Feature: An American who sees China as his spiritual hometown

KUNMING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- At the end of August 1984, Brian Linden first came to China. The same time this year, the 61-year-old man is visiting his hometown in the United States. Wherever he is, Linden always holds China dear in heart as his spiritual homeland.

Next month, after visiting Japan and delivering lectures with a focus on China, Linden will soon return to Xizhou Town in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to oversee the operation of Linden Center -- his namesake hotel brand and a hub for cultural exchanges.

Linden Center in Xizhou used to be the old mansion of Yang Pinxiang, a wealthy local merchant. In 2008, his team refurbished this heritage building and established the first Linden Center. Today, beyond Xizhou, Linden Centers have also been opened in places like Shaxi Town in Dali City, Yunnan Province and Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province.

"The initial intention behind establishing Linden Center was to construct a bridge for cultural exchange between China and the world," said Linden. It is for this very reason that it has not been named "Linden Hotel," but "Linden Center."

"What China has accomplished in 40 years is a miracle for humanity," said Linden. "I want to tell a better story of China to the outside world."

FRIENDS COMING FROM AFAR

When talking about his initial experience in China, he would blurt out a 2,500-year-old Confucian maxim -- "it is such a delight to have friends coming from afar."

Linden is from Chicago. Before coming to China, he was a part-time night school college student who cleaned carpets. One day, he went to the home of a professor who had just returned from China to clean carpets. The professor asked him to help place a marker on the world map at the location of China. He was puzzled and replied: "I'm sorry, I don't know where China is."

However, after that, Linden was captivated by the stories the professor told him about China. Not long after that, he saw a poster about scholarships for studying in China, and applied.

"After coming to China, I felt that it changed my life." During his stay in China, Linden had an opportunity to star in a movie that told the story of an American student who had a deep affection for China. Later on, he became an intern at CBS News, and was fortunate enough to witness China's process of opening up to the world.

China not only altered the course of Linden's life but also led him to encounter love. While pursuing his graduate studies at Nanjing University, he met Jeanee, a Chinese-American woman who later became his wife. Encouraged by Linden, Jeanee joined him in his "adventure" in China.

The couple embarked on train journeys across the country, not only exploring China's magnificent landscapes but also feeling the warmth and kindness of the Chinese people.

"When the Chinese people see someone like me -- who make an effort to speak their language and respect the Chinese people and traditions, they have always given me more respect than I deserve," Linden said. "The Confucius tradition of 'friends coming from afar' is something that I feel is so important in Chinese culture."

China has given so much to Linden, and he also wanted to contribute to China's growth and the promotion of the country to the outside world.

Benefiting from his study experience in China, in 1990, Linden was employed by a Swedish company and began engaging in cross-border education-related work. During his tenure, he realized how insufficient the Western world's understanding of China was. Keen to share his passion for China with Americans, Linden and Jeanee returned to the United States and founded an art gallery showcasing Asian artworks in Door County, Wisconsin.

Linden explained their goal at the time as "rectifying Americans' preconceived notions about China by conveying its rich and diverse culture." However, as time went on, he discovered that an art gallery was far from enough.

"Maybe we had to learn more about China, maybe we had to immerse ourselves in China and get a larger platform," he said. In order to enhance people-to-people relations between China and the United States, the couple decided to return to China with their two sons, seeking a fresh start.

CHINA AS A PROFESSION

"My life has been reading about China and learning about China. China has become a profession to me," Linden said, brimming with pride.

In 2004, the Linden family sold their assets in the United States and returned to China. Linden's two sons also began to live in China alongside their parents. "I wanted to expose them as well to China's cultural richness," he said.

They spent two years traveling much of China. Eventually, they planted the hope of promoting cultural exchange between China and foreign countries in Xizhou, deciding to build a hotel on this beautiful land to attract foreign tourists and enable them to experience the beauty of China.

"We wanted to demonstrate to the Chinese people the respect of a foreign couple for the tradition of China. So that's why we only wanted to find an old building and trying to give it a new life," said Linden. Seeing their passion for the traditions, the local people tried their best to offer help.

With the support of the local government and upholding the principle of "preserving the old as it was," the team led by Linden renovated the courtyard into a hotel. They maximally preserved the architectural style of Bai ethnic dwellings: the layout remained the same, delicate wooden carvings and wall paintings were kept as they used to be.

After its opening, the Linden Center quickly attracted a large number of foreign tourists. They walked into the surrounding villages and, guided by local hotel staff, experienced the Bai ethnic group's distinctive local culture and traditional craftsmanship.

"We have thousands of people coming every year," said Linden. "I live in the hotel, so my passion for Xizhou and China is immediately shared with these people."

Linden's vision goes beyond just promoting the world's understanding of China, he also aims to actively improve the people-to-people relations between China and the United States. In 2022, Linden published his Chinese memoir titled "One Village at a Time." In the book, he recollects his nearly 40-year-long journey in China, turning it into a heartfelt letter to China and its people.

"My book was written and first printed in Chinese. Because I feel that it gives me an opportunity to not just be a diplomat for China in America, but also in some ways, allows me to be a diplomat of America in China to show the Chinese people that there are people outside, including some Americans who respect and love China," Linden said of his aspiration.

Calling himself an idealist, Linden has made every effort to build a bridge between China and the Western world. "I believe that China deserves more effort to be understood," he said.

A PROMISED FUTURE

Before the pandemic, the Linden Center hosted visiting programs for students from Sidwell Friends -- the private Washington school where children of several former U.S. presidents went -- and other famous international schools.

Some students stayed for several months, conducting field surveys in Xizhou. Upon departure, they wrote a short paper, encapsulating their thoughts and reflections during their stay in China.

"I felt that if I could influence the younger people to have a deeper experience and understanding of China, maybe they would carry that respect and understanding into their future careers," said Linden.

In line with his vision of enhancing people-to-people relations, Linden plans to publish his memoirs in English next year in the United States. He wants Americans to see a different China through the eyes of an American.

"I want Americans to realize that the way we are evaluating China right now is solely through the political lens. But I don't think that we should not look through other lenses at China. What I want is for Americans to know that there is so much more to China," he added.

In the process of building Linden Center, the Linden couple have forged a strong bond with the locals. Currently, there are some 75 local employees in Linden Center, who can make a living without leaving their homeland.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in September this year, Linden's youngest son Bryce Linden will go back to Xizhou to help his parents run the public welfare affairs of Linden Center.