Chongqing, 5 May -- American Linden: Decades of China's Love Here is the "First Hometown"

Author: Liu Xinyu Chen Qiuxing

"On the last day of August 1984, I took a train from the Trans-Siberian Railway to get off in Beijing and started a new life. In this place thousands of miles from Chicago, I felt like I had found home. Since then, I have aspired to share the country and its culture that 'adopted' me with the world. This passage from American Brian Linden's new book "Finding Hometown China" is the origin of his nearly 8 years of Chinese love.

When the reporter first met Linden in Chongqing, he wore a shirt with a traditional wooden rubbing pattern of the Bai ethnic group and enthusiastically introduced this intangible cultural heritage of Yunnan Province with an authentic fluent Chinese, "It is a print, which is very attractive to me."

The picture shows a group photo of the Lyndon family of four on the field of Xizhou in Dali, Yunnan, China, in 2018. Photo courtesy of interviewee

A native of Chicago, Linden first set foot in China in 1984 on a scholarship from the Chinese government, and has since traveled and worked in more than 100 countries and regions. Sensing the charm of China's long history and culture, in 2004, he and his wife settled in Xizhou, Yunnan, China with their two sons. Yang Pin Xiang's House, a Bai folk house next to a local rice field, became the starting point for this American family to "find hometown in China".

With the support and help of the local government, Linden and nearly 4 craftsmen from Xizhou spent four years restoring this traditional Bai residence into a "Xilinyuan" integrating a hotel and an education and cultural exchange center.

"The Xilinyuan project is a center rather than a hotel, it is a bridge and platform for international cultural exchange, and it is a way for me to tell Chinese stories to the world." In an exclusive interview with Chinanews.com, Linden said that Xilinyuan has created cultural content such as cultural relics protection, museums, education bases, and film workshops, so that foreign tourists can have an in-depth understanding of local customs and share local insights with local people.

In the nearly 20 years of his roots in Xizhou, Linden has taken travelers from all over the world to step on dirt and enter workshops, sharing the real China he touched and perceived; At the same time, it actively carries out medium- and long-term cultural exchange programs for American students, and designs courses based on their rich experience in photography and videography and field research. During this time, he has hosted hundreds of fieldwork projects, attracting thousands of students from all over the world to come to rural China for internships, folk activities, and experience the rich and diverse traditional Chinese culture.

The picture shows the Spring Festival in 2023, Lyndon and his wife celebrate the festival together with the local people of Dali Xizhou, China. Photo courtesy of interviewee

In Linden's view, it is especially important to spread Chinese culture to the world and influence the younger generation, "We want them to feel that China is very cool, they come to China at the age of 17 or 18, and they will have feelings for China for the rest of their lives."

On this basis, the Chinese culture that Linden wants to spread is rich and diverse. "Not only Sanlitun, but also Wang Yangming, Mencius, Shen Congwen, Lu Xun, these stories are also very important."

Linden's exploration and love of Chinese civilization, and his unsparing excavation and protection of local culture, also made him affectionately known as "Lin Village Chief" by the locals in the second year after the opening of Xilinyuan.

"The root of sustainable development in rural China lies in culture. We have established a new model of respecting local cultural and social resources, bringing benefits to the villagers and building cultural pride with the local people, which to me is sweeter and happier than any benefit. Talking about changing from "foreigner" to "fellow countryman", Linden expressed his true feelings, "My choice, persistence and dedication are all correct. I found my spiritual homeland in my heart, and China is already my first hometown, yes, the first. ”

Lyndon has repeatedly compared China to his master, "It was the most important opportunity and turning point in my life." The Chinese culture that strikes and inspires me every day has allowed an American to be shaped and become who I am now. I want to repay this kindness for the rest of my life. ”

"This year, we will first continue to carry out cultural exchange activities, and next year we will try to go to other cities to continue to protect and restore villages and establish cultural exchange centers." Linden told reporters that his team members are currently all over the country, mostly Dali locals, and American students will join in the summer. "The seeds of Kirinen will be spread all over the world. In the future, my team will design more interesting projects and courses to show the world the wisdom and charm of China. (End)