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Moscow, 20 Mar (Xinhua) -- In the Kalitnikov cemetery in southeast Moscow, there is a black tombstone: an old man wearing a medal on his chest and smiling kindly on the front, and a bridge like a flying dragon Lingjiang River on the back.
Buried here is Konstantin Xilin, an expert on bridges aiding China from the Soviet Union and China's "people's friendship messenger", and on the back of the tombstone is the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, the "first bridge on the Yangtze River" that he participated in designing and building as the chief engineer.
This bridge opened the Chinese relationship that has been passed down by the Xilin family for four generations and lasted for nearly 70 years.
Father's "most beloved child"
In March, Moscow still snowed from time to time, and reporters came to visit people after Xilin. Yelena, the eldest daughter of Cillin, 76, and Anna, the second daughter of 68, opened the door and welcomed them warmly.
The interior of the house is warm and tidy, and Chinese elements can be seen everywhere: Chinese paintings and calligraphy on the walls, Chinese books and Chinese souvenirs on the shelves...
"The story of my father and China began very early and continues today." Yelena said.
In 1948, as a Soviet bridge specialist, Schilling was sent to northeastern China to help build railways and bridges.
In 1949, Xilin served as an advisor to the Ministry of Railways of China, participating in the construction of roads and bridges of the Chengdu-Chongqing, Tianlan and Lanxin railways, covering all parts of the river.
In 1954, the Soviet government sent a team of 28 people to Wuhan to assist in the construction of the bridge, and Xi Lin served as the team leader to build the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge until its completion in September 1957. During this time, Yelena and Anna lived in China with their parents. Later, the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge became the proudest work in Xilin's life.
"The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is my father's most beloved child, and it is also a bridge of friendship between the Xilin family and Chinese friends." Yelena said.
When she first arrived in China, Anna was only one month old. When she grew up, she inherited her father's mantle and became a bridge specialist.
Anna said that the hydrological conditions of the Yangtze River are complex, and building the bridge in the old way is expensive, dangerous, time-consuming, and may cause harm to the health of workers, so her father proposed a "pipe column drilling method" that has not been used in the world. In order to demonstrate the new method, Xilin was recalled to Moscow several times to deal with various doubts and tests from other experts, and finally the new method was approved and used in the construction of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge. The construction period of the bridge was advanced by a full two years, and the cost was greatly reduced. Since then, "a bridge flying north and south, the heavenly graben changes the way", and New China has the first bridge on the Yangtze River.
Zhao Yucheng, who worked with Xilin on the construction of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, once recalled that Xilin never paid attention to food and clothing, but was extremely serious and strict in his work, "a person who really has the spirit of communism and internationalism."
Yu Qixin, former deputy chief economist of China Railway Bridge Bureau and an expert in bridge history, said that the year the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge was built, many ordinary people named their newborns "Wuqiao" and "Jiangqiao".
In recognition of Xilin's contributions, the State Council of China presented him with a certificate of appreciation signed by Premier Zhou Enlai. On the monument of the Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan, the exploits of 28 Soviet experts such as Xilin are cast in golden bronze characters. In 1995, the China Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries awarded him the title of "People's Friendship Envoy".
Anna said: "My father had a very special affection for China. Every time he returned from China, his father always said with joyful eyes and expressions that he loved Chinese people very much. ”
"Even though my father was old and seriously ill, he was happy to go to China and see the bridges and people he loved so much." Anna said.
The successor of my grandfather's will
During his lifetime, Xi Lin hoped that his descendants could learn Chinese and inherit the friendly cause between the two countries. In order to realize his wish, Yelena's daughter Catherine took Chinese while studying at Moscow State University, continuing her grandfather's relationship with China.
Ekaterina has been to China for further study many times and speaks fluent Chinese. Her research topics are mostly related to China's ecology and environmental protection. At present, she teaches courses related to Chinese geography, culture and economy at Moscow University and Russian State University for the Humanities, leading more students to China.
In 1996, Ekaterina went to Wuhan to receive Chinese language training, and for the first time saw the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, which her grandfather missed day and night, and felt the gratitude and longing of the local people to Xilin.
Ekaterina brought a thick stack of materials, full of photographs, newspapers and letters related to Xilin's relationship with China. She categorized all the materials by subject and age, scanned and stored them electronically, for fear of loss and damage.
She carefully pulled out two photos and said: "This is a group photo of my grandfather and Chinese colleagues, and this photo is a photo of my grandfather visiting China thirty years later, with some of his colleagues." ”
Thirty years, the photograph has changed from black and white to color, and Xi Lin has changed from youth to whitehead, and what has not changed is his sincere smile and sincere friendship with Chinese friends.
"These are all letters that Chinese wrote spontaneously to my grandfather. Although they did not know his grandfather, they were very grateful for his contribution to China. "Letters come from all over the world, and the writers cover all walks of life.
Unfold a letterhead, and the beautiful handwriting on it reads: "Most beloved Uncle Sirin: How are you doing lately?" Did your studies and work go well? ...... When we saw the almost unbelievable news in the Shaanxi Youth Daily that the Yangtze River Bridge was officially opened to traffic on October 15 this year, we felt extremely happy at that time... The success of the Yangtze River Bridge is inseparable from your personal guidance and selfless labor day and night..." The payment is: "Your good youth, the branch of the second regiment of junior high school in Chengcheng, Shaanxi Province, November 5, 1957. ”
The letter is so well preserved that it is hard to believe that it is an object from more than 60 years ago if it were not for the date on the postmark.
Ekaterina, who is proficient in Chinese, understands Chinese feelings for her grandfather better than the rest of the family through the sincere words in the letter, and decides to pass on this love to the next generation.
"Chinese is the world's largest language, the language of the future, the friendship between China and Russia has a long history, and I hope that my two daughters will also learn Chinese." She said.
Chinese love passed down from generation to generation
Ekaterina's eldest daughter, Nastya, is 19 years old and has just entered her first year at the Faculty of Oriental and African Studies at Moscow State University. "When I was a child, my mother taught me Chinese. When I was admitted to university, I wanted to choose Chinese major, but unfortunately, my scores were not enough, and I ended up learning Thai. Speaking of her "Chinese dream", Nastya was a little regretful.
"I want to get back Chinese learning because Chinese is really beautiful and fun! I love calligraphy and writing Chinese characters! She showed the reporter the Chinese character book, and the strokes were written in a good way.
"One year, I wanted to give my mother a birthday present, so I tried to draw a Chinese painting myself." Nastya took out her debut novel "Happy Eyebrows", and on the drawing paper a magpie stands on the branch of a plum tree, with three Chinese characters written next to it, "Be happy".
At the age of 6 and 12, Nastya traveled to China with her family. "I love China so much! I love Chinese food, some of them are spicy, but I like it! "I also like China's natural scenery and cultural architecture. ”
"In the morning, I did square dancing with my grandmother to music, which was very ambitious. After the jump we went to breakfast again, it was so delicious, the Chinese food was unforgettable! Nastya said and went back to eating, and the Cillin family laughed.
"Which Chinese city do you want to live in?" The reporter's question stumped Nastya, she first said "Beijing" and her mother asked, "What about Shanghai?" When Nastya was thinking about whether to change to Shanghai, her aunt Anna suggested: "Do you want to go to Chengdu?" It just so happens that you like to eat spicy. The family laughed again as they looked at Nastya's embarrassed look.
The only one who didn't smile was Ekaterina's 6-year-old daughter, Sasha. Little Sasha was unhappy because the whole family had been to China, only she hadn't.
Sasha knows a little simple Chinese, especially likes giant pandas, and goes to Moscow Zoo at least once a month to see giant pandas, and there are many giant panda toys at home.
"I would love to go to China." "Our family celebrates the Chinese New Year every year, and we get together to eat Chinese food made by my mother and watch the Chinese Spring Festival Gala," Sasha said. ”
A bridge, two countries, four generations of inheritance, the Xilin family bears witness to the friendship between the Chinese and Russian peoples. Ekaterina said: "Chinese elements have been immersed in all aspects of my family's life, and I hope that my children can continue to pass on this sincere Chinese feeling." ”
Chief planner: Lv Yansong
Director system: Yuan Bingzhong
Planner: Ni Siyi, Fan Weiguo, Hui Xiaoyong
Executive producers: Li Zhengyu, Feng Junyang, Xue Ying, Jin Xuegeng, Wei Jianhua
Coordinators: Xie Peng, Xu Haijing, Yan Junyan, Zhao Yu, Liu Kai, Li Pengxiang
Executive planner: Zheng Kaijun Wu Zhi
Reporters: Meng Jing, Cao Yang, Yu Aicen, Xiong Qi, Zhou Tianhui, and Xiao Lixi
Copywriter: Chen Ting
Reporting by: Ostrovidov Osipova Kozlov
Editors: Cheng Dayu Ma Xiaoyan
Xinhua News Agency International Department, Asia-Europe General Branch, Hubei Branch co-production
China Railway Bridge Bureau Group Co., Ltd. assisted
Produced by Xinhua News Agency's International Communication Integration Platform