family Tributes

Ruth Mulan Chu Chao died on August 2, 2007, at the age of 77, at in , following a seven-year battle with . Her death occurred shortly after her daughter Elaine Chao's nomination as U.S. Secretary of Labor, with the lymphoma diagnosis coinciding with that nomination date in 2001. Following her passing, the Chao family gathered to honor her memory, with her husband, , composing a poem in to commemorate her and perseverance. On September 20, 2007, Elaine L. Chao delivered prepared remarks as U.S. Secretary of Labor, describing her mother's confrontation of illness with "courage, selfless concern for others, and a serenity that came from the belief that had a purpose for her in ." Elaine emphasized Ruth's faith, her role in empowering women and immigrants, and her belief that "women could be just as valued and accomplished as men," crediting her as a foundational influence on the family's achievements and philanthropic commitments. The family foundations' statements portrayed Ruth Chao's legacy as one of "virtue, compassion, and grace," highlighting her resilience in raising their six daughters amid adversity and her talents in , , and , which she pursued alongside her scholarly interests. These tributes underscored her self-effacing dedication to family, education, and bridging cultural ties between Asia and America, with her influence continuing through the daughters' successes and ongoing family philanthropy.

Legacy

Institutional Honors and Namings

The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center at Harvard Business School was dedicated on June 6, 2016, marking the first building on the campus named for a woman and the first honoring an individual of Chinese heritage. This 90,000-square-foot, four-story facility functions as the primary venue for the school's executive education programs, accommodating up to 1,800 participants annually and featuring classrooms, dining areas, and collaborative spaces designed to foster global interactions. The naming stemmed from a $40 million announced in October 2012 by the James Si-Cheng Chao and Family Foundation, comprising $35 million for construction—initiated with a on , 2014—and $5 million to establish fellowships supporting participants in her name. The center embodies Chao's lifelong emphasis on as a means of intellectual expansion and cross-cultural exchange, as articulated by family members and school leaders during the .

Influence on Family Achievements and Broader Impact

![Ruth Mulan Chu Chao][float-right] Ruth Mulan Chu Chao profoundly shaped her family's achievements by instilling values of education, perseverance, and integrity in her six daughters, all of whom pursued advanced degrees at institutions, including for four of them. She emphasized and , teaching her daughters to question the value of their activities for personal growth and to prioritize building character over material pursuits. This foundation contributed to their professional successes, such as Elaine Chao's as U.S. Secretary of Labor from 2001 to 2009 and Secretary of Transportation from 2017 to 2021, and Angela Chao's leadership as CEO of , the family shipping company founded by her husband in 1964. Her unwavering support extended to the family's business endeavors, providing emotional stability and shared commitment to entrepreneurship during the growth of into a global dry bulk shipping leader over five decades. By fostering family unity and moral grounding, Chao enabled her daughters to integrate these principles into their careers, as evidenced by attributing the siblings' accomplishments to the ethical framework established by their parents from an early age. Beyond immediate family successes, Chao's influence manifests in broader philanthropic efforts through family foundations, which have supported for thousands, particularly women and youth in the U.S. and , reflecting her own scholarly background in Asian history and . Her endures in institutional recognitions, such as the 2016 naming of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center at , and in her daughters' contributions to and , promoting cross-cultural understanding and opportunity. This ripple effect underscores a model of immigrant family , where personal virtues translated into sustained economic and civic impact.

References

  1. [1]
    Foremost Group - Honor. Integrity. Performance.
    The company was founded in 1964 by Dr. James S.C. Chao and his late wife, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. Dr. James S.C. Chao leads the company reflecting the ...Dr. James S.C. Chao · Foremost Group Celebrates 60... · Foremost Chairman and...
  2. [2]
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao | Harvard Business School
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao was born to a distinguished family in Lai'an County in Anhui province, China, that believed in the value of education regardless of gender.
  3. [3]
    Harvard Business School Dedicates First Building Named for ...
    Jun 16, 2016 · Ruth Mulan Chu Chao became the matriarch of a family of six daughters, four of whom attended Harvard Business School.
  4. [4]
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao | The Chao Family
    Named after the heroine of Chinese folklore Hua Mulan, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao lived a life of virtue, compassion and grace, often in conditions of ...
  5. [5]
    Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao's Biography Released in Beijing
    Nov 29, 2018 · The book is a stirring account of Mrs. Chao's resilience and bravery throughout her 77 years of life in China and the United States.
  6. [6]
    Ruth's Story | Harvard Business School
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, the second of five children, was born into a distinguished family from Lai'an County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province. Fortunate to be born ...
  7. [7]
    Chao family donates two kindergartens - China - Chinadaily.com.cn
    Oct 16, 2015 · Ruth Mulan Chu Chao was born in Anhui on March 19, 1930. She was one of the few women of her generation to receive an education. She attended ...
  8. [8]
    Mrs Ruth Mulan Chu Chao - The Foremost Foundation
    Born second of five children to a prominent family in Anhui, China, Ruth Mulan Chu Chao was named in honor of the Chinese folklore heroine, Hua Mulan.
  9. [9]
    Grandparents and Parents - Elaine Chao
    Her mother, Ruth Mulan Chu, was born in Anhui province, to a distinguished and progressive family that believed in the education of women. Ruth and her sisters ...Missing: siblings | Show results with:siblings
  10. [10]
    Family - Angela Chao - Official Website
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, Angela's mother, was born in Anhui province, to a distinguished and progressive family that believed in the education of women. She was ...Missing: background | Show results with:background
  11. [11]
    Chao family donates two kindergartens|People|chinadaily.com.cn
    Oct 16, 2015 · Two kindergartens have been opened and named in honor of Ruth Mulan Chu Chao in her ancestral home region of Lai'an county - one at Siyang and one at Qili.Missing: early | Show results with:early
  12. [12]
    Domestic Strife and Civil War | Harvard Business School
    James and Ruth's early courtship was cut short by the Chinese civil war. One day Ruth was simply gone—spirited off by her family to an unknown sanctuary. To ...
  13. [13]
    Love, Marriage, and Forging a New Future | Harvard Business School
    After a renewed courtship, Ruth and James were married in 1951 and had their first daughter, Elaine. Due to James's demanding work at sea, he was often only ...
  14. [14]
    James S.C. Chao - Horatio Alger Association
    James and Ruth Chao had been married for 57 years before she died in 2007, leaving six daughters and six grandchildren. "My wife, Ruth, is the love of my ...
  15. [15]
    About - The Foremost Foundation
    The Foremost Foundation was established through the generosity of Foremost Group, founded by Dr. James Si-Cheng Chao and his wife, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  16. [16]
    Coming to America - Elaine Chao
    Elaine's mother, Ruth Mulan Chu, was born in Lai'An County, Anhui province, to a distinguished and progressive family that believed in the education of women.Missing: siblings origin
  17. [17]
    Elaine Chao: One woman's rise from immigrant roots to the ... - CNN
    Jun 6, 2017 · Eight-year-old Chao started her journey to America on an overnight train in Taiwan with her mother and two sisters in 1961. They then boarded a ...
  18. [18]
    An Unfinished Story - Alumni - Harvard Business School
    Jun 25, 2018 · In 1961, at the age of eight, Elaine Chao (MBA 1979) traveled to the United States from Taiwan with her mother and two sisters aboard a cargo ...
  19. [19]
    Dr. James S.C. Chao, Chairman, Foremost Group, New York, NY
    Feb 27, 2008 · Born in Shanghai, China, Dr. James S.C. Chao has dedicated his life to shipping, trading, and financing. He began his career in shipping as ...
  20. [20]
    Elaine L. Chao Biography - Newsmakers Cumulation
    Chao, her mother, and two younger sisters came to join him in Jamaica, Queens, New York, after a 30-day freighter voyage from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. Though ...<|separator|>
  21. [21]
    IMMIGRATION TALE MIXED UP IN THE TELLING – New York Daily ...
    Chao grew up in Queens, Westchester and Long Island, where she attended Syosset High School. She is the daughter of Ruth and James Chao, head of the ...
  22. [22]
    Interview with Chengdu Economics Daily - Angela Chao
    Sep 25, 2013 · Chao's six golden daughters are all being talked about for their great accomplishments. All six daughters went to Ivy League Universities ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
  23. [23]
    Chao Center Dedicated at HBS | Harvard Magazine
    Jun 6, 2016 · The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center—honoring Dr. Chao's late wife—will be the first building on the HBS campus named for a woman, as well as the ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography<|control11|><|separator|>
  24. [24]
    Harvard Business School gets $40 million family donation
    Oct 12, 2012 · “She was a positive, optimistic person who believed in the transformational power of education regardless of gender in developing leaders for ...Missing: raising | Show results with:raising
  25. [25]
    Angela Chao Talks About Her Mother's Legendary Impact and Legacy
    Nov 29, 2018 · Angela said that cultivating trust and friendship with people were of paramount importance to her parents. The values of honor, reliability, and ...
  26. [26]
    The Foremost Foundation: Home
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. Dr. Chao remains as Honorary Chairman of Foremost Group to this day and his daughter, Angela Chao, serves as Chair and C.E.O.. Read More ...
  27. [27]
    The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao and James Si-Cheng Chao Endowed ...
    Dec 25, 2018 · ... Endowed Scholarship Fund at SUNY Maritime College was created to fulfill the Chao Family's commitment to education as a pathway to success.
  28. [28]
    Chao family gives $40 million to HBS - Harvard Gazette
    Oct 12, 2012 · The Chao family represents “generations of dedication to what matters most here at Harvard to all of us, and that is the power of education to ...
  29. [29]
    Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center | About - Harvard Business School
    Because Ruth devoted her life to promoting excellence in education and enhancing US-China cultural exchanges, she embodied the spirit of the love of ...
  30. [30]
    THE RUTH MULAN CHU CHAO FOUNDATION - Grantable
    Grants ; $320,000, STUF UNITED FUND INC, DESIGNATED FOR NATIONAL TAIWAN OCEAN UNIVERISTY ; $250,000, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF EDUCATION ...
  31. [31]
    Philanthropy (All) | The Chao Family
    The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center is being built at Harvard Business School, honoring Mrs. Chao's dedication to higher education and celebrating her legacy.Missing: donations | Show results with:donations
  32. [32]
    Harvard Business School
    Oct 12, 2012 · Gift is in tribute to the life and legacy of family matriarch Ruth Mulan Chu Chao to build new Executive Education facility and support student fellowships.
  33. [33]
    Chao Family Foundations
    The foundation, founded by Dr. James Si-Cheng Chao and Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, aims to support higher education for youth, foster US-Asia cultural exchanges.Missing: donations | Show results with:donations<|separator|>
  34. [34]
    Pride of the Chao family[3]|chinadaily.com.cn
    Jun 11, 2016 · ... Chao pose for photo with the bust of Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. Photos by ... She was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2001 and died in 2007.Missing: treatment | Show results with:treatment
  35. [35]
    Paid Notice: Deaths CHAO, RUTH MULAN CHU
    Aug 8, 2007 · CHAO--Ruth Mulan Chu 77, wife, mother, Asian scholar, and philanthropist passed away on Thursday, August 2, 2007 at New York Memorial Sloan ...Missing: diagnosis treatment
  36. [36]
    Ruth Chao Obituary (2007) - New York, NY - Legacy.com
    Aug 8, 2007 · Ruth Mulan Chu, 77, wife, mother, Asian scholar, and philanthropist passed away on Thursday, August 2, 2007 at New York Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital.
  37. [37]
    Remarks Prepared for Delivery by U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L ...
    ... Labor Elaine L. Chao For Tributes to Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. September 20, 2007. My father, Dr. James S. C. Chao; sisters: Jeanette, May, Christine, Grace, ...Missing: obituary | Show results with:obituary
  38. [38]
    Harvard Business School Inaugurates New Executive Education ...
    Jun 6, 2016 · “The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center epitomizes the ideals of its namesake, who so valued the broadening of minds that takes place when people come ...
  39. [39]
    Business School Names First HBS Building after a Woman, Asian ...
    Jun 16, 2016 · A previous version of this article stated that the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center was the first building named after a woman in Harvard's history.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  40. [40]
    New home for executive education - Harvard Gazette
    Jun 6, 2016 · ... celebrate the opening of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center, a new multipurpose facility for students in HBS' popular executive education program.<|separator|>
  41. [41]
    President Faust broke ground at HBS for the new Chao Center
    Apr 25, 2014 · The Harvard Business School (HBS) broke ground for the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center on April 24. The executive-education center, scheduled for completion in 2016.Missing: arrived | Show results with:arrived
  42. [42]
    From 1964 to 2014, 50 Years of Success for Foremost Group
    Mar 24, 2015 · Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, had not only on the international shipping business but on their family of daughters—whose success in life stemmed from the ...