Guling Love Inherits Husband from Generation to Generation | China | Generation to Generation

Bird's-eye view of Guling.

Photo by Lin Shuangwei

The old appearance of Guling.

Lin Yinan provided pictures

Mu Yanling and his daughter Aihua used buckets to fetch water from a century old well.

Photographed by Weng Rongfei

Li Gardner showed the family album to reporters.

Photo by our reporter Wang Yingxin

Thousand year old cedar trees in Guling Liushan King Park.

Photo by Zhang Daqiang

In the eastern suburbs of Fuzhou, north of Gushan, winding up the winding mountain road leads to the lush and cool Guling. On June 28th, the "Guling Rim" China US Civil Friendship Forum, co hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Fujian Provincial People's Government, was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Chinese and US officials, including some members of the "Friends of Guling," attended the forum and visited Guling.I hope everyone can pass on and carry forward the story of Guling and the relationship between Guling, so that the friendship between the Chinese and American people can grow and thrive like a thousand year old willow tree on Guling.

Guling, the land that witnessed President Xi Jinping's promotion of friendly non-governmental exchanges between China and the United States, this land that carries the sincere feelings of the two peoples, has once again entered people's vision.

A beautiful story——

"Although we speak different languages, the words of love are interconnected."

Since the 1880s, a large number of Western expatriates have come to Fuzhou, China to live. During summer, many overseas Chinese choose to seek shelter in Guling. They built villas, hospitals, tennis courts, swimming pools, post offices and other facilities in Guling, and formed deep friendships with local residents. American Milton Gardner and his family are among them.

In 1901, Milton Gardner, who was still in his infancy, came to Fuzhou with his parents and lived there for 10 years. In 1911, the Gardner family moved back to the United States, but Guling kept him in his mind. Although he really wanted to go back to Guling to see it again, he couldn't fulfill his wish in his lifetime. Even as he passed away, he kept murmuring, "Kuliang, Kuliang..."

What is "Kuliang"? Elizabeth Gardner, Gardner's wife, has always been puzzled. Until 1990, she discovered 11 stamps left by her husband, all postmarked. After being identified by Chinese student Liu Zhonghan studying in the United States, it was found that many of them were stamped with the words "Fuzhou Guling". The answer was revealed, and Mrs. Gardner finally learned that the "Kuliang" mentioned by her husband was Guling in Fuzhou, China. Liu Zhonghan was touched by the friendship between Gardner and his wife towards China. Coincidentally, the People's Daily was holding a essay contest at the time, so he wrote a heartfelt article called "Ah, Guling!" to tell this touching and friendly story.

In August of the same year, Mrs. Gardner set foot on Chinese soil and arrived at the unforgettable Guling that her husband had never forgotten before. Walking on the mountain road covered in willows, Mrs. Gardner was extremely excited. This time, Mrs. Gardner was warmly welcomed and formed a deep friendship with the people of Guling.

"I believe that there are still many touching stories like this between the people of China and the United States. We should further strengthen exchanges between the people of China and the United States, and cultivate the most solid public opinion foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the United States. Since then, this beautiful story of friendly exchanges between China and the United States on Guling has been continuously excavated and continued."——

In 2012, Mr. Gardner's nephews, Gary Gardner and Lee Gardner, came to Fuzhou with a visiting delegation from Tacoma, USA to search for the imprints of their ancestors' lives in Guling;

In 2017, the "Dream Hunting and Remembrance of Guling" event opened at the Guling International Public Welfare Society, where 19 descendants of 7 American families who had lived in Guling reunited;

In 2018, the Gardner Exhibition Hall in Guling opened and the renovation of Gardner's former residence began

Mu Yanling, Senior Advisor and Chief Researcher of the Guling Tourism and Culture Research Association, is 72 years old. Her father-in-law, Mu Airen, came to teach at the Yinghua School in Fuzhou in the 1940s. During World War II, she served as a lieutenant in the US Air Force Flying Tigers to support China's resistance against Japan. Mu Yanling's husband, Mu Peter, was also born in Fuzhou. For many years, Mu Yanling has been dedicated to exploring the "Guling Story". In 2016, she established an English website about Guling and its history, and founded the "Friends of Guling" organization in the United States. Nowadays, there are as many as 50 members of the "Friends of Guling", which has become an important force in promoting friendly exchanges between the Chinese and American people.

He opened a photo album he carried with him, and each photo recorded the deep affection between the Gardner family and Guling. "This is the most precious treasure of our family, and this time I want to give it to the friendly Chinese people."

"My article was published in the newspaper on April 8, 1992, and Mrs. Gardner and I arrived in Fuzhou on August 21. Now, under the impetus of President Xi Jinping, this Sino-US friendship story on Guling is going to the world." Liu Zhonghan said.

Going up to Guling again——

"We all miss and love the time spent here immensely."

On June 28th, American guests who came to China to participate in the "Guling Rim" China US Folk Friendship Forum went to Guling again to continue their relationship.

Bi Lehua, who lived here when he was young, set foot on the land of Guling again after 6 years. As soon as she got off the car, she blurted out a Fuzhou dialect: "I've changed houses!" Bi Lehua's grandfather, Ke Zhiren, was very familiar with the ecological environment of Fujian. The book "Birds of South China", which focuses on the bird population in Guling, is one of the earliest modern scientific works documenting Chinese birds. "My grandfather loved China and the Chinese people throughout his life. Now, his grandchildren have also fallen in love with China," said Bi Lehua. "We all miss and love the time we spent here immensely. I am back!"

Here, Bi Lehua met his childhood playmate Li Yiying. After the two sat down, their hands remained tightly clasped together. "Are you okay?" "Oh, I'm getting old, I'm getting old." They slowly exchanged words in Fuzhou dialect. "I hope that the love and friendship in Guling will be passed down from generation to generation, so that love and friendship can never cease," said Bi Lehua.

With the help of his granddaughter Cathy, Pu Guangzhu, who is already in her eighties, strives to reminisce about the old streets and alleys in her childhood memories. "China is the hometown of my soul." Pu Guangzhu was born in Gutian, and his father Pu Tianshou once opened a small clinic in Guling to treat local villagers. He was also the last foreign director of Fujian Union Medical College Hospital that year. Pu Guangzhu lived in China for 12 years and worked as a small assistant to help his father take care of patients. "When I was a child, I fell and got injured, and the local villagers also helped me with the wound treatment. We were like a family," Pu Guangzhu recalled.

Going up to Guling, at the Guling Summer Post Office, Pu Guangzhu personally stamped postcards sent to the United States with the words "Guling Kuliang" and solemnly dropped them into the mailbox. "My ancestors used to send letters back home like this. This is a precious gift I gave myself when I returned to Guling," Pu Guangzhu said. "My grandfather and father both lived in China, and now I have brought my granddaughter to China. Our family has had a continuous relationship of separation with China for five generations."

Walking through the thousand year old willow trees with lush branches and leaves, passing through the old street of Guling paved with blue stones, at the Wanguo Public Welfare Society, which was founded in 1914, everyone gathered at a table to reminisce about Guling's love story. A painting of friendship that has traveled through time slowly opened.

Li Gardner tells the story of a family and this millennium old cedar: "My ancestors played under the tree, and this millennium old tree witnessed their beautiful childhood. In 1992, Mrs. Gardner took away a piece of fallen cedar bark, and when she missed Guling, she would always take it out to take a look. In 2018, when my brother Gary Gardner and I revisited Guling, we hugged this old tree together and cherished a beautiful memory..."

Upon hearing Li Gardner's memories, 78 year old Guling locals Guo Gonghong was very excited. "My father told us that when we were young, he and Gardner often played tennis and football together." He took a photo of Mrs. Gardner visiting Guling with his father Guo Maolu and shared it with everyone. In the photo, the two of them had bright smiles. Mrs. Gardner also left a message for Guo Maolu, saying, "Nice to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to be a guest."

To search for the stories of ancestors in Guling, Cheng Gaodeng, a descendant of the Cheng L ü di family, began visiting Fuzhou in 2005. "My grandfather and great aunt both loved Guling very much and were moved by the simplicity and enthusiasm of the people here." Cheng Gaodeng said that his great aunt, Cheng L ü diya, had run schools and educated people in Fuzhou. "My great aunt has trained many local talents, and I have also taught at the school where she worked. I am willing to continue to be an ambassador for US China exchanges."

Friendship relay——

"The story of Guling is not only a Chinese story, but also an American story, and it belongs to all humanity."

At the Guling event, Mu Yanling, with short hair, was very active. Her relationship with Guling began in 2015. That year, Mu Peter and Mu Yanling came to Fuzhou and, following Mu Airen's last wish, scattered some of his ashes into the Minjiang River. One day, they saw an old map at the Guling Post Office, hoping to find Mu Airen's former residence on it. Unfortunately, all the buildings on the map are only marked with numerical numbers. The relevant staff explained that the specific situation of these buildings is unknown due to their age and lack of information. The couple then had the idea of searching for all these materials and reproducing that period of history.

In the process of exploring the story of Guling, Mu Yanling met Lin Yinan, an associate professor at East China University of Science and Technology who was also very interested in that period of history. In 2016, they formed a multinational research team. Everyone is conducting on-site surveys of old buildings in Guling; Flip through archives at Yale University and Harvard University libraries, searching for the residents of these old houses; The research team searched the Internet to contact the descendants of some American families who once lived in Guling... Like a puzzle, the research team has successively found American people or their descendants who have indissoluble ties with Guling, such as Bai Lingwei, Ke Zhiren, Pu Tianshou, Fu Yihua, and Lan Maria. A period of history in the archives has gradually become a vivid story.

"The research results are very pleasing and touching. We have never imagined discovering so many touching stories. These stories have touched many people," said Mu Yanling. Nowadays, "Friends of Guling" is gradually developing and growing, and Lin Yinan's "Ancient Cuo Revitalization Laboratory" team has also launched the "Guling Family · Spectrum" platform for cultural heritage information big data. With the joint efforts of everyone, there are currently over 1000 pieces of written and oral materials, pictures, and physical objects related to the story of Guling. MuPeter will digitize and archive these precious materials. "Many years ago, our ancestors lived in Guling and helped each other with the people on that land. Now, studying and reminiscing about this history, we can more truly appreciate the beautiful emotions that humanity possesses - understanding, respect, peace, friendship, and love." Mu Yanling said.

Nowadays, more and more Chinese and American people have gained a deeper understanding of the people and stories of Guling, and more young people are participating in the team of continuing to write about Guling's love story. Guo Qing, a native of Guling, originally had a good job after graduating from university. With a love and attachment to Guling culture, he joined the research team. The students in Lin Yinan's research team are constantly changing, but everyone has a deep affection for studying Guling culture and exploring Sino US friendship. The story of Guling also fascinated American exchange student Bill Donald, who was studying at the School of Chinese Language Education at Peking University. "I hope to do something for cultural exchange between the United States and China in the future, deepen mutual understanding between the people, and continue to write new friendship stories," he said

"The story of Guling is not only a Chinese story, but also an American story, and it belongs to all humanity. I hope that one day children from all over the world can meet in Guling, learn and grow together, and continue the story of Guling." Mu Yanling is full of confidence and expectation for the future.