The story of Guling echoes endlessly, witnessing the friendly exchange of information between Chinese and American people | Guling | Exchange
87 year old American Pu Guangzhu, with the help of his granddaughter, walked through the old streets and alleys of his childhood memories, while the Guling Post Office was still surrounded by mountains and forests. Pu Guangzhu personally stamped the postcard with a postmark and solemnly threw it into the mailbox, saying passionately, "This is a precious gift for me to return to Guling."
On June 28th, Chinese and American people from all walks of life who attended the "Friends of Guling" symposium planted trees together in Guling as a souvenir. Photo by Wei Peiquan, journalist from Xinhua News Agency
The "Guling Yuan" China US Folk Friendship Forum, co hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the People's Government of Fujian Province, was held in Fuzhou on the 28th. People from all walks of life, including Pu Guangzhu, attended the forum, including some "friends of Guling" who had previously lived in Guling. They came here to revisit the story of Guling, spanning a century.
Guling, located north of Gushan in the suburbs of Fuzhou, Fujian Province, was a summer resort for foreigners living in Fuzhou in the early 20th century. Many overseas children like Pu Guangzhu spent their childhood here.
Pu Guangzhu was born in Fujian in 1936, and her father Pu Tianshou served as the director of Fuzhou Union Medical College Hospital. Every summer, Pu Guangzhu and his siblings would go on vacation to Guling with their parents until the whole family returned to the United States when she was 12 years old.
Pu Guangzhu, who is already gray haired, still remembers the time he spent playing and frolicking with his village friends in the streets and alleys adjacent to the wooden buildings in Shicuo when he was a child. "We have many friends here, living in a house with a porch, overlooking a valley shrouded in clouds and mist, beautiful like heaven," she said.
On June 28, 2023, guests attended the "Gulingyuan" China US Folk Friendship Forum. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Kehong
72 year old American Mu Yanling is a senior advisor and chief researcher of the Guling Tourism and Culture Research Association. Her father-in-law Mu Airen came to Fuzhou in the 1940s and lived in Guling for many years. Her husband was also born in Fuzhou.
In recent years, Mu Yanling has persisted in excavating and organizing over 1000 pieces of written and oral materials, pictures, and physical objects related to the story of Guling. He has also collaborated with Chinese scholars to organize these precious materials into digital archives.
Mu Yanling said that some families of "friends of Guling" have lived in Fujian for many years and have a deep love for China. Part of her father-in-law Mu Airen's ashes were scattered on the Minjiang River. Dr. Fuyihua, who has been practicing medicine in rural areas of northern Fujian for many years, met his wife in Guling and spent his newlywed days. He left behind a testament to his love for the Chinese people. Lin En, a descendant of the Bailingwei family who lived in Guling for 16 years, has taken photos that have great reference value for restoring the style of Guling back then.
Mu Yanling likes the ancient well next to the Guling Post Office the most, and the stone foundation of the well is engraved with "Foreign Local Public Well". According to her recollection, local residents and foreigners living in Guling shared the water from this well.
"The history of Guling tells us that people from different countries and cultural backgrounds can establish friendly relationships and pass them on from generation to generation. We are all inheritors of this heritage," she said.
In recent years, the story of Guling has gradually spread and stirred up more echoes. "This is the first time I have heard the story of Guling, and I feel very shocked and deeply moved," said Burland Ellis, an American international student studying at the School of International Relations at Peking University. Guling is a typical example of the integration and harmonious coexistence of Chinese and Western cultures, and I hope to contribute to the civil exchanges between the United States and China.
"The foundation of friendly exchanges between the United States and China lies in the people, especially young people, who play an important role." Luca Belong, a member of the Iowa Friendship Committee and President of Sacramento, believes that the friendship and civil exchanges between the people of the United States and China have a positive impact on promoting cooperation. "We need face-to-face communication, which is more conducive to enhancing mutual understanding."
Lin Songtian, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, stated at the forum that more than 100 years ago, the ancestors of the "Friends of Guling" came to China and actively helped the local people improve their livelihoods and develop education. The local people also treated them as guests and friends, providing support for them to live and settle in the local area, leaving behind many good stories.
"Although there are many differences between the people of China and the United States, as long as both sides respect each other, help each other, learn from each other, and cherish each other's friendship, the two sides can completely coexist in peace, harmony, and harmony, and can continue to be friendly," he said.
"The spirit of mutual assistance has changed Guling." In Mu Yanling's view, Guling carries the precious spirit of "peace, friendship, love, understanding, and respect". "As long as this spirit is passed down, a better future can be established."
