Adeline Yen Mah biography

Adeline Yen Mah is born

Nov 30, 1937

Adeline (born Yen Jun-Ling) is born at her family home in Tianjin, China.She had an older sister, Lydia (Jun-pei); three older brothers, Gregory (Zi-jie), Edgar (Zi-lin) and James (Zi-jun); and a younger half brother, Franklin and half sister, Susan (Jun-qing). November 30th is not her true birthday, but it is her official one; since her birthdate was not recorded, her father gave her his own, which was a common custom in those days.

Adeline's mother dies

Dec 15, 1937

Adeline's mother dies of complications two weeks after her birth, and Adeline is subsequently labeled as bad luck and shunned by her siblings.

Adeline's father remarries

Dec 29, 1938

Adeline's father marries a then-seventeen year old Eurasian girl named Jeanne Virginie Prosperi, who was addressed by her stepchildren as Niang. She and Adeline's father had two chidlren together, Franklin and Susan.

Adeline's father moves to Shanghai

Apr 29, 1940

Adeline's father, who is wanted by the Japanese, escapes to Shanghai, later followed by his wife and son Franklin.

Adeline and siblings move to Shanghai

Apr 5, 1941

Adeline and her full siblings join her father, stepmother and half brother in the house on Avenue Joffre in Shanghai.

Adeline and family move to Hong Kong

Dec 27, 1948

Adeline, at the age of eleven, moves to Hong Kong with her family.

Adeline wins a contest

Mar 9, 1953

Adeline wins a playwriting contest at her school and because of it her father allows her to go and study in England.

Adeline marries for the first time

Mar 7, 1964

Adeline marries a man named Byron Bai-Lun Soon

Adeline divorces

Mar 7, 1970

Adeline divorces Byron because he is violent and cuts him off. This is four years after the birth of their son Roger.

Adeline remarries

Mar 7, 1972

Adeline remarries to Professor/abstract painter Robert A Mah who adopted Roger.

Adeline's daughter is born

Mar 7, 1974

Adeline and Robert's daughter Ann is born. She is also a writer.