"He works in the office during the day and at Twin Oaks in the evening," says T'ien Ling-ling of her husband, Fredrick F. Chien, the ROC's representative to the U.S. Besides revealing the toil of working in the foreign service, her words also indicate the intimate ties between Twin Oaks and Sino-American diplomacy.

Twin Oaks, a symbol of Sino-American relations, has been the residence of nine Chinese ambassadors since 1937: Wang Cheng-t'ing, Hu Shih, Wei Tao-ming, Ku Wei-chun, Tung Hsien-kuang, Yeh Kung-ch'ao, Chiang T'ing-fu, Chou Shu-k'ai and James C. H. Shen.

On December 31, 1978, after the U.S. and the ROC severed diplomatic ties, Twin Oaks closed its doors. Yang Hsi-k'un, in charge of the flag-lowering ceremony, solemnly vowed to his companions at the scene: "We will return."

Two thousand and eighty-three days later, his vow was finally fulfilled. On September 13, 1984, Twin Oaks reopened.

When relations were broken in 1978, James Shen, the ambassador at the time, was given fifteen days to close down the residence and clear out. He quickly sold Twin Oaks for a nominal fee to the Association of Friends of Free China, frustrating the calculations of the Chinese Communists to take it over.

The association, a private organization, was unable to bear the costs of maintaining the estate, however, and it fell into disrepair. During the Carter administration, the U.S. was not anxious for us to buy back the property, and it was not until September 1982 that Twin Oaks, through normal legal channels, was transferred to the Coordination Council for North American Affairs, the organization which represents the ROC in the U.S.

After Representative Chien arrived in the U.S. in January 1983, he actively worked on restoring the estate, which required nine months and a cost of US$500,000. The ground floor is decorated in Chinese style, with carved wooden furniture, calligraphy scrolls, and antiques, while the upstairs is completely Western, with sofas and fireplaces. "We've tried to maintain a balance of trade even in the interior decoration," Mrs. Chien quips to visitors.

The estate is assessed by the city government at a value of US$5.05 million and by real estate brokers at about US$9 million, a figure 26 times higher than the US$350,000 that the Chinese government originally paid for it. The appreciation is due to its historical value and architectural distinction as well as to its location in a prime residential area. Twin Oaks has been listed by the city government as a historic building.

Built in 1888 as an example of Georgian Revival architecture, Twin Oaks was originally the summer home of Gardiner Greene Hubbard, the founder of National Geographic magazine. The grounds cover 19.5 acres, larger than those of the White House, while the building itself has 26 rooms and can entertain 200 people.

As the residence of the Chinese ambassador, Twin Oaks was once renowned in Washington diplomatic circles for its banquets and social gatherings. Today, the U.S. and the ROC have a common under standing that it will not be used for activities incompatible with the status of the two countries' relations: for "official," "governmental" events, that is.

Based on this principle, Twin Oaks may not be used as the residence or office of the ROC's representative to the U.S. or for National Day festivities but only for cultural, economic, social, and similar purposes.

At present, besides being a major location for Representative Chien to entertain guests, it is often used to hold teas or dinners to raise money for public interest groups or charitable organizations. It hosts guests once every two days on average.

Because of the number of visitors, Mrs. Chien has a special "homework assignment"—keeping photographs from each function and writing the names of the guests on them so she can greet them by name the next time they visit and make them feel more at home. She also records the courses that were served at dinner so they can sample a different style of Chinese cuisine on their next visit.

To save expenses, Twin Oaks employs just one grounds keeper, two guards, and a chef, who also cooks for the Chiens. To prepare for a big banquet the next day, all four sometimes pitch in to peel shrimp or shuck peas the night before.

And when the chandeliers light up and the guests arrive, as Mr. and Mrs. Chien shake hands, show them the antiques inside, and chat about Chinese history, while the conversation turns to the current state of the Republic of China. . . . Twin Oaks once again plays its traditional role in Sino-American affairs.

Twin Oaks has reopened; now how about diplomatic relations?

[Picture Caption]

Fredrick Chien, the ROC's representative to the U.S., frequently holds dinners at Twin Oaks to make friends and exchange ideas.

The entrance foyer at Twin Oaks is elegant and tasteful.

Downstairs is decorated Chinese-style, with an antique flavor.

Built in 1888, Twin Oaks has been listed by the city government as a historic building. On the left is a picture of the building in 1909 (photo courtesy of the Gilbert H. Grosvenor Collection, Library of Congress); at right is the building today.

This portrait from the family of the original owner hangs near the spot where it was taken.

The grounds of the estate are large and home to many squirrels.

The antiques provide a good topic for conservation—starting with Chinese history and turning to the Republic of China.

Mrs. Chien keeps information on her guests so that she can make them feel even more comfortable on their next visit.

The entrance foyer at Twin Oaks is elegant and tasteful.

Built in 1888, Twin Oaks has been listed by the city government as a historic building. On the left is a picture of the building in 1909 （photo courtesy of the Gilbert H. Grosvenor Collection, Library of Congress）; at right is the building today.

Downstairs is decorated Chinese-style, with an antique flavor.