Few stories inspire as profoundly as the tale that unfolded over three decades between Liu Zhonghan, a Chinese scholar, and the Gardner family from the United States. This narrative, encapsulated in a 1,800-word essay penned by Liu 31 years ago titled “Ah! Kuliang,” has touched countless lives and fostered an enduring friendship between China and the United States. Rooted in the small hillside area of Kuliang, in Fuzhou, East China’s Fujian Province, this tale exemplifies the strengthening of human bonds over geographical divides.
“The development of the China-US people-to-people friendship is like a snowball rolling. Now, this snowball has grown big and fast,” shared Liu, who, at 76, finds surprise and gratification in the blossoming of this cross-cultural connection. He marvels at the transformations in Fuzhou’s cityscape and the unwavering friendship between the Chinese and American people, an enduring relationship embodied in the Kuliang story.
In 1985, Liu, an aspiring intellectual from rural Hubei Province, traveled to the United States to pursue his PhD. He joined the local “International House,” a non-profit organization assisting foreign arrivals, where he met Elizabeth Gardner, the widow of Milton Gardner. Milton, a physics professor, had spent his childhood in Kuliang and always yearned to return to his ‘second homeland.’ Despite his passing, his dream lived on in his wife’s six trips to China in search of his childhood home.
The discovery of a postmarked stamp in Milton Gardner‘s collection led Liu to the confirmation that Kuliang was situated in Fuzhou. This breakthrough facilitated Elizabeth Gardner’s seventh and successful visit to Fuzhou, allowing her to realize her husband’s dream. This visit, accompanied by Liu, was marked by heartfelt conversations with local villagers and Milton’s childhood friends, fostering an enduring friendship between the two nations.
Over the years, the Gardner family has continued to contribute to the narrative of friendship between China and the US. In June 2023, Milton’s grandnephew, Lee Gardner, donated the family chronicle and related documents from several visits to Fuzhou. This act was a testament to the enduring bond between the two nations and the universal language of love and friendship.
Liu views the Kuliang story as a beacon of hope amid global shifts and confrontations between nations. Kuliang’s ability to foster harmonious living among diverse nationalities exemplifies the potential for peace and understanding. Liu continues to advocate for the nurturing of friendships beyond language, race, and ideology, viewing these bonds as a crucial aspect of maintaining international peace and understanding.
Liu hopes that stories like this one will prompt politicians to view global affairs from an ordinary person’s perspective, promoting mutual understanding between nations. The story of Kuliang has become a symbol of the long-standing friendship between the people of China and the US, and continues to inspire the nurturing of cross-cultural relationships.
READ MORE: