Mary C. Y. Stavonhagen, of Manchurian origin and a close relative to Pu Yi, the Last Emperor of China, was educated in Japan and Switzerland. She married Helge Stavonhagen in Tokyo in 1965 and became a German national. Both Mary and Helge Stavonhagen have lived in Asia for over 50 years and have settled in Beijing in June of 1994. In Europe the family resides in London. Mary is advisor to the Soong Qing Ling Foundation and China Guardian Auction Company. She is a member of the Beijing International Society Committee and the Beijing Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Helge Stavonhagen

Helge Stavonhagen is a founding member of the Rotary Club of Beijing and an honorary member of the BierConvent International. He was a founding member of the Parkview Tower Owners' Committee in Beijing and was its chairman for ten years. He served as chairman of the Board of Airline Representative in China for four years and was the first chairman of the IATA BSP China Panel.