Hsiung was born in Hunan province in 1902 (some sources give 1900 as the date), the daughter of Chinese philanthropist and politician Hsiung Shi-ling (Xiong Xiling).
Her mother, Chu Ch'i-hui (Zhu Qihui), was a leader of women's and charitable organizations.
After her mother died in 1931, her father married Mao Yen-wen (1898–1999).

Nora Hsiung and her sister Rose were educated in the United States.
Nora attended Mount Ida School, Mount Holyoke College and Barnard College.
While in Boston, she was in the cast of two short plays produced by Chinese students to benefit Chinese relief work.
While she was in New York, she was photographed doing carpentry ahead of the 1925 Oriental Bazaar, a benefit for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
She completed a bachelor's degree at Barnard in 1926; she also earned a master's degree in 1927 from Teachers College Columbia University.
Hsiung was born in Hunan province in 1902 (some sources give 1900 as the date), the daughter of Chinese philanthropist and politician Hsiung Shi-ling (Xiong Xiling). Her mother, Chu Ch'i-hui (Zhu Qihui), was a leader of women's and charitable organizations. After her mother died in 1931, her father married Mao Yen-wen (1898–1999).
Nora Hsiung and her sister Rose were educated in the United States. Nora attended Mount Ida School, Mount Holyoke College and Barnard College. While in Boston, she was in the cast of two short plays produced by Chinese students to benefit Chinese relief work. While she was in New York, she was photographed doing carpentry ahead of the 1925 Oriental Bazaar, a benefit for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. She completed a bachelor's degree at Barnard in 1926; she also earned a master's degree in 1927 from Teachers College Columbia University.
Nora Hsiung Chu