Imagine strolling through a misty hillside in Fuzhou, capital of the Chinese mainland's Fujian Province, with colonial-style villas dotting the landscape like scenes from a Netflix drama 📺🌄. That's the magic of Kuliang (Guling in Mandarin), where East meets West and history lives on.
Since the 1880s, foreign expats built summer villas here, creating a cozy community where cultures blended and friendships bloomed. Locals and newcomers shared stories over tea and lantern festivals, shaping the first chapters of the Kuliang stories.
Fast forward to 1992: American couple Milton Gardner and his wife arrived on a mission. Milton spent nine childhood years in these hills but lost touch with its location after returning to the U.S. With a little help from the Chinese mainland government, they rediscovered Kuliang and rekindled memories that had been tucked away for decades.
Today, Kuliang stands strong as a bridge of love and understanding between China and the U.S. The "Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival" kicked off in Fuzhou on July 10 with the theme "Singing for Peace". Over 1,000 young voices from nearly 30 choirs joined forces to celebrate unity through music 🎶🤝.
From rising entrepreneurs and students researching global trends to Asian diaspora keeping their roots alive, this festival offers a platform to connect, learn, and harmonize. Whether you're a culture buff or a traveler chasing unique experiences, Kuliang's legacy shows that a simple melody can build bridges across oceans.
Reference(s):
APEC Stories: Kuliang connects young people from China and U.S.
cgtn.com
