Radio drama series revives fond memories of Kuliang
(CNS) -- China Global Television Network （CGTN） launched its radio drama series “Echoes of Kuliang” at the Haixia Youth Center in Fuzhou, Southeast China's Fujian Province on Wednesday.
The series is inspired by the true story of Milton Gardner, an American physics professor, and his profound ties to Kuliang, a summer retreat in Fuzhou.
The narrative centers on the intertwined lives of two families spanning two generations from China to the United States. Through their stories, the drama illustrates a century-long friendship between the two nations.
In the 1880s, Kuliang was home to a significant community of Western expatriates. Among them was Milton Gardner, who spent his formative years there. Although he returned to the United States in 1911, Gardner maintained a deep affection for China throughout his life.
In 1992, Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, learned of Gardner’s enduring attachment to Kuliang. Moved by Gardner’s story, Xi extended an invitation to Gardner’s widow Elizabeth to visit China. This gesture fulfilled Gardner’s long-held wish to return to his beloved former home.
This initiative marked Kuliang as a touching example of grassroots exchanges between China and the United States, embodying a century-long friendship and cultural connection.
In conjunction with the release, a dialogue on China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges was held as part of the week-long “Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival”, which commenced on June 23.
Elyn Maclnnis, Michael Phyllis, and Gordon Trimble, are members of the “Kuliang Friends,” a community comprising descendants of U.S. families who lived in Fuzhou over a century ago or even longer.
They participated in the event and shared their personal stories of love, peace, and friendship related to Kuliang.
Isaac Philip Gray, an American student studying at Peking University, highlighted at a group talk that both Chinese and American cultures exhibit significant diversity and inclusiveness. He noted, however, that many Americans lack awareness of this due to frequent exposure to stereotypical reports of China from American media. Gray emphasized the importance of increased cultural exchanges to foster deeper mutual understanding between the two countries.
Chinese youth representative Huang Ye, a musician, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that dialogues and exchange activities play a crucial role in strengthening understanding and mutual recognition between Chinese and American youth.
According to Elyn Maclnnis, the story of Kuliang exemplifies how individuals from diverse countries, families, and cultural backgrounds can forge lasting friendships that endure through generations.
Over a century ago, businessmen, diplomats, missionaries, and doctors from the United States arrived at Kuliang, where they established schools and hospitals, and taught vocational skills to the local community. Elyn Maclnnis emphasized that the essence of Kuliang embodies the values of peace, friendship, and love. She stressed the importance of understanding and respect as fundamental pillars in nurturing such enduring relationships.
Elyn Maclnnis’s father-in-law, Donald Maclnnis, arrived in Fuzhou in the 1940s and resided in Kuliang for many years while teaching at the Anglo-Chinese College. Her husband, Peter Maclnnis, was also born in Fuzhou. Since her initial visit to Fuzhou in 2015 to explore her family history, Elyn Maclnnis has been passionately dedicated to promoting Kuliang’s rich cultural heritage.
She established an English website about Kuliang for international friends and has organized numerous “Dreaming of Kuliang” events.
During their 30 years working in China, Elyn Maclnnis and her husband developed a deep appreciation for Chinese culture. This affection was reflected in their choice of names for their two daughters, Aizhong and Aihua, whose names together mean “loving China.”
Thanks to the efforts of Elyn Maclnnis and others, the protagonists of the Kuliang story have expanded beyond the Milton Gardner family to include figures such as Lydia A. Trimble, a pioneer of women’s higher education in Fujian, A.W. Billing, a pioneer of modern agricultural vocational education in Fuzhou, and Dr. Mary E. Carleton, founder of the first Western hospital in Minqing.
In recent years, Elyn Maclnnis has been a staunch advocate for fostering mutual respect and understanding between China and the United States, particularly among the youth. Her advocacy underscores the crucial role of cultural exchange and dialogue in bridging cultural differences between nations.
She explained that in China, reactions to embarrassment can be different from what one might expect. For example, if a child falls and scrapes his knee, his grandmother might chuckle softly while assisting him to stand up. However, a foreigner in a similar situation might misinterpret the laughter as being directed at them.
These cultural nuances, she added, can lead to misunderstandings that one must navigate and understand.