Hello everybody, welcome to Round Table.
I'm He Yang. Today we present the final chapter of our captivating radio drama series, Echoes of Kool -Eung.
For the past four episodes, we've followed the extraordinary journey of the Gardner family whose lives have been inextricably linked to the land and people of Kool -Eung, China, across generations.
Now, in the fifth and final episode, we invite you to join us in witnessing the culmination of this timeless saga.
Brace yourselves, listeners, for an emotional and uplifting finale, Echoes of Kool -Eung, Homecoming.
The senior leader, Dong Xiaoping, and other statesmen have gathered in a special economic zone in southern China for a summit on the nation's economic reform program.
This ruling Communist Party rallied behind the call of a country senior leader, Dong Xiaoping.
Hello, Jiang Guo. Come in.
What's the hurry? You won't believe this.
We've found him. What?
Who's found whom? Sit, take some tea.
Your brother, Darshan's friend.
You American friend.
You mean, me twin? My brother Darshan's American childhood friend, me twin?
Yes, yes. I just got the call from the municipal government.
They said the city party secretary came across an article in The People's Daily about an American who grew up here and had been searching for his childhood Chinese friend.
What article? Here, I found the newspaper.
Can you read this for me?
Born in 1901, Milton Gardner's first cries were soon followed by his family's move westward, returning to China before he was even 10 months old.
After the Republic of China was established, they moved back again, by which time Milton had grown into a sturdy 10 -year -old boy.
Unbelievable. I figured it must be me twin.
Yes. It's me twin. It's him.
My name is Guo Xiaoxia.
I was born in the summer of 1908, right here in Isha village, nestled in the heart of Guo Ling.
Guo Ling is the Mandarin pronunciation in our local dialect is called Guo Liang.
Guo Liang is my hometown.
It is also the hometown of my elder sister Hai Yin, my elder brother Da Shen, and their best American friend, me twin.
This is an amazing place.
Through the years, I've watched many calm and go, leaving their foot brains behind, family and strangers, all weaving themselves into the fabric of Guo Ling.
That plane, it's a flying tiger.
It's being chased by the Japanese jet.
Oh my, someone just jump right out.
I hope he's all right.
I should see if he needs help.
Are you all right, sir?
Who are you? Don't worry.
I'm Chinese. I'm Guo Xiaoxian, host man of the nearby village.
Yeah, I'm fine, but please take cover.
The Japanese are after me.
It's too risky for you to be here.
I know a place where they can see you from the air.
Come with me. Okay.
Thank you. Oh, they're gone, sir.
Thank you truly. I hope my wing man evades them too.
I'm Lieutenant Daniel from the flying tigers.
I know. I recognize being sick near on your plane.
You're American. I need to go.
Thank you, Mr. Guo.
Wait, you're injured.
Oh, it's just a scratch.
It's nothing. I still have a mission to complete.
Oh, wait a second. These Chinese herbs can stop the bleeding.
Thank you so much. I owe you one, but now I need to make a move.
I'm carrying vital intelligence that must be delivered today.
Oh, hold on. I've got an idea.
I have a bike. It can get us down the mountain swiftly.
Thanks, but isn't that too risky?
Oh, you're here helping us fight against invaders.
It's the least I can do.
Don't worry. I know these roads like the back of my hand.
I can't thank you enough, my friend.
This path is quick and safe.
Few people know about it.
Buddy, you really helped me a lot.
It's nothing, Daniel.
My father once saved an American missionary.
It seems like my family has a history with Americans.
Oh, really? Yes. It seems like my family has a bound with Americans.
The missionary later came back, and his son became best friends of my big brother and sister.
I grew up together.
In China, we call this Yuan Fen.
Destiny, you understand?
You're Yuan Qian Li Lai Xiang Hui.
Yeah, I know. It's the kind of destiny that brings us together from afar.
I used to teach in Fucho City before the war broke out.
I'm also connected with this place.
Oh, you're a teacher.
My sister used to be a teacher, too.
She was among the first girls in our village to get an education.
That's really impressive.
Where is she now? The war has taken her life.
It was during the Japanese invasion in 1938.
She was leading her students to safety in the mountains.
They were ambushed by an air raid.
She died protecting her students.
Sorry to hear that.
What's her name? Haiyan.
Haiyan. She was a real hero.
Damn war! We need to end it.
That's why I joined the flying route.
Here we are at the foot of the mountain.
The main road will lead you to the dock.
Take my bike. No, I can't do that.
You've already helped me so much.
Take it! It's for our shared victory.
Your message must be delivered on time.
Thank you so much. The bike?
After the war, I will return it to you with a new one.
Believe me, the war won't last long.
I believe in you. We will end this war.
You know what? When the war ends, I shall return and be a teacher again.
I just love this place.
Haiyan. Haiyan. The battleship Missouri, 53 ,000 ton flagship of Admiral Halsey's third fleet, becomes the scene of an unforgettable ceremony marking the complete and formal surrender of Japan.
In the Bay of Tokyo itself, the United States destroy Okokana comes along.
Daniel was right. Before long, Japan surrendered.
The Second World War finally ended in 1945.
I believe Daniel's successful mission contributed to our victory, and Daniel, true to his word, came back with a new bicycle for me and took up teaching again in Fujo.
He truly became one of us, together with many others.
Life seems unchanged in Kool -Aid.
Daniel, Daniel, guess what I brought you today?
Whoa, what have we got here?
Wow, it's quite the fighter.
Only the best from Kool -Yang, a prime black chicken.
It's from Old Lian after your blood donation last time.
Oh, Old Lian, a healthy bit.
I've been thinking about him.
Oh, we're better now.
He'll be back on his feet in a couple of days.
He made me promise to bring you this chicken first.
Says, it's our hillside's finest.
Perfect for a healthy broth.
Considering how much blood you gave, I was just happy to help.
Glad my blood type matched.
It's a relief to hear he's on the mend.
You know, we have a saying, shi mei shang lian.
In Ming's, we are bounded by blood.
It signifies a deep connection, forged in times of need.
Ah, kind of destiny.
You and fun. And it's the perfect timing since I'm planning a little party.
I'll cook up a special American style roast chicken.
I want to invite you all over.
My two -month -old son Peter will be joining us up here in the hills in a few days.
His mom is bringing him to live with us.
Can't wait to meet a little guy.
Ku Liang welcomes new life with open arms.
Absolutely. I must be off.
More ladders to deliver.
Take care of this chicken now.
Hey there. Li Hua, Lin Yi.
I've got letters for both of your parents.
Where are they? Hello, Uncle Guo.
They are all at my place.
My mother is making a big cake.
My mom is helping her, and she will make some fish ball soup.
Ah, it's your birthday again already.
Happy birthday, girls.
Li Hua, you look taller now.
Yeah, I'm taller than Yi.
But I'm still your big sister, though we were born on the same day.
I was born a few hours before you.
Just a few hours. But it counts.
I'm always your big sister.
Okay, okay, girls. You're so funny.
You really look like twins.
In moments like these, Ku Liang feels unchanged by time.
The heaven of memories and dreams.
Two little girls, Ling Ying and Li Hua, always remind me of Darshan and Melton.
Ling Ying is Chinese, and Li Hua is American.
But their parents were teachers of Fu Zhou's Yinghua school at that time.
And because of Yinghua, they got their Chinese names.
We now bring you the proclamation of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China, read by Chairman Mao Zedong of the Central People's Government at the gigantic rally which is now being held in Peking to celebrate the formation of the People's Republic of China.
Peace finally arrived in our country.
Many overseas Chinese returned home.
I'm expecting Darshan.
Will one day come knocking at the door too?
Excuse me, sir. Hello?
Anyone in there? Yes?
Hello? Hi. Is this Guo Darshan's home?
I'm looking for his family.
Darshan? You mean my brother, Darshan?
It is his home. I'm Guo Xiaoxan, his younger brother.
I'm sorry. I should have come earlier.
But the wars had stopped me.
Things have become so complicated.
Are you from Canada?
What's happened to him?
I don't know how to say, but Mr Guo, your brother, Guo Darshan, he may no longer be with us.
No. No! How come? I owe your brother my life.
We took the same ship to Canada, but we were duped, taken to Nanyang, Fauzi station, not Canada.
Our abductors took all of our personal belongings and cut us off from the world.
We were trapped in the plantation, working from dawn till dusk like slaves.
Darshan, he was the bravest among us.
He devised an escape.
He quietly stole the last keys and led us out.
But we were chased by the gods, and they had guns.
So Darshan ran towards the cliff by the sea to shield us.
To fight many shots.
That's so like him.
Oh, it's so brave. I hoped after the wars, it would come back, but...
Anyway, thank you for coming to tell us.
He's such a good guy.
I have nothing physical from him.
But he spoke often of Kulyung, his sister and brother, and his American friend.
He missed home deeply, if he never came back.
I guess he would like you to know that he never truly left, and his spirit remains with Kulyung.
I'm flies. I have turned into a guardian of Kulyung's legacy.
My hair now is as silver as a winter frost.
I thought the story might have ended here, but I was wrong.
A connection from across the seas was about to rekindle old memories.
Dear Mrs. Gardner, we at the Fuzhou Friendship Association in Fuzhou, Fujian province China, warmly invite you to visit Guilin, to visit your husband, Mr.
Milton Gardner's hometown.
This visit aims to strengthen the cherished friendship between peoples of China and the Fuzhou.
My goodness, I can't believe it's true.
Yes, I'm just as excited, Betty.
It's all because of your article.
To think you would capture the attention of the head of the Fuzhou city.
I just felt I must write it down.
It feels surreal. Now, I can finally help Milton fulfill his final wish.
The vases. I must bring the lack of vases to China.
They're a symbol of the friendship between our families across generations.
It's time for them to go back home.
Along with them, I will bring something very important and meaningful to Milton.
This bamboo dragonfly.
A keepsake of Milton's.
Yes, it's a gift from Da Shan and Hai Yan.
It's a symbol of their enduring bond.
Betty, you've preserved a piece of Milton's heart.
He would be filled with joy.
Isn't it amazing? It's as vibrant as ever.
Here we are in 1992.
If Milton's childhood companions are still around, they'd be nearing a hundred years old.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are now approaching Fuzhou.
Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing.
Morning Betty, how's your sleep?
John, you won't believe this.
But this is the most peaceful sleep I've ever had.
You know, I dreamed of Milton.
He looks great. I told him what I saw here.
Everything here is just as he described.
Mr. Kuo, thank you so much for letting us stay at your home.
You're welcome anytime.
This is also Milton's home.
Hard to believe what happened since Milton left.
I'm so glad you're still here.
I've longed for this moment for so long.
Thank you for coming.
There's an old Chinese saying, I think we're always connected with each other.
Yes, I know the saying.
A dear friend from afar brings a distant land near.
It's Milton's favorite saying too.
Mr. Guo Betty, as we discussed, we'll donate the lack of vases to the city government.
Yes, I finally brought these vases back.
They were originally intended by Milton's parents as a gift for the Guo family.
Now I want to donate them to the people of Fuzhou, fulfilling what would have been Milton's last wish.
They'll be displayed in the museum as evidence showcasing the friendship between the peoples of China and the United States.
Thank you for bringing them back.
They will help pass our story down to future generations.
I have one last request.
This bamboo dragonfly left to Milton by Daxan and Haiyin.
With it, Milton whispered Ku Liang as he departed.
I want to bury it beneath the grand cedar tree, the grandpa tree, so Milton's spirit can return home in this way.
Milton did. I brought you back.
Your spirit can rest in Ku Liang.
Let your grandpa tree take care of you.
You're home now. I believe he is here, Mrs.
Godna, our loved ones and all the ones young hearts of Ku Liang will find their way back home, no matter the distance that separates us.
Mi Tuo, so glad to see you again.
Mi Tuo, you've made the journey back.
Daxan and Haiyin, how I've longed for this moment.
I miss you so much.
Grandpa Tree has kept his promise to watch over us.
Nothing can ever part us again.
Nothing can ever part us again.
Dear Grandpa Tree, I wish that we could stay friends forever.
Mi Daxan and Haiyin, friends forever, friends forever.
Mi Tuo, do you know what I can do?
Let's see if we can catch some big fish and ask my mom to make some fishbowl soup tonight.
How magical! And now it's coming back.
This way, you can make his blinds and catch it again.
It's just like us, always by your side.
I know what is hometown.
In Chinese, it's Gu Xiang.
It's here, Ku Liang.
Yes, hometown is the place where you were born or grow up.
I love you, Ku Liang.
I love you, Ku Liang.
I love you, Ku Liang.
I love you, Ku Liang.
I love you, Ku Liang.
Wherever we are, never far away from home.
Hello. Our radio drama Echoes of Ku Liang has now come to an end.
We sincerely hope that you enjoyed it.
Please do leave a comment and let us know.
This series, as we mentioned earlier, is based on true events.
So this is not the very end of the Ku Liang story.
And in fact, beyond this radio drama, there are many more interesting and touching stories to be shared.
In February 2012, while visiting the US as China's Vice President, Xi Jinping shared an inspiring story from 1992.
He recounted discovering an article titled, Our Ku Liang while working in Fuzhou, which narrated the deep connection of an American couple, the Godners, with Ku Liang.
He invited Mrs. Godner to visit China to fulfill her husband Milton's last wishes.
On June 28, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to a forum titled Bond of Ku Liang focused on the people -to -people friendship between China and the United States.
In the letter, Xi stated, Their stories have shown once again that the Chinese and American peoples can transcend differences in system, culture and language and build profound friendships.
Over the past three decades, the descendants of American families who once lived in Ku Liang, known as Ku Liang friends, have returned, driven on by their shared heritage.
They work tirelessly to deepen the cultural and friendly ties between China and America, ensuring that the spirit of Ku Liang endures through the generations.
Alan McInnis, a key figure among the Ku Liang friends and the initiator of this reunion, introduces us to the past glories and everyday life of Ku Liang.
Between the late 1800s and the first half of the 20th century, there were foreigners that came from all over the world, many from the U .S.
and Britain, Germany, Australia, and other countries.
And some of them opened schools and clinics for the local people when they were spending their summers in Ku Liang.
They took care of the local residents, and the local residents built houses, and they also raised the food.
So they had a community where people really looked out after each other, and they developed some close bonds, and they lived together in harmony.
Alan's father -in -law, Donald E.
McInnis, was an educator in Fuzhou and a veteran of the American Air Force's Flying Tigers.
Yes, he is the prototype of Lieutenant Daniel in our radio drama.
Alan's husband, Peter, was born in Fuzhou and spent his summers in Ku Liang, where many expatriates, including missionaries, doctors, and teachers, formed a close -knit community with the locals.
The stories that we found on Ku Liang were stories that spoke of people caring for each other, of people working for peace, and stories of people serving the people.
I think when people share like that, the beautiful life happens in you.
Their stories are inspiring, and I think they'll inspire people today to think about other people.
Not just ourselves.
Among the members of the Ku Liang friends, many have their own stories and deep connections with the place.
In 1901, my grandfather came to China.
And in 1902, my grandmother came out to meet him, and they were married on Ku Liang.
And he spent a great deal of time at this house.
And from here, he did a lot of his work, which was studying nature in the Ku Liang area.
I lived in China until I was 12 years old.
And every summer, we would go up to Ku Liang when it got hot.
Our house had pine trees all around it, and you would hear the wind and the pines, like, singing.
We would go freely over the hills.
My family had a house there on the mountain, and we have a lot of connections with Ku Liang.
My grandparents met and married there, and my father was born.
My father loved China.
It was the land of his birth.
And he spoke the Fuzhou dialect fluently before he ever learned English as a young child.
And he retained his language ability.
My whole family was born in China.
It was the first home that I knew.
It's been a part of my life.
If you talk to Americans that have lived in China, they are proud that they lived in China.
Len, do you want to say something?
Thank you. Thank you.
This is Len Belling, who spent 16 years in Ku Liang from 1920.
He still recalled the local dialect vividly even at 101 years old.
The native language and the land of Ku Liang remain enduringly precious memories for many Ku Liang friends like him.
Besides foreigners who had lived in Ku Liang, their childhood companions, native to China, also vividly remember the days they spent together.
When we interviewed 82 -year -old Li Yiying, the real -life inspiration behind the character Ling Ying, the little Chinese girl in the last episode of our radio drama, she fondly recounts the bygone era and how she played with her American counterpart over 70 years ago.
And guess what? They did share the same birthday.
Even now, Granny Li cherishes memories of the birthday song they joyfully sang together.
The stories of Ku Liang have become the stories we tell.
In closing our series, we hear from Liu Zhonghan, the author of the novel, Our Ku Liang.
He is the Chinese student who helped Mrs.
Gardner to find Ku Liang and the first Chinese person to write down these precious Ku Liang stories.
Hello listeners, I'm Liu Zhonghan, author of the long -form documentary novel, Our Ku Liang.
I'm also the Chinese student who, alongside Betty, discover the secret of Ku Liang through old stamps at her home and the character Zhonghan in the drama.
The deep -seated Chinese sentiment of yearning for one's homeland is beautifully encapsulated in the enduring dedication of the American couple, Milton and Betty.
Their story was so moving that I felt compelled to share it, which truly resonate on just my words, but the profound and lasting affection and commitment that Milton and Betty held for Ku Liang.
Their story has moved millions in both China and the U .S., symbolizing and fostering enduring friendship between our nations.
A heartfelt thank you to CGTN radio, for your diligent efforts and compelling portrayals, allowing this beautiful and poignant true story to reach a global audience, furthering peace and friendship worldwide.
Your contributions are immensely valuable.
If Milton and Betty could hear this from heaven, they would surely shed tears of joy and repeat with love echoes of Ku Liang.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and I help forever greener.
Ku Liang is already better and better.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and I help forever greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and I help forever greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Ku Liang is greener and greener.
Hiya, huh? We will!
