Since the 1880s, large batches of foreign expatriates moved to Fuzhou, southeast China’s Fujian province. Many of them would spend the summer in Kuliang, or what’s known as Guling in Mandarin, a popular place for summer vacation located on the outskirts of Fuzhou.
There, they built villas, hospitals, tennis courts, swimming pools, postal offices and many other facilities, and established a deep bond with local residents.
Recently, Kuliang welcomed many old friends from the United States attending the “Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum.” Some of them spent their childhood in Kuliang with their parents, and some boast close relations with the Chinese small town through their families. Kuliang is like a bond that connects them with China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the forum. “I was very glad to hear from members of the Kuliang Friends, and to know from your letter more touching stories about your connection with Kuliang,” said Xi in the letter.
In 1901, U.S. citizen Milton Gardner came to Fuzhou as an infant with his parents and stayed until his family moved back to the United States in 1911. Gardner had been longing for revisiting his childhood home, but had never been able to make his wish fulfilled before passing away.
In 1992, Xi, who was then secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, learned about this touching story from an article titled “Ah! Kuliang.” He then invited Milton Gardner’s widow, Elizabeth Gardner, to visit China, so as to help fulfill her husband’s lasting wish.
Since then, the Kuliang story has become well-known to many.
Lee Gardner, grandnephew of Milton Gardner, told People’s Daily that his whole family is grateful to Xi for realizing the dream of a senior American, adding that the Kuliang story has touched many people in the United States.
According to the man, who has visited Kuliang four times, his grandfather and father were both born in Kuliang, and the place was their homeland and also Lee’s second hometown. He said the words of love are universal though in different languages.
He showed to People’s Daily a photo album kept by his family, which records the deep bond between the Gardners and Kuliang. He said the album is the most valuable treasure of his family and would be presented to the Chinese people as a gift this time he came to Kuliang.
Gail Harris, who once lived in Kuliang as a child, said in Fuzhou dialect “I’m home” as she once again set foot on the land of Kuliang for the forum.
Her grandfather Harry Russell Caldwell was an expert on the ecological environment of Fujian province and compiled South China Birds, a book studying bird populations in Kuliang. It’s one of the earliest modern scientific works recording China’s bird species.
Harris noted that Caldwell loved China and the Chinese people, and now his grandchildren have also fallen in love with this country, adding that she very much misses and loves the time she spent in China.
This time, Harris met her childhood friend Li Yiying. They sat down and exchanged slowly, word by word, in Fuzhou dialect. The two friends greeted each other, with hands clasped together.
Harris said that she hopes the bond in Kuliang could be passed down from generation to generation, so that love and friendship will live on forever.
Octogenarian Priscilla Brewster Gill came to attend the forum accompanied by her granddaughter Katy Barber, recalling the old streets and alleys she remembered from her childhood. China is the hometown where her heart belongs, Gill said.
Gill was born in Fuzhou’s Gutian. Her father Harold Brewster once ran a clinic in Kuliang and was the last foreign president of the current Fuzhou Medical University Union Hospital.
Gill lived in China for 12 years and used to help her father take care of patients. She recalled her childhood when she fell down and got hurt, the local villagers would also help her with her wounds. She and the locals were like families, Gill said.
Elyn MacInnis, 72, is a senior advisor of the Kuliang tourism and culture research association. Her husband Peter MacInnis was born in Fuzhou, and her father-in-law Donald MacInnis was once a member of the Flying Tigers, a group of volunteer American volunteer pilots who came to China and stood shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese people to fight the Japanese invasion.
Over the years, the woman has been committed to spreading the Kuliang story.
In 2016, she set up an English website about Kuliang and its history and established the group “Kuliang Friends” in the United States. Today, the group has over 50 members and has grown into an important force driving non-governmental friendly exchanges between China and the United States.
Amity between the people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. The Kuliang story is a great example of the people-to-people friendship between China and the United States.
Although the two countries are currently facing difficulties and challenges in their relations, they are in dire need of enhancing people-to-people exchanges.
Elyn MacInnis told People’s Daily that their elder generations lived in Kuliang in the past and got along well with the locals, and this piece of history just well presents the good qualities of mankind – understanding, respect, peace, friendship and love. She noted that the Kuliang story belongs to not only China and the United States, but also the whole humanity at large. She hopes that children from across the world could gather in Kuliang one day and carry on the Kuliang story.
Photo Captions:
An old photo of Kuliang. (Photo provided by Lin Yi’nan)
An aerial view of Kuliang. (Photo by Lin Shuangwei)
Lee Gardner holds a photo album that records his family’s bond with Kuliang. (Photo by Wang Yinxin/People’s Daily)
Elyn MacInnis and her daughter use a bucket to draw water from a century-old well in Kuliang. (Photo by Weng Rongfei)
鼓岭情缘代代传承
人民日报记者 白紫微 刘 歌 王崟欣
19世纪80年代起，大批西方侨民来到中国福州生活。每逢夏季，很多侨民选择在鼓岭避暑。他们在鼓岭修建别墅、医院、网球场、游泳池、邮局等设施，并与当地居民结下深厚情谊。
不久前，福建鼓岭迎来了前来出席“鼓岭缘”中美民间友好论坛的美国老朋友。他们或是年幼时跟随父母在这里度过了童年时光，或是家族长辈与鼓岭有着千丝万缕的联系。鼓岭，将他们与中国紧紧联系在一起。
1901年，尚在襁褓之中的密尔顿·加德纳随父母来到福州生活。1911年，加德纳全家搬回美国，他非常想再回鼓岭看一看，有生之年却没能如愿。
1992年，时任福州市委书记习近平从《人民日报》上看到讲述加德纳先生故事的文章《啊！鼓岭，特邀密尔顿·加德纳的遗孀访问鼓岭，帮助她完成丈夫遗愿，鼓岭故事由此开始广为人知。
“我们整个家族都非常感激习近平主席。他帮助素不相识的美国老人完成心愿，这个举动感动了很多美国人。我的爷爷和父亲都出生在福州，鼓岭是他们的家园，也是我们的第二故乡。虽然我们说着不同的语言，但爱的话语是相通的。”第四次来到鼓岭的李·加德纳（Lee Gardner）对本报记者说。他打开随身携带的一本相册，一张张照片记录了加德纳家族与鼓岭的深厚情缘。“这是我们家族最宝贵的财富，这次来我要把它送给友好的中国人民。”
幼时曾在鼓岭生活的毕乐华（Gail Harris），再次踏上这片土地便脱口说出一句福州话：“转厝（意为回家）了！”毕乐华的外公柯志仁对福建的生态环境非常熟悉，编撰的《华南鸟类》以鼓岭鸟类种群为研究对象，是记录中国鸟类最早的现代科学著作之一。“外公一生热爱中国和中国人民。如今，他的孙辈们也爱上了中国。”毕乐华说，“我们都无比怀念和热爱在这里度过的时光。我又回来了！”
在这里，毕乐华见到了幼时的玩伴李怡英。两人坐下后，手就始终紧紧握在一起。“身体还好吗？”“哎呀，变老了、变老了。”她们用福州话一个词一个词地慢慢交流。“我希望鼓岭情缘一代又一代地传承下去，让爱与友谊生生不息。”毕乐华说。
已是耄耋之年的蒲光珠（Priscilla Gill）在孙女凯茜（Katy Barber）的搀扶下，努力追忆儿时记忆里的老街旧巷。“中国是我心灵的故乡。”蒲光珠出生在古田，父亲蒲天寿曾在鼓岭开设一间小诊所为当地村民看病，也是当年福建协和医院（现福建医科大学附属协和医院）最后一任外籍院长。蒲光珠在中国生活12年，曾作为小助手帮助父亲照顾病人。“小时候摔倒受伤，当地的村民也会帮助我处理伤口。我们就像一家人。”蒲光珠回忆道。
鼓岭旅游文化研究协会高级顾问兼首席研究员穆言灵（Elyn MacInnis）今年72岁，她的公公穆蔼仁（Donald MacInnis）二战时曾作为美国空军飞虎队中尉支援中国抗战。穆言灵的丈夫穆彼得（Peter MacInnis）也出生于福州。多年来，穆言灵致力于挖掘“鼓岭故事”。2016年，她建立了一个关于鼓岭及其历史的英文网站，并在美国成立了“鼓岭之友”组织。如今，“鼓岭之友”成员已经多达50人，成为推动中美民间友好交往的一支重要力量。
国之交在于民相亲。鼓岭故事已经成为中美民间友好的生动注脚，虽然中美关系目前面临困难和挑战，但越是这样的时刻，就越需要加强人文交流。
“许多年前，我们的父辈生活在鼓岭，与那片土地上的人们互帮互助。现在研究和回味这段历史，我们能更真切地体会到人类所具有的美好情感——理解、尊重、和平、友谊和爱。”穆言灵表示。
“鼓岭故事是中国故事，也是美国故事，更是属于全人类的故事。我希望有一天来自世界各地的孩子们能够相约鼓岭，一起学习和成长，把鼓岭故事延续下去。”穆言灵对未来充满信心和期待。
with details from: Bai Ziwei, Liu Ge, Wang Yinxin, People’s Daily
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