The story of an American participating in the ancient village in China

Reference News Network reported on August 25 that the website of Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" website published on August 24 entitled "A American to participate in the ancient villages in China and turn it into culture and economic magnets", which tells the Americans Brian · Linden in Xizhou, Dali Town, Yunnan, to participate in rural construction in China and build a cultural bridge. The full text compiles as follows:

Whether it is a friend or a stranger, a hawker, or a tourist, in the Chinese village where he has participated in the revitalization efforts for nearly 20 years, Brian Linden will ask everyone he meets.

He will care about people's work and life in fluent Chinese, ask tourists if they have fun, and the other party will report a cordial response.

Linden, 60, is from Chicago. 18 years ago, he and his wife moved to Xizhou, Dali Town, Yunnan, China. There, they began to repair the former residence of a historical site -the late famous businessman Yang Pinxiang.

Xizhou (Xinhua News Agency), Dali Ancient Town, Yunnan (Xinhua News Agency)

Today, this boutique hotel called "Xilinyuan" has become a bridge for international cultural exchanges, which meets the needs of many tourists who want to experience Chinese rural culture. It is like a piece of culture and economic magnets, which enhances the popularity of the entire ancient town, and has also turned its village into a successful model of the Chinese rural revitalization plan.

Linden was born in an ordinary family. 38 years ago, he came to China and studied at Peking University and other places. Later, he got the opportunity to appear in the movie and worked at the United States Colombia Broadcasting Corporation.

Nowadays, when the deterioration of the relationship between China and the United States seems to have led to the expansion of the people, Lin Deng said that he felt that he had a responsibility to tell his stories and understand China to do his best through the perspective of his compatriots.

Lin Deng said: "What I read is the same as others read in the United States, but the reality I see in China allows me to balance it."

He said: "I found that to some extent, people lack of understanding and even lack of curiosity about China."

Linden's two sons also grew up in China. He hoped that they could be immersed in Chinese culture, "so they can better understand the subtlety of international geopolitics and some things."

Prior to the epidemic, Xilinyuan held a visiting project for students from West Dedwell Friendship Middle School and Shanghai American School for Washington. Linden said they hope to show different Chinese stories to some future leaders and let them experience a different China.

The success of Xilinyuan and its contribution to the local economy have also become one of the pioneer model in the rural revitalization plan. This plan is designed to improve the lives of rural residents in China and reduce the gap between urban and rural areas.

In Shaxi, Ancient Town, Yunnan, Lin Deng built the second Xilinyuan Hotel. He said that in Xizhou and Shaxi, at least 90%of workers and staff were hired locally from construction to operation.

Xilinyuan also provided local villagers with some commercial suggestions, including the construction of small hotels and sales of handicrafts. This helps guests consume in the village.

Because many villages in China are still difficult to find the right way to attract tourists and business opportunities, Xilinyuan provides a niche model for the revitalization of China's rural village.

Linden said that one of the main obstacles facing the future rural development of Yunnan and other places is that truly talented people are often difficult to come here and stay for a long time.

Linden believes that this problem can be solved by "making the countryside more attractive", such as introducing better education and a more complete social security system.

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