tʃjˈæŋz fˈɑːðɚ, tʃjˈæŋ mˈuːtˈʌŋ tʃˈaɪniːzlˌɛɾɚ tʃˈaɪniːzlˌɛɾɚ tʃˈaɪniːzlˌɛɾɚ, ɐ pˈɪŋtʌŋ kˈaʊnti nˈeɪɾɪv ʌv hˈækə dᵻsˈɛnt fɹʌm nˈiːpuː, ɹᵻloʊkˈeɪɾᵻd tə ðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti tə pɚsˈuː ɡɹˈædʒuːət stˈʌdiz æt klˈiːvlənd stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, ˈæftɚ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ wɪð ɐ dᵻɡɹˈiː ɪn kˈɛmɪkəl ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ fɹʌm nˈæʃənəl taɪwˈɑːn jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi.
Chiang's father, Chiang Mu-tung (江牧東), a Pingtung County native of Hakka descent from Neipu, relocated to the United States in 1950 to pursue graduate studies at Cleveland State University, after graduating with a degree in chemical engineering from National Taiwan University.