Fate and commitment
- The West Frontier of Canada's Friend
Xiang Suzhen
Since 1910, those who established West China Union University and worked and studied at West China Union University have proudly called themselves "West China people". Because West China Union University is a modern university in western China. Since the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, it is one of the holy places to preserve and continue the lifeblood of China's higher education, and it is still a famous educational base. The footprints of West China students are all over the world. However, we are not "Huaxi people", but we have done a "Huaxi thing", so that in the depths of our hearts, we have a "Huaxi feeling" that cannot be dissolved.
Perhaps, this is a fate.
At the end of 2004, Mr. Guo Jianong, former Director of the Information and Culture Department of the Sichuan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, handed me a letter. It was written by Bob Edmonds, a descendant of a Canadian missionary born in Zigong, Sichuan, in the 30s of the 20th century. Bob Edmonds, a member of the negotiating team for the establishment of diplomatic relations between New China and Canada, visited China at the invitation of the China Institute of Foreign Affairs and revisited his birthplace. In the letter, he said that he and his friend's father had been missionaries in Sichuan before, and that he had many old Sichuan photographs taken that year, and proposed to jointly hold a historical photo photography exhibition, and offered to help collect old photos. When I was working in the Foreign Affairs Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, I once did an exhibition of old German photos, and the social response was very good, so I had a special interest in old photos. But I knew that it would take a lot of effort and a lot of money to hold such an exhibition, so I did not dare to contact Bob Edmonds for more than a year.
One day in the first half of 2006, I told my good friend, Mr. Zhang Biao, a famous Chinese calligrapher. He was very supportive and offered to be an advisor to the exhibition of old photographs. He went through Mr. Cheng Tieliang, an associate professor at the Beijing Film Academy and a famous Chinese photographer, to find the organizer. I immediately wrote to Bob Edmonds to tell the news. In October 2006, Bob wrote to me, saying that he had read my letter to him at the "CS" party, talking about holding an exhibition of old photos, and received enthusiastic support from everyone, and they were willing to provide the photos they treasured, and the desire to hold an exhibition was very strong. He also told me that "CS" is short for Canadian school, and that students from Sichuan-born "CS" schools meet every year to come from all over the country to a Chinese restaurant in Toronto for 75 years. I was surprised and shocked, I didn't expect their friendship for the Chinese people to be so strong, so deep, so far-reaching...
The picture shows Zhang Biao (middle), Cheng Tieliang (left), and Xiang Suzhen (right), the initiators of the old photo project team
The first to send me old photos were Don and Liz Willmontt. I have two more contacts in Canada.
March 16, 2007 was a day when I still want to shed tears when I think about it. That evening, I packed my bags for my trip to Beijing the next morning, opened my computer and saw the email from Mr. and Mrs. Don Willmontt. They told me Bob Edmonds had died of a heart attack. I can't believe it's real! I also received an email from him a few days ago. He told me in an email that he was returning to China in 2008 to attend the celebration of Zigong No. 1 Middle School in Sichuan. He did not use "go to China", but used "return to China", what a deeply affectionate "return" word! He also told me that he would send me two books on the history of West China Union University. However, in an instant, we were separated by yin and yang, and I felt a sadness like losing a loved one. He never came back...
Bob Edmond (left) at the "CS" gathering in October 2006, where the Old Photos Project began at his initiative
The next day, at Zhang Biao's studio in Beijing, I told Zhang Biao and Cheng Tieliang this sad news. All three of us didn't speak for two minutes. Finally, Zhang Biao stood up and said, "We must do this well, we must do it beautifully!" "This is a common commitment in our hearts, for this lovely old man, for the friendship of the Chinese and Canadian people, for a silent history...
The work of collecting old photos and contacting us fell to Don and Liz Willmontt, who are 80 years old. As the Canadian consultant of the "Old Photo Project Team", the two elderly people did a lot of work for us to collect and scan photos, arrange for us to participate in CS parties, etc. In a few years, they wrote me more than 400 emails. From them, I learned the stories behind many old photos, especially the moving deeds of some of them who actively participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the cause of liberation of the Chinese people, and I was deeply moved...
Canadian friends Don and Liz Willmntt
As a Sichuanese, I know that Chengdu Huaxiba has a West China University and West China Hospital, but I don't know this history. When I told these stories to my friends, they were all moved. My friends and I volunteered for the Old Photos project. As members of the old photo project team, Zhang Biao, Cheng Tieliang, Cui Hua, Zhang Yingming, Wang Xiaomei, Zhang Wensen, Tian Yaxi, Shen Zaiwang, Ke Ma Kai, Li Shuang, Lin Chunbai, etc. have made a lot of efforts to show this history without any remuneration for many years. We all agree that just one ordinary exhibition of old photographs will not show this history or reflect what Canadians have done for western China. That's why we decided to hold this exhibition of old photographs in the form of storytelling, telling everyone about this history that should not be forgotten.
With the support of Mr. Zhang Biao, Zhang Yingming and I went to Canada in October 2007 to attend the "CS Kids" party. Cui Zhiwei, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, has provided us with a lot of convenience in handling overseas formalities and visas. Mr. Zhang Chi, President of Hong Kong Nanzhong Group, specially sent his wife, Ms. Wang Xiaorui, a Chinese-American, to travel from Hong Kong to Canada to volunteer as an interpreter for us. We brought back a large number of old photos and precious historical materials about Sichuan from Canada.
After a lot of hard work by volunteers, at the end of March 2008, "Chinese Feelings on the Other Side of the Ocean - A Century Exhibition of Rare Photos from Canada" opened at the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing; In April of the same year, the old photo exhibition "Dujiangyan Feelings on the Other Side of the Ocean" was exhibited in Dujiangyan City, Chengdu; On May 1, 2010, "Traces of Time - Old Photos of Chengdu from Canada" opened in Xinchang Town, Dayi County, an ancient town with a history of thousands of years; In April 2012, "Chengdu, My Home" was officially published; In June 2013, the People's Government of Dayi County provided a two-story building in Xinchang Town, expanding the original exhibition into the "Centennial History Image Museum"; Over the years, we organized 4 "Go Home" activities. The ancient town of Xinchang in Dayi County has become the "home" in the minds of the descendants of these missionaries. These events caused an unexpected stir ...
"CS Children" held the book "Chengdu, My Home", which recorded their family and childhood stories, and smiled
Seeing the childhood photos at the "home" in Xinba, the three elderly people seem to go back to their childhood
Over the past few years, we have experienced too many hardships, gratifications and many touches...
The 2008 Beijing exhibition was full of twists and turns. Our visa to Canada has been processed, but the organizer has not yet implemented it. Some people think that the word "missionary" is too sensitive and retreat. I remember crying when I called Zhang Biao. Zhang Biao said to me, you go to Canada, I will continue to look for money, if I can't find it, I will come to this money. Finally, Zhang Biao bore all the expenses for the exhibition at the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing and the 8 Canadian friends who participated in the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
At the end of March 2008, the exhibition opening ceremony of Lu Xun Museum in Beijing
It is almost impossible to hold an exhibition in China without a sponsor, and even less so in the capital Beijing. However, we held an unsponsored exhibition at the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing, "Chinese Feelings Across the Ocean - A Century Exhibition of Rare Photos from Canada". We were surprised by the large number of Chinese and foreign VIPs attending the opening ceremony and the enthusiastic response. The director of Lu Xun Museum knew that we were a group of volunteers, and when we held the exhibition out of our own pocket, he took the initiative to waive the balance of 4,000 yuan that we should pay.
After attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing exhibition, the four "CS children" returned to Huaxiba with their children
Group photo on the CS school ladder that leaves too many childhood memories
The story of the exhibition takes place in Sichuan. The "CS child" born in Sichuan and we have a common wish: to hold another exhibition in Chengdu. The success of the Beijing exhibition makes us full of confidence in this. But when I went to the organizers with a pocket containing newspapers, brochures, and printed copies of old photographs of the Beijing exhibition, I found that things were far from as simple as we thought. There are many people who support us, but few institutions and units are willing to pay to do this. Don Willmontt and his wife, knowing that we were worried about the cost of the exhibition, gave me a cartoon that a Chinese cartoonist named Qian Jiajun had given him in 1945 and told me to take it to auction, and the money from the auction would be used for the exhibition. Qielder's granddaughter Marion has written to me several times to offer to donate money to fulfill our shared wishes...
However, I could not accept such a gift emotionally.
I remember in October 2007 at Don Willmontt's house, he handed me two books about West China Union University. This was handed over to me by Bob Edmonds on his deathbed. Holding the heavy two books, I burst into tears again. What a gift! I feel that this is the deceased's instruction to the living. The only thing I can do is to do things better in the future!
Whenever I think of a group of elderly people on the other side of the ocean who call themselves "Canadian School Kids", their parents and grandparents have made significant contributions to education and medicine in China; Whenever I think of their expressions when they gather together to sing Sichuan children's songs, as if they have returned to their childhood; Whenever I think of reading in the "CS" newsletter that after the death of some elderly people, their children followed their will to bring their ashes to Chengdu and scatter them into the lotus pond in front of the bell tower of Huaxiba; Whenever they think of the disappointed expressions on their faces that their ancestors and fathers have been forgotten by Chinese and can only be permanently hidden in their memories; Whenever I think of the trusting and expectant look they look at us at the party... My heart will tremble and I will feel a responsibility.
This is a Chinese love that cannot be refused!
It was Chen Lizhang, the magistrate of Dayi County (Chen Lizhang, who is currently the deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee and director of the Management Committee of Tianfu New District, Sichuan—editor's note) who learned about this incident from Zhang Biao and led the exhibition to Xinchang Town, Dayi County; It was Xu Yun, deputy secretary of the county party committee in charge of Xinchang, who left the exhibition in Xinchang Town; It was Long Yuxiang, secretary of the Xinchang Town Party Committee, and the "Canadian Old Photos Project Team" that specifically implemented more than 2,000 precious photos reflecting this history and the story of old Chengdu in Xinchang Town for a long time, setting a permanent "home" for this historical story, and also sowing a seed of Sino-Canadian friendship for Xinchang Town in Dayi County, and building a bridge to the world for this thousand-year-old town.
The society received rave reviews for the exhibition in Xinchang Town. Over the past few years, tens of thousands of people have visited the exhibition and left messages saying, "This exhibition erases the empty fog of history" "This exhibition is a good teaching material, look at the devastation of the past, look at the peace and prosperity of the present, only then can we know how beautiful we are today..."
In May 2010, CS children and their descendants participated in the "Go Home" event in Xinfield
All the Canadian friends who attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition found their families in the exhibition
Kevin who came to China for the first time was thrilled to see pictures of his grandfather operating on patients in China
Visit the hospital and teaching center created by our ancestors
In October 2010, the author, Zhang Yingming and Li Shuang went to Canada again on behalf of the old photo project team to participate in their party. The descendants of the "CS children" who participated in the opening ceremony of the new exhibition used PPT to introduce the grandeur of the two exhibitions. The CS Gathering Committee awarded the "Canada Old Photos Project Team". The Chinese on the plaque reads: "To our Chinese friends, thank you for building a permanent home for this great photo exhibition." You Canadian classmates and friends". They all yearn for the opportunity to return to their "home" in Xinchang Town.
I remember one rainy and snowy morning in January 2008, sitting on the back hanger of Zhang Yingming's bicycle, I walked through the West China campus to the home of Professor Luo Zongzhao and Professor Zhan Shuyi, a veteran dental expert, who were Lin Ze and Jishido's students. We visited them to learn more about the story of Huaxi. When the two old professors learned of our intentions, they extended their thumbs and said, "You have done a good deed of immeasurable merit!" Our teachers are good people of high moral character! "After the Beijing exhibition, we gave Professor Luo Zongzhao a book introducing the exhibition. Luo Lao couldn't put it down. Later, Luo Lao lent the book to another old expert in Huaxi for a reward, and this old expert couldn't put it down and didn't want to return it, and the two old men blushed because of this... I suddenly felt that what we did not only shows a piece of history, but also reflects the wishes buried in the hearts of the old professors in West China!
I still remember that in November 2007, Cui Hua, consultant of the Canadian Old Photo Project Team, former vice chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Writers Association, and writer, led us to visit Mr. Ma Zhitu and Mr. Li Zhitu, the leaders of the Provincial Federation of Literature and Culture. The 93-year-old Ma Lao was very excited to tell us the story of Yun Conglong, a missionary at West China Union University, who wholeheartedly helped the underground party activities, and gladly inscribed our exhibition in Beijing.
Members of the old photo project team visited Mr. Ma Zhitu to learn about the history of that year
A lot of people who helped us. Anthropologist Li Xingxing gave us many very useful suggestions, Sichuan literary critic Zhang Yingchuan drafted the initial old photo work plan for us, Liu Shangwei, an old professor at Sichuan University, ran around for us to seek support, Wu Jingping, head of the Foreign Affairs Department of West China Hospital, provided a lot of convenience for our activities, and the 85-year-old Mr. Dai Dehu identified old photos for us. My classmates and friends Zhong Qingcheng, Yang Xiaoyuan, Liu Shaping, Chen Gang, Yang Qinghua, Geng Dexin, Shu Chongfu, Nie Xiuxiang, Cui Yaling, Luo Yubin, Wang Linjia, Rao Haiyan, Wu Yuzhen, Tian Wenyi, Li Linzi, Jin Kaitai, Zou Xiaogong, Wang Bo, Zeng Yifeng, Hong Lian and his wife, as well as many relatives and friends, have given us selfless support and help. Here, we would like to express our deep gratitude and respect to all of you!
Over the past few years, the volunteers of the Old Photo Project have put a lot of effort and financial resources into this. We don't have the funds, and everyone rushes to pay for the ride, food and tea for every meeting, without complaint. Our greatest wish is to be recognized by the community, and we were very pleased when the Cultural Section of the Canadian Embassy in China called and offered to support and help us in our future work...
In October 2013, Governor General David Johnston paid a state visit to China and visited Chengdu, and awarded the Canadian Old Photos Project Team the Governor's Medal at the "Friends of Canada Reception" held by the Canadian Consulate General in Chongqing, in recognition of the project's contributions to China-Canada friendship over the years.
Order of the Governor and a signed letter from the Governor to the Old Photos Project Team
Canadian Governor General David Johnston (left) shakes hands with Zhang Biao (right), general counselor of the old photo project team
On April 21, 2012, former Canadian Ambassador to China David said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Chinese Feelings Across the Ocean" and the launch ceremony of "Chengdu, My Home" held by Beijing Radio International: "More than 100 years before Bethune, a group of Canadians traveled across the ocean to Sichuan and founded the first western medicine hospital in western China. They are full of sincere feelings for China and have given themselves and their families Chinese names. Their contribution to China should be remembered forever by future generations. Today, it is of great significance that old photographs reflecting this history are exhibited here and compiled into books. Here, I am very grateful to the Sichuan Provincial Government and China Radio International for their support. I would also like to especially thank the old photo project team for their hard work in making this possible. Through these old photos, we can see the long-standing exchanges and friendship between the Chinese and Canadian peoples. ”
Ambassador David Madavian
On June 11, 2013, Minister Tang Lan delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the "Centennial Historical Image Museum" in Xinchang Town, Dayi County. "The establishment of the Centennial Historical Image Museum is very meaningful, it will enable more people to understand the history of Canadian missionaries in China, and it is a concrete embodiment of the past and future friendship between Canada and China," she said. Today, governments often speak of the importance of people-to-people interaction. In my view, the Old Photo Project is an example of how dedicated and passionate people from Canada and China will have a tremendous positive impact on our relationship. Governments on both sides have supported this project, but your hard work and dedication made the Old Photo Project a reality. ”
Minister Donlan
On April 26, 2012, Consul General in Chongqing, Ouyang Fei, said at the opening ceremony of the book distribution ceremony and old photos exhibition "Chengdu, My Home" held in Kuanzhai Alley, Chengdu: "Thank you very much for the contribution of the Canadian Old Photos Project Team to China-Canada friendship. These old photographs remind us that friendships and cooperation are perfectly possible between very different societies. So I think it's very meaningful to exhibit these old photographs today. ”
Consul General Ouyang Fei
The Cultural Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, McDowell Mak, commented on our work: "Your work has made us re-understand the history of Canada-China friendly exchanges. We used to think that Canada-China friendly exchanges began with Bethune, but today we understand that it should have started 120 years ago. Now, whether you speak at a university or anywhere else, when you talk about China-Canada friendship, we all start 120 years ago and you have done a very great thing. ”
Counselor McDowell
From April 21 to 26, 2012, a series of large-scale events with the theme of "Going Home" were held in Beijing and Chengdu. The content includes the book launch of "Chengdu, My Home" and the "Old Photos of Chengdu from Canada" old photo exhibition. The event was co-sponsored by the Information Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, the Sichuan Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Chengdu Municipal Information Office, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chengdu Municipal People's Government, the Chengdu Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Dayi County People's Government, the China Radio International Television Program Production Center, the Canadian Embassy in China, and Xinhua Wenxuan Publishing and Media Co., Ltd.
On the right is Elizabeth's son, Comakay, a member of the old photo project team
Ms. Isabel, 96, the representative of CS Kids, said excitedly: "Since my grandmother, our family has lived in China for five generations. I am most proud that my grandson is now serving in Chengdu West China Hospital. We all love China. ”
When the representative of the old photo project team walked down after speaking to Suzhen, all Canadian friends stood up and applauded her, which was an affirmation of the work done by the old photo project team for China-Canada friendship over the years
From June 4 to 12, 2013, at the invitation of the Dayi County People's Government, 26 descendants of missionaries from 14 families traveled from Canada to the new site of Dayi County, Chengdu to participate in the opening ceremony and "Homecoming" activity of the "Centennial History Image Museum".
Canadian friends returned to their "home" in Xinchang and were warmly received
Now, China Central Television Documentary Channel will co-produce five large-scale documentaries with Sichuan TV, and this touching historical story will soon be available on the silver screen.
Fate is a complex, a synergy. We reap the joy from here.
Commitment is a realm, a responsibility. We will keep our promises in our hearts and move forward happily...
Xiang Suzhen in Chengdu, China, 2015
Source: Forever Huaxi
Author: Xiang Suzhen (Retired civil servant of the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, graduated from the Department of Chinese of Sichuan University majoring in Chinese Language and Literature, currently lives in Chengdu, Sichuan)