Let more people feel the charm of China -Americans Linden chase dreams in China

Xinhua News Agency, Kunming, September 29th: Let more people feel the charm of China -Americans Linden Chasing Dreams in China

Xinhua News Agency reporters Wu Xiaoyang, Ding Yiquan, Zheng Bofei

Dali in Yunnan, in the ancient town of Xizhou in the shore of Erhai Lake, Xilinyuan has become a "net red punch place." Not long ago, Americans Brian Linden spent his 60th birthday here. He said, "This is my home."

Xilinyuan was originally a house of Yang Pinxiang, a wealthy businessman in Xizhou, during the Republic of China. More than 10 years ago, Lin Deng brought his wife and sister -in -law to China to pursue his dreams and "repaired the old house as old" that was broken and lost at the time as a boutique hotel and a Chinese and foreign cultural exchange stations.

For more than 10 years, Xilinyuan has received more than 200,000 tourists around the world. Lin Deng said: "I hope to let more foreigners feel the charm of China through my efforts."

"Sorry, I don't know where China is"

Linden stays with guests and villagers for many times. Walking in the ancient town of Xizhou, regardless of the familiar friends, villagers, or unfamiliar owners, tourists, he always enthusiastically asked the other party, cared for the current situation of the acquaintances in fluent Chinese, and asked tourists to be unhappy.

On August 27th, Xilinyuan, Dali, Dali, Yunnan. (Photo by Cao Mengyao, a reporter from the drone photo of the drone)

Linden is from Chicago, USA. His story with China will start from 38 years ago.

At that time, he knew nothing about China. Because of his poor background, he helped people to wash the carpet during the day to make money and study at night at night. One day, he washed the carpet from a university professor's home just returned from China. The professor asked him to help him insert a mark in the world map China. He looked blank: "I'm sorry, I don't know where China is."

"Young people, do you want to wash the carpet for a lifetime?" The professor talked to him, mentioning that China hopes to invite some English teachers from the United States and ask him if he wants to consider it. Lin Deng felt too unrealistic. But it didn't take long for him to see the poster of China funding to study abroad at night. This time he had a courage to apply, and he was really admitted. In 1984, Lin Deng came to China for the first time.

When he first arrived in China, he coincidentally, he was invited to star in a Chinese film, and he felt novel about everything in China. Later, he became a reporter of a US media in China and witnessed the early process of China's reform and opening up.

"At that time, I liked to travel by train and spent more than 250 days and nights on the train." Linden said that China ’s long history, splendid culture, magnificent mountains and rivers, and customs are fascinated by him. In China, Linden also met love and met the Chinese American Jinni -later became his wife.

On August 31, Linden's wife Jinni (first from right) learned Bai dialect with the locals. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Mengyao)

Later, when I returned to the United States, Linden was engaged in international education investment. After nearly 100 countries and regions, he found that foreigners know very little about China. "Many foreigners only impress Chinese food, martial arts, or pandas, or know a little fur."

"China has changed my life. I always have gratefulness to China, hoping to do something for China." Linden said. The longer you leave China, the idea of ​​one idea is becoming stronger in his heart: go back to China!

Stopped in Xixizhou, Yunnan Dali

In 2004, Linden returned to China with his wife and two sons.

They want to find a traditional Chinese house to repair and protect it as a base for cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. With this goal, the family traveled in China for two years, from Kangding, Sichuan to Wuzhen, Zhejiang, from Kaiping, Guangdong to Xiahe, Gansu, and finally stopped in Xixizhou, Dali, Yunnan.

Linden said that there are three reasons for choosing Xizhou: one is that there are very valuable old houses here to be repaired; the other is the enthusiasm and tolerance of the local people; the third is that the local government supports them.

Xizhou Ancient Town is a millennium white ancient town, which preserves a complete building complex of Ming, Qing, and the Republic of China.

The Bai people's "three drops of water" gatehouse, "Sanfang and One Photo Wall" architectural shape, carved beams and paintings, eaves bucket arch ... Now entering the Yangpin Mansion of Xilinyuan, it can be seen that the magnificent weather is still. But when Linden took over, it had been disappointed for a long time. Cooperating with the local government, Linden spent two years to carefully repair it.

On August 28, Linden took a photo with tourists in Xizhou Ancient Town. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Mengyao)

As a boutique hotel, there are only 16 rooms that cover an area of ​​more than 1,800 square meters. More space is used as a flying tiger -themed restaurant, cafe, library, gym, etc. Lin Deng explained: "We want to create more public spaces and let guests communicate together instead of staying in their respective rooms."

The local cultural experience activity is a feature of Xilinyuan. Take the guests to visit the early market of Xizhou Ancient Town, learn to produce Xizhou Baba, pick up tea with tea farmers with tea farmers, or make a dyeing work by yourself ... These are what Linden likes to do.

Gradually, Xilinyuan's reputation was far away, attracting tens of thousands of tourists.

"In China, I see optimism and hope"

Xilinyuan is a hotel, which is more like a Chinese and foreign cultural exchange stations. Linden's English name is Linden Center, not Linden Hotel.

Following Yang Pinxiang's house, the local government also handed over the ancient town of Xizhou Town and Yang Zhuoran Courtyard to Linden for repair and operation. In 2021, in the ancient town of Shaxi, Jianchuan County, more than 100 kilometers away, Lin Deng invested in a newly -built rammed earth building inn. Photos of the fight: The picture above shows Xilinyuan Shaxi Store in Shilong Village, Shaxi Ancient Town, Jianchuan County, Yunnan Province (taken on August 31, drone photo); the picture below is Shilong Village, where Xilin Yuanshaxi store is located (Photo on August 31, photos of drones). (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Mengyao)

"It is not our purpose to make Xilinyuan into a chain hotel." Linden said that if it is just to make money, it can increase the house price of Xilinyuan and increase the guest room, but he did not do so. "Our original intention is to build cultural bridges, promote Chinese and foreign exchanges, and let more foreigners feel Chinese charm."

A family of Enda from Scotland came to Xilinyuan Shaxi Store at the end of last year. They visited the ancient town of Shaxi and Shizhong Mountain Grottoes, and observed Jianchuan woodcarving skills, Bai opera and dance. Enda said: "I have seen different China, cultural relics and traditional culture have been well protected."

Over the past 38 years, Lin Deng has witnessed China's vicissitudes. When he first arrived in China, he had to eat on food stamps. It only served hot water for 3 nights every week, and it took nearly 70 hours to take a train from Beijing to Kunming. Today, the town of his southwest border covers 5G networks, and the high -speed rail from Beijing to Kunming is as soon as 10 hours. He said: "In China, I see optimism and hope, people are full of confidence in the future, and work hard."

On August 27, Linden introduced local culture to foreign visitors. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Mengyao)

Linden's wife likes to call him "Mr. Egg" (yellow inner white), and he is very proud of it. "The cultural spirit of China has merged my blood, and China nourishes me and has achieved me." He said, "We will continue to work hard to spread China to the world."

[Editor in charge: Wang Jianing]

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