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近年来，我生活中的一大乐趣，就是带老外们参观我的祖国。乐趣不仅仅来自老外的反应——首次赴华，讶异或惊喜乃情理中事，乐趣也发自我的内心——去国三十载，故乡的一草一木，都会在我心中掀起无边的涟漪。
一般人到了京城，总爱把颐和园的亭台楼阁、雕梁画栋呈现给客人，在一片赞叹声中得到满足。我却偏爱把队伍拉到圆明园，在无言的惊怵中，触摸人类心灵共通时的振颤。我至今忘不了十几年前的一天，我领着一群年轻的大学生走进圆明园，当面前突然出现那一片断壁残垣时，他们的笑声戛然而止，眼中涌出了泪水。
去年开春，莺飞草长，我带领加拿大教育者访华团，再次来到废墟上。校长们经多见广，心中骇然，却不动声色，默默掏出小本子，记下了镌刻在石碑上的雨果名言：“两个强盗走进了圆明园，一个抢掠，一个放火……”看到旁边围起来的施工现场内一摞摞似乎是新造的砖石，他们掩饰不住心头的担忧，匆匆打探是否要重建被毁坏的圆明园。“千万不能啊！一定要保留目前的样子才好！彦，你能不能转告他们？”关切的目光，令我温暖。 逗留京城的数日，马不停蹄。大家皆为首次来华，纷纷感叹：“真没想到，中国竟然和脑子里的印象截然不同！原以为满大街站着的都是头戴钢盔、手握冲锋枪的军人呢！…“见到的人都那么友好和善。真喜欢中国人啊！”
黄浦江畔停留数日，其繁华迷人，自不待言。在酒吧区“新天地”游览时，众人都被爵士乐咖啡座吸引住了，唯有一教育局长自告奋勇，随我去了中共一大会址。本不期望老外能理解什么，没想到吃惊的却是我。“想当年，古巴共产党成立之初，也是中途转移到船上完成的，和中共的经历巧合呢！那时的毛泽东才仅仅28岁啊！这十几个年轻人，都是有志于改造社会的理想主义者。”他轻声慨叹。我回过头来，认真地打量着这位金发碧眼的老外。他在我眼里已变了模样。
今年我再次带队回国时，便特意安排了参观一大会址的行程。这次来的都是学校里的同事。大家兴致勃勃地站成一排，与壁上的浮雕合影时，恰逢一队中国人在旁，齐齐举手，高声宣誓。同事们不解，探问他们在做什么。我解释说是在宣誓入党，大家露出恍然大悟的神色。也许，直到那一刻，他们才开始理解脚下这片土地，以及这片土地上生活的人民吧。
教学相长，给我启发最多的，应该是勃兰特教授。几年前我曾陪这位同事来华，拍摄一部介绍中国宗教历史的教学片。抵达京城当晚，他就按捺不住，掏出电脑，在酒店大堂里给妻子发邮件：“我终于来到中国了。一切都出乎意料！”
我明白，他心中的震撼源自何方。勃兰特研究了一辈子宗教，著作等身，是《不列颠百科全书》世界宗教条目的编审。平日闲谈，论及儒释道各个流派，他如数家珍，常令听者生出高山仰止之感。但他不过是纸上谈兵罢了。老教授曾多次赴印度、日本、泰国等亚洲国家考察，却从未踏足华夏大地。
此次来华，他像一个好奇的小孩，扛着摄像机，兴致勃勃地捕捉着他眼中的珍宝。在西安古城，步入“碑林”，在一尊石龟驮负的高大古碑前，他颤抖着双手举起了摄像机。一不留神，老人后退时踩了空，从一米多高的台子上仰天朝后跌倒下来。围观者一片惊呼，却见勃兰特一个后滚翻，怀中紧抱着摄像机，端端地立起身来，全然不像七十岁的老人。面对诧异，他整整衣襟微笑道，我每周要打两次篮球呢。
雨过天晴，我俩在著名作家叶广芩女士的陪同下，结伴出城，去探访终南山下的“楼观台”，据说那里保留着两千多年前老子讲经传道的遗址。阡陌田野，桃红柳绿。一山一水都在娓娓述说着古老的传说。那一刻，心头涌起了无限的眷恋，追问当初离乡背井，价值究竟几何？
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时间回溯到1987年，我从中国社会科学院研究生院新闻系毕业后，来到加拿大继续深造。当时，班里的同学有一半去了美国，只有我一人选择来加拿大。原因很简单。二十岁那年，一个春风和煦的夜晚，我站在露天广场上，看了一场中加合拍的电影《白求恩》。从那个夜晚之后，我曾无数次地梦魂牵绕，无数次地定睛寻找“一个纯粹的人，一个高尚的人，一个有道德的人……”。加拿大是白求恩的故乡，我从小就对加拿大有一种神圣的向往。这位国际主义战士，在我之后的写作道路上，多次成为支撑着我心魂的主角。
离开家乡，一切都是新的开始。读书、工作把我的时间挤得满满当当。写作成为我繁忙之余安放梦想和乡愁的故园，跟随着心灵的呼唤，在笔端留下我对人生的思索和对家国的眷恋。上个世纪80年代早期出国的留学生，最熟悉而难以忘却的，是记忆犹新的故国情怀，我的第一本书，英文小说《红浮萍》，便是在那种心态下完成的。十多年后，越来越多的中国人走出国门，移民海外，周围的祖国同胞多了起来，我的关注点转向了移民生活。回望自己走过的路，我创作了英文小说《雪百合》，对新的生活进行了批判性反思，也表达了在理想信念的支撑下，人无论到了何种环境，最终还是可以走出困惑和迷惘的主旨。如今，由于工作的原因，我不可避免地会与不同文化背景的人频繁接触，跨文化的故事越来越多，中国越来越受到关注。
刚到加拿大那年，在一次晚宴上，我的邻座是一位白人老者。他用一口地道的河南方言震住了我。原来，他曾担任过加拿大驻华大使，并有个颇为响亮的中文名字：明明德。谁能想到，仅仅两个星期之后，我就读到了《人民日报（海外版）》上的文章，提及加拿大人明义士在河南安阳研究甲骨文、自学成才的往事。当我好奇地写信给明明德大使，确认了他就是明义士的独子之后，我多次去他位于渥太华的家中采访，日夜倾谈，记录下口述资料，并与他频繁书信来往。但世事荏苒，接下来的岁月中，我陷入了年复一年的忙碌。直到二十多年以后，我才终于提笔，写下了非虚构中篇《小红鱼儿你在哪儿住——甲骨文与明义士家族》，介绍了这个在中加关系史上留下了浓墨重彩，却低调得令人惊讶的家庭。
一百多年前，明义士以传教士身份来华，却对中国的古文字陷入了痴迷，并成为发现殷墟甲骨文出土之地的第一人。后來，他大概彻底忘却了自己当初来华的职责，华丽转身，成为齐鲁大学的考古学教授，为中国培养了第一批研究甲骨文的学生。他花费毕生心血收藏了数万片甲骨。面临日本侵华的危机时刻，他将甲骨分别保存在中国的不同城市，使这批宝贵的文物躲过了劫难。 在河南安陽出生成长的明明德，在离开中国几十年后，于上世纪70年代中期以加拿大驻中国大使的身份重返故地。当他对我回忆往事，描述起共产党领导下的新中国展现出的巨大变迁时，老人的声音充满了感情。与他同样在中国出生的两个姐姐，也曾在40年代帮助中国做战后重建工作。今天，明家与中国的交往已经传承到了第三、第四代。
2010年，已经93岁高龄的明明德大使，在时隔多年之后第一次接到我的长途电话时，竟然立刻听出了我的声音，并说出了我的名字，令我惊喜，也十分感动。然而，万分遗憾的是，几天之后，他在读到我的英文原稿后，便溘然长逝了。他的儿子肯尼教授写信安慰我说：“彦，请你相信，我父亲一定是带着欣慰和满足的心情告别人世的。”
命运仿佛会悄悄安排一些巧合，不仅让我与明明德大使相遇，也让我实现了出国追寻白求恩足迹的梦想。
不少中国人都知道，1939年初冬，白求恩临终前，躺在太行山的土炕上，留下了一份长长的遗嘱，把身边的东西一一分给了他在中国和加拿大的战友。遗嘱中有一句话，“那面日军大旗留给莉莲。”但是，中国人都不知道这个女人是谁。七十五年过去了，我在偶然中寻找到线索，解开了这个谜底。就在距离我住处一百多公里的地方，我采访到了一位老人比尔.史密斯，发现莉莲就是他的母亲。老人的手中，不仅收藏着白求恩写给莉莲的最后一封信，邀约她前往太行山，与他并肩奋斗，还保存着全世界独一无二的毛泽东与白求恩的珍贵合影照片。这实在是太神奇了！我怀着激动的心情，一气呵成，写就《尺素天涯——白求恩最后的情书》。
写作的过程，也是一次对生命的感悟过程。从白求恩身上，我看到的，是一个直面真实的勇者。那种果敢与坦诚、光明与磊落，恰是人性本真的珍贵品质。他的理想主义、他的献身精神代表着人类一种高尚的情操，永远像黑暗中的一盏灯，让我不管遇到什么样的逆境，都有勇气走向光明。
2015年的秋天，在中国人民纪念抗日战争胜利70周年之际，我带领着来自加拿大各界的代表们，再次奔赴华夏大地，沿着白求恩的足迹，考察英雄奋斗过的晋察冀边区。一个开放而便捷的环境，让我有机会将祖国的这些英雄历史分享给更多的人，将友谊的种子播撒在中加两国人民心中。
在北京饭店的金色大厅里，加拿大老人比尔.史密斯捐赠了中国革命历史的珍贵文物：毛泽东与白求恩的合影照片。“如果有机会，我将十分愿意为中加友谊贡献自己的绵薄之力。虽然目前身体状况不佳，但我有一个想法——未来如果有中国友人到加拿大白求恩故乡追溯白求恩成长和工作历史，我将乐意做向导。”比尔.史密斯接受媒体采访时说。
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2007年，滑铁卢大学成立了孔子学院，上级问我是否愿意出任孔子学院院长，我欣然应允。滑铁卢大学孔子学院成立十多年了。十年来，我曾自问：在海外传播中华文化，目的何在？我深深懂得，人类精神文明各有千秋，并不存在某一种文化比其他文化更优秀。我们的目的不是要取代他人的信仰。让世界了解中国，了解中国人，消除误解、求同存异，才能赢得长久的友谊与和平，孔子学院才不辱使命。 为了这个目标，十年来我们致力于高端学术研究与文学交流，组织召开过十次国际研讨会。“故土历史呈现”“文学中的历史历史中的文学”“文学百衲被”“文学与我们的环境”“文化间性与人类命运共同体”等等，一个个主题，无不凝聚着我和同事们的殷切期盼。
在孔子学院这个平台上，我们编辑出版了双语读物及中华文化研究专著，为海外大学生提供了简明易懂的教材，启发培养他们对中华文化的兴趣。我们邀请中外专家学者互访，举办交流讲座，针对人类共同面对的问题集思广益，出谋划策。同时，我们还在不同城市建立了多个“孔子学院中文资料室”，每年举办中文朗诵比赛、作文竞赛等，鼓励促进华裔青少年用中文写作，促进中华文化的薪火传承。在公共建设方面，我们持续与周边三座城市的公共图书馆合作，举办汉语培训班、中华文化兴趣班，组织传统节日庆典活动等，在多元文化公平竞争的环境中，为汉语在海外的运用与发展寻求和创造机会。
在搭建祖国与世界文化交流桥梁、为世界人民之间增进友谊的过程中，我的工作充满了快乐。蓦然回首，我似乎悟到了几十年前奔赴异国他乡时，冥冥中那个神圣的使命。
Part 1
In recent years， a great pleasurein my life comes from showingforeign friends around China. Itis natural for them to be surprisedand amazed for the first time in thecountry， but for me， living overseasfor three decades gives me a rippleof excitement when I see anythingin homeland.
Normally， people would make aroutine trip to the Summer Palace，presenting pavilions， pagodas andother fine buildings to get satisfac-tion from the wows of their guests.However， I prefer to take visitors tothe Old Summer Palace where wewould be all shocked into silence.Never could I forget the day whenI led a group of young college stu-dents into the Old Summer Palacemore than a decade ago. A sceneof wreckages and ruins halted theirlaughter and brought tears to theireyes. In the beginning of last springwhen birds were singing and grasssprouting， I led a delegate of Cana-dian educators to visit China androok them to the Old Summer Pal-ace. Though aghast but remainedsilent， the knowledgeable headmas-ters fished out their tiny notebooksand wrote down Hugo's famoussaying on a stone tablet-"Tworobbers breaking into a museum.One has looted and the other hasburnt...." Next to the stone tabletwas piles of seemingly newly-erectedbricks. Seeing this， they asked me inworries that whether the devastatedPalace was under a plan for recon-struction. "It cannot be changed！You must keep this！ Yan， could youplease tell them？" The care comingfrom them warms me.
During our short and hurriedjourney in Beijing， everyone ex-claimed for their first time here，"China is totally different fromwhat I once envisaged in my mind.I thought that the streets and roadswould be flanked by soldiers inhelmets and holding sub-machineguns！" "Chinese people we met areso friendly and kind. I am reallyfond of them！"
When we stayed in Shanghai（along the Huangpu River）， every-one was impressed by its bustle andcharm. When visiting "Xintiandi"，a bar area， everyone was deeply attractedby a jazz cafe except a director of an edu-cation bureau， who volunteered to visitthe conference site of the First NationalCongress of the Communist Party ofChina （CPC） with me. I did not expectmy foreign friend would know anythingabout the site， but he did surprise me."When the Communist Parry of Cubawas founded， the meeting was also trans-ferred to a ship. What a coincidence.At that time， Mao Zedong was only 28years old. Other his young fellows wereall aspirants committed to reforming theChinese society back then." He sighed.I turned around and stared at him， whobecame total different in my eyes.
When I returned to China this year，I specially arranged a trip to the confer-ence site. This time， I came with mycolleagues in the college. When everyonecheerfully stood in a row and posed forphotos with reliefs on the wall， a groupof Chinese people beside us raised theirhands and took an oath. My colleagueswere really puzzled and asked me whatthey were doing. After then， they saw itwhen I explained that these people weretaking CPC admission oath. Perhaps， itwas until that moment that they began toundersrand the land under their feet andthe people living on this land.
As the saying goes， teaching benefitsboth teachers and students. The one thatinspired me the most is Professor Brandt.A few years ago， I accompanied this col-league to China to film a documentaryintroducing Chinese religious historyOn the night of his arrival in Beijing， hecouldn't help but pull out his computerto email his wife in the hotel lobby. Hewrote， "I finally come to China. Every-thing here surprises me！ " I clearly know where his surprisescame from. Brandt is a prolific researcherof religion， and also editor of WorldReligions in Encyclopedia Britannica.He could reel off schools of Confuciamsm，Buddhism and Taoism， holding his listenersin respect and awe. However， what he saidwas purely intellectual concept for he hadnever set foot on China though he alreadyvisited India， Japan， Thailand and otherAsian countries for many times.
Brandt was as curious as a child duringhis first trip to China. Holding his camera，he was eager to capture every scene he saw.In the Stele Forest （Beilin Museum） ofXi'an， he raised his camera with his trem-bling hands in front of a tall monumentstanding on a stone turtle. Accidentally hemissed his step and fell down from a one-meter-high platform. Amid the cry of alarmfrom crowds， Brandt rolled backwards withthe camera in his arms and stood up at theend. That is not what a 70-year-old mancan do. Seeing us astonished， he tidied hisclothes with a smile on his face， saying "Istill play basketball twice a week."
After this little episode， we took to theroad to Louguantai Temple at the foot ofZhongnan Mountain accompanied by Ms.Ye Guangqin， a famous writer. The tem-ple still reserves the site where Lao Tzu， aTaosim philosopher， preached more than2，000 years ago. On the way， we saw thecrisscrossed field dotted with peach blos-som and willow trees. Mountains and riverswe passed were all narrating ancient legendsto us. At that moment， grasping by wavesof nostalgia， I kept asking myself that wasit worth leaving my country back then.
Part Ⅱ
Back in 1987， I came to Canada tofurther my studies after graduating fromthe Department of Journalism of the Chi-nese Academy of Social Sciences. At thattime， half of my classmates went to theUnited States， but only I chose Canada.The reason was quite simple： at the age oftwenty， I watched a film called Betbune.Confucius Institute VOLUME 62 I N0.3 MAY. 2019co-produced by China and Canada， at apiazza on a pleasantly warm spring night.After that very night， I have been dreaminglooking for "a pure person， a noble person，a moral person..." Ever since I was a child，I have longed for Canada， the hometown toBethune. It was Bethune， an international-ism fighter， from which I drew great spiritstrength during my writing journey
Everything started new after my de-parture from home. Srudy and work oc-cupied most of my time while writinghad become a sanctuary for my dreamsand homesickness. Since then， I began towrite my thoughts on life and love for mycountry. My first book， the English novelRed Duckweed， was completed when I wasbesieged by nostalgia， the most familiar andunforgettable memories for students whostudied overseas in the early 1980s. Morethan a decade later， more and more Chi-nese people had gone abroad or even immi-grated overseas. As I found more Chinesepeople around me in the overseas， I shiftedto writing immigrant life. Looking back onthe path I have taken， I wrote the Englishnovel Lily in the Snow. Though puttingsome critical thinking on the new life， Istill conveyed in my book that no matterwhat life circumstances are， we could walkour of puzzle and confusion under the sup-port of our ideal and belief. My currenr jobhas offered frequent contacts with peopleof different cultural backgrounds duringwhich I found more cultural exchangeshave brought the world's increasing atten-tion to China. I went to a dinner party in my first yearin Canada. A senior sitting next to meamazed me with his authentic tongue ofcentral China's Henan province. It turnedout that he once served as the Canadianambassador to China and had a very well-reputed Chinese name-Ming Mingde（Arthur Menzies）. In just two weeks later，I came to read an article on Peoples DailyOverseas Edition， telling a story of CanadianMing Yishi （James Mellon Menzies） studyingthe oracle bone inscriptions in Anyang， Henanprovince. Out of curiosity， I wrote to AmbassadorArthur Menzies， finding that he was the only sonofjames Mellon Menzies. I visited his home inOttawa several times. During my visits there， wetalked day and night and I recorded some oralinformation. After then， we have kept in contactin letters. But in the following years， I was caughtby my busy schedule. It was not until more thantwenty years later that I finally began to write anon-fictional novella， Where Does the Little RedFisb Live-Oracle Bone Inscriptions and the Men-zies， which introduced this surprisingly low-keyfamily who has left a colorful stroke and taken animportant part in the history of China-Canadarelations.
Over a hundred years ago， James Mellon Men-zies came to China as a missionary Yet he was ob-sessed with Chinese ancient characters， and laterbecame the first person to discover the unearthedland of the Oracle bone inscriptions in ruins ofYin Xu， the capital city of the late Shang Dynasty（1300-1046 BC）. James Mellon Menzies， prob-ably forgetting his original mission， made himselfa professor of archaeology at Cheeloo Universitywhere he trained the first batch of students study-ing Oracle bone inscriptions for China. Dedicatedto collecting tens of thousands of oracle bones， hepreserved them in different cities in China whenJapan invaded， saving these precious cultural relicsfrom destruction.
Born and raised in Anyang， Arthur Menziesreturned to China in the mid-1970s as the Cana-dian ambassador to China. Recalling the past， hetold me the great changes in the People's Republicof China under CPC's leadership with his voicequivering with emotions. His two sisters whowere also born in China helped the country dopost-war reconstruction in the 1940s. To date，exchanges between Arthur Menzies' family andChina have been passed down to the third andfourth generations.
In 2010， I made a long-distance call to ArthurMenzies. The 93-year-old ambassador immediatelyrecognized my voice and called out my name afterso many years， which really surprised and touchedme. However， it was a true pity that he deceased afew days after reading my English manuscript. Hisson， Professor Ken Menzies wrote a letter to me，"Yan， please believe that my father departed theworld in gratification and satisfaction. It seems that fate always has plans. It not onlyconnects me with Ambassador Arthur Menzies，but also enables me to realize my dream of goingabroad to follow Bethune's footprints.
Many Chinese people know that in the earlywinter of 1939， Bethune was lying on an earthenbed on Taihang Mounrain， leaving behind a longlist of dying words to his comrades in China andCanada. His will said that， "The Japanese flagshall be left to Lillian". However， the Chinese hadno idea of who this woman was back then. Afterseventy five years， I solved this mystery by chance.Just over a hundred kilometers from my residence，I interviewed an old man named Bill Smith， andcame to know that Lillian was just his mother. Theold man has not only the last letter that Bethunewrote to Lillian， in which Bethune invited Lil-lian to travel to Taihang Mountain to fight side byside wirh him， bur also preserved the only photoof Mao Zedong and Bethune in the world. This isamazing！ With great excitement， I wrote down ALetterfrorn the Remotest Corner of the World-Bet-hune's Last Love Note. Writing is also a process of understanding life.I saw Bethune as a brave man who could stand upto reality His courage， frankness， uprightness andloftiness are held dear in human nature. His ideal-ism and dedication， noble qualities of all humanbeings， is a lamp in darkness that guides me walktowards brightness no matter what adversiry I amfacing.
In the fall of 2015， on the occasion of the 70thanmversary of the Chinese People's commemora-tion of the victory of the war of resistance againstJapanese Aggression， I led representatives from allwalks of life in Canada to visit China again andfollow Berhune's foorprints to see Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area where the hero has once fought.An open and convenient environment allows meto share the heroic history of the motherland withmore people and spread the seeds of friendship inthe hearts of the Chinese and Canadian people.
In the golden hall of the Beijing Hotel， BillSmith donated the cultural relic that is precious tothe Chinese revolutionary history： a photo of MaoZedong and Bethune. "If l get an opportunity， Iwould be more than willing to contribute my ownbit to China-Canada friendship. Though I am ourof shape now， I would be more than happy to be aguide if my Chinese friends come to visit Bethune'shometown in Canada to see where he grew up andworked." Bill Smith said in an interview to the me-dia.
Part Ⅲ
In 2007， the University of ～Vaterloo establishedthe Confucius Institute. I said yes when I was askedif I would like ro be the director. Over the pastdecade since the establishment， I have kept askingmyself： What is the purpose of spreading Chineseculture overseas？ I know deep down that humancivilizations each have its own merits， and there isno single culture better than others. We do not tendto replace the beliefs of others. Instead， we strive tolet the world understand China， know the Chinesepeople， eliminate misunderstandings and seek com-mon ground while reserving differences. Only inthis way can we win long-lasting friendship and theConfucius Institute achieves its missions. To this end， we have been engaged in high-endacademic research and literary exchanges for tenyears， and organized ten international seminarsincluding "Homeland， History， and Representa-tion"， "History in Literature， Literature in History"，"Our Quilts"， "Literature and Our Environment"，
and "Interculturaliry and a Community of SharedFuture for Mankind". These seminars have allcontained eager anticipation of my colleagues andmine.
In the Confucius Institute， we have compiled andpublished bilingual books and research monographson Chinese culture， providing overseas studentswith simple and easy-to-understand materials toignite their interest in Chinese culture. We haveinvited Chinese and foreign experts and scholarsto hold lectures， pool wisdom and make sugges-tions on the common problems faced by mankind.At the same time， we have established a number of"Confucius Institute Chinese Reference Rooms"in different cities， and hold Chinese recitationcompetitions and essay competitions every yearto encourage overseas Chinese youths to write inChinese and promote the inheritance of Chineseculture. In terms of public construction， we con-tinue to cooperate with public libraries in threesurrounding cities to organize Chinese languagetraining classes， interest classes of Chinese cultureas well as traditional festival celebrations. In thecontext of multicultural and fair competition， weare seeking and creating opportunities to use anddevelop Chinese language overseas.
My work is full of happiness when I contributeto building bridges berween the motherland andworld cultures and enhancing friendship amongpeople all over the world. When looking back， Iseem to understand the sacred mission I shoul-dered when I went to a foreign country severaldecades ago.
近年来，我生活中的一大乐趣，就是带老外们参观我的祖国。乐趣不仅仅来自老外的反应——首次赴华，讶异或惊喜乃情理中事，乐趣也发自我的内心——去国三十载，故乡的一草一木，都会在我心中掀起无边的涟漪。
一般人到了京城，总爱把颐和园的亭台楼阁、雕梁画栋呈现给客人，在一片赞叹声中得到满足。我却偏爱把队伍拉到圆明园，在无言的惊怵中，触摸人类心灵共通时的振颤。我至今忘不了十几年前的一天，我领着一群年轻的大学生走进圆明园，当面前突然出现那一片断壁残垣时，他们的笑声戛然而止，眼中涌出了泪水。
去年开春，莺飞草长，我带领加拿大教育者访华团，再次来到废墟上。校长们经多见广，心中骇然，却不动声色，默默掏出小本子，记下了镌刻在石碑上的雨果名言：“两个强盗走进了圆明园，一个抢掠，一个放火……”看到旁边围起来的施工现场内一摞摞似乎是新造的砖石，他们掩饰不住心头的担忧，匆匆打探是否要重建被毁坏的圆明园。“千万不能啊！一定要保留目前的样子才好！彦，你能不能转告他们？”关切的目光，令我温暖。 逗留京城的数日，马不停蹄。大家皆为首次来华，纷纷感叹：“真没想到，中国竟然和脑子里的印象截然不同！原以为满大街站着的都是头戴钢盔、手握冲锋枪的军人呢！…“见到的人都那么友好和善。真喜欢中国人啊！”
黄浦江畔停留数日，其繁华迷人，自不待言。在酒吧区“新天地”游览时，众人都被爵士乐咖啡座吸引住了，唯有一教育局长自告奋勇，随我去了中共一大会址。本不期望老外能理解什么，没想到吃惊的却是我。“想当年，古巴共产党成立之初，也是中途转移到船上完成的，和中共的经历巧合呢！那时的毛泽东才仅仅28岁啊！这十几个年轻人，都是有志于改造社会的理想主义者。”他轻声慨叹。我回过头来，认真地打量着这位金发碧眼的老外。他在我眼里已变了模样。
今年我再次带队回国时，便特意安排了参观一大会址的行程。这次来的都是学校里的同事。大家兴致勃勃地站成一排，与壁上的浮雕合影时，恰逢一队中国人在旁，齐齐举手，高声宣誓。同事们不解，探问他们在做什么。我解释说是在宣誓入党，大家露出恍然大悟的神色。也许，直到那一刻，他们才开始理解脚下这片土地，以及这片土地上生活的人民吧。
教学相长，给我启发最多的，应该是勃兰特教授。几年前我曾陪这位同事来华，拍摄一部介绍中国宗教历史的教学片。抵达京城当晚，他就按捺不住，掏出电脑，在酒店大堂里给妻子发邮件：“我终于来到中国了。一切都出乎意料！”
我明白，他心中的震撼源自何方。勃兰特研究了一辈子宗教，著作等身，是《不列颠百科全书》世界宗教条目的编审。平日闲谈，论及儒释道各个流派，他如数家珍，常令听者生出高山仰止之感。但他不过是纸上谈兵罢了。老教授曾多次赴印度、日本、泰国等亚洲国家考察，却从未踏足华夏大地。
此次来华，他像一个好奇的小孩，扛着摄像机，兴致勃勃地捕捉着他眼中的珍宝。在西安古城，步入“碑林”，在一尊石龟驮负的高大古碑前，他颤抖着双手举起了摄像机。一不留神，老人后退时踩了空，从一米多高的台子上仰天朝后跌倒下来。围观者一片惊呼，却见勃兰特一个后滚翻，怀中紧抱着摄像机，端端地立起身来，全然不像七十岁的老人。面对诧异，他整整衣襟微笑道，我每周要打两次篮球呢。
雨过天晴，我俩在著名作家叶广芩女士的陪同下，结伴出城，去探访终南山下的“楼观台”，据说那里保留着两千多年前老子讲经传道的遗址。阡陌田野，桃红柳绿。一山一水都在娓娓述说着古老的传说。那一刻，心头涌起了无限的眷恋，追问当初离乡背井，价值究竟几何？
02
时间回溯到1987年，我从中国社会科学院研究生院新闻系毕业后，来到加拿大继续深造。当时，班里的同学有一半去了美国，只有我一人选择来加拿大。原因很简单。二十岁那年，一个春风和煦的夜晚，我站在露天广场上，看了一场中加合拍的电影《白求恩》。从那个夜晚之后，我曾无数次地梦魂牵绕，无数次地定睛寻找“一个纯粹的人，一个高尚的人，一个有道德的人……”。加拿大是白求恩的故乡，我从小就对加拿大有一种神圣的向往。这位国际主义战士，在我之后的写作道路上，多次成为支撑着我心魂的主角。
离开家乡，一切都是新的开始。读书、工作把我的时间挤得满满当当。写作成为我繁忙之余安放梦想和乡愁的故园，跟随着心灵的呼唤，在笔端留下我对人生的思索和对家国的眷恋。上个世纪80年代早期出国的留学生，最熟悉而难以忘却的，是记忆犹新的故国情怀，我的第一本书，英文小说《红浮萍》，便是在那种心态下完成的。十多年后，越来越多的中国人走出国门，移民海外，周围的祖国同胞多了起来，我的关注点转向了移民生活。回望自己走过的路，我创作了英文小说《雪百合》，对新的生活进行了批判性反思，也表达了在理想信念的支撑下，人无论到了何种环境，最终还是可以走出困惑和迷惘的主旨。如今，由于工作的原因，我不可避免地会与不同文化背景的人频繁接触，跨文化的故事越来越多，中国越来越受到关注。
刚到加拿大那年，在一次晚宴上，我的邻座是一位白人老者。他用一口地道的河南方言震住了我。原来，他曾担任过加拿大驻华大使，并有个颇为响亮的中文名字：明明德。谁能想到，仅仅两个星期之后，我就读到了《人民日报（海外版）》上的文章，提及加拿大人明义士在河南安阳研究甲骨文、自学成才的往事。当我好奇地写信给明明德大使，确认了他就是明义士的独子之后，我多次去他位于渥太华的家中采访，日夜倾谈，记录下口述资料，并与他频繁书信来往。但世事荏苒，接下来的岁月中，我陷入了年复一年的忙碌。直到二十多年以后，我才终于提笔，写下了非虚构中篇《小红鱼儿你在哪儿住——甲骨文与明义士家族》，介绍了这个在中加关系史上留下了浓墨重彩，却低调得令人惊讶的家庭。
一百多年前，明义士以传教士身份来华，却对中国的古文字陷入了痴迷，并成为发现殷墟甲骨文出土之地的第一人。后來，他大概彻底忘却了自己当初来华的职责，华丽转身，成为齐鲁大学的考古学教授，为中国培养了第一批研究甲骨文的学生。他花费毕生心血收藏了数万片甲骨。面临日本侵华的危机时刻，他将甲骨分别保存在中国的不同城市，使这批宝贵的文物躲过了劫难。 在河南安陽出生成长的明明德，在离开中国几十年后，于上世纪70年代中期以加拿大驻中国大使的身份重返故地。当他对我回忆往事，描述起共产党领导下的新中国展现出的巨大变迁时，老人的声音充满了感情。与他同样在中国出生的两个姐姐，也曾在40年代帮助中国做战后重建工作。今天，明家与中国的交往已经传承到了第三、第四代。
2010年，已经93岁高龄的明明德大使，在时隔多年之后第一次接到我的长途电话时，竟然立刻听出了我的声音，并说出了我的名字，令我惊喜，也十分感动。然而，万分遗憾的是，几天之后，他在读到我的英文原稿后，便溘然长逝了。他的儿子肯尼教授写信安慰我说：“彦，请你相信，我父亲一定是带着欣慰和满足的心情告别人世的。”
命运仿佛会悄悄安排一些巧合，不仅让我与明明德大使相遇，也让我实现了出国追寻白求恩足迹的梦想。
不少中国人都知道，1939年初冬，白求恩临终前，躺在太行山的土炕上，留下了一份长长的遗嘱，把身边的东西一一分给了他在中国和加拿大的战友。遗嘱中有一句话，“那面日军大旗留给莉莲。”但是，中国人都不知道这个女人是谁。七十五年过去了，我在偶然中寻找到线索，解开了这个谜底。就在距离我住处一百多公里的地方，我采访到了一位老人比尔.史密斯，发现莉莲就是他的母亲。老人的手中，不仅收藏着白求恩写给莉莲的最后一封信，邀约她前往太行山，与他并肩奋斗，还保存着全世界独一无二的毛泽东与白求恩的珍贵合影照片。这实在是太神奇了！我怀着激动的心情，一气呵成，写就《尺素天涯——白求恩最后的情书》。
写作的过程，也是一次对生命的感悟过程。从白求恩身上，我看到的，是一个直面真实的勇者。那种果敢与坦诚、光明与磊落，恰是人性本真的珍贵品质。他的理想主义、他的献身精神代表着人类一种高尚的情操，永远像黑暗中的一盏灯，让我不管遇到什么样的逆境，都有勇气走向光明。
2015年的秋天，在中国人民纪念抗日战争胜利70周年之际，我带领着来自加拿大各界的代表们，再次奔赴华夏大地，沿着白求恩的足迹，考察英雄奋斗过的晋察冀边区。一个开放而便捷的环境，让我有机会将祖国的这些英雄历史分享给更多的人，将友谊的种子播撒在中加两国人民心中。
在北京饭店的金色大厅里，加拿大老人比尔.史密斯捐赠了中国革命历史的珍贵文物：毛泽东与白求恩的合影照片。“如果有机会，我将十分愿意为中加友谊贡献自己的绵薄之力。虽然目前身体状况不佳，但我有一个想法——未来如果有中国友人到加拿大白求恩故乡追溯白求恩成长和工作历史，我将乐意做向导。”比尔.史密斯接受媒体采访时说。
03
2007年，滑铁卢大学成立了孔子学院，上级问我是否愿意出任孔子学院院长，我欣然应允。滑铁卢大学孔子学院成立十多年了。十年来，我曾自问：在海外传播中华文化，目的何在？我深深懂得，人类精神文明各有千秋，并不存在某一种文化比其他文化更优秀。我们的目的不是要取代他人的信仰。让世界了解中国，了解中国人，消除误解、求同存异，才能赢得长久的友谊与和平，孔子学院才不辱使命。 为了这个目标，十年来我们致力于高端学术研究与文学交流，组织召开过十次国际研讨会。“故土历史呈现”“文学中的历史历史中的文学”“文学百衲被”“文学与我们的环境”“文化间性与人类命运共同体”等等，一个个主题，无不凝聚着我和同事们的殷切期盼。
在孔子学院这个平台上，我们编辑出版了双语读物及中华文化研究专著，为海外大学生提供了简明易懂的教材，启发培养他们对中华文化的兴趣。我们邀请中外专家学者互访，举办交流讲座，针对人类共同面对的问题集思广益，出谋划策。同时，我们还在不同城市建立了多个“孔子学院中文资料室”，每年举办中文朗诵比赛、作文竞赛等，鼓励促进华裔青少年用中文写作，促进中华文化的薪火传承。在公共建设方面，我们持续与周边三座城市的公共图书馆合作，举办汉语培训班、中华文化兴趣班，组织传统节日庆典活动等，在多元文化公平竞争的环境中，为汉语在海外的运用与发展寻求和创造机会。
在搭建祖国与世界文化交流桥梁、为世界人民之间增进友谊的过程中，我的工作充满了快乐。蓦然回首，我似乎悟到了几十年前奔赴异国他乡时，冥冥中那个神圣的使命。
Part 1
In recent years， a great pleasurein my life comes from showingforeign friends around China. Itis natural for them to be surprisedand amazed for the first time in thecountry， but for me， living overseasfor three decades gives me a rippleof excitement when I see anythingin homeland.
Normally， people would make aroutine trip to the Summer Palace，presenting pavilions， pagodas andother fine buildings to get satisfac-tion from the wows of their guests.However， I prefer to take visitors tothe Old Summer Palace where wewould be all shocked into silence.Never could I forget the day whenI led a group of young college stu-dents into the Old Summer Palacemore than a decade ago. A sceneof wreckages and ruins halted theirlaughter and brought tears to theireyes. In the beginning of last springwhen birds were singing and grasssprouting， I led a delegate of Cana-dian educators to visit China androok them to the Old Summer Pal-ace. Though aghast but remainedsilent， the knowledgeable headmas-ters fished out their tiny notebooksand wrote down Hugo's famoussaying on a stone tablet-"Tworobbers breaking into a museum.One has looted and the other hasburnt...." Next to the stone tabletwas piles of seemingly newly-erectedbricks. Seeing this， they asked me inworries that whether the devastatedPalace was under a plan for recon-struction. "It cannot be changed！You must keep this！ Yan， could youplease tell them？" The care comingfrom them warms me.
During our short and hurriedjourney in Beijing， everyone ex-claimed for their first time here，"China is totally different fromwhat I once envisaged in my mind.I thought that the streets and roadswould be flanked by soldiers inhelmets and holding sub-machineguns！" "Chinese people we met areso friendly and kind. I am reallyfond of them！"
When we stayed in Shanghai（along the Huangpu River）， every-one was impressed by its bustle andcharm. When visiting "Xintiandi"，a bar area， everyone was deeply attractedby a jazz cafe except a director of an edu-cation bureau， who volunteered to visitthe conference site of the First NationalCongress of the Communist Party ofChina （CPC） with me. I did not expectmy foreign friend would know anythingabout the site， but he did surprise me."When the Communist Parry of Cubawas founded， the meeting was also trans-ferred to a ship. What a coincidence.At that time， Mao Zedong was only 28years old. Other his young fellows wereall aspirants committed to reforming theChinese society back then." He sighed.I turned around and stared at him， whobecame total different in my eyes.
When I returned to China this year，I specially arranged a trip to the confer-ence site. This time， I came with mycolleagues in the college. When everyonecheerfully stood in a row and posed forphotos with reliefs on the wall， a groupof Chinese people beside us raised theirhands and took an oath. My colleagueswere really puzzled and asked me whatthey were doing. After then， they saw itwhen I explained that these people weretaking CPC admission oath. Perhaps， itwas until that moment that they began toundersrand the land under their feet andthe people living on this land.
As the saying goes， teaching benefitsboth teachers and students. The one thatinspired me the most is Professor Brandt.A few years ago， I accompanied this col-league to China to film a documentaryintroducing Chinese religious historyOn the night of his arrival in Beijing， hecouldn't help but pull out his computerto email his wife in the hotel lobby. Hewrote， "I finally come to China. Every-thing here surprises me！ " I clearly know where his surprisescame from. Brandt is a prolific researcherof religion， and also editor of WorldReligions in Encyclopedia Britannica.He could reel off schools of Confuciamsm，Buddhism and Taoism， holding his listenersin respect and awe. However， what he saidwas purely intellectual concept for he hadnever set foot on China though he alreadyvisited India， Japan， Thailand and otherAsian countries for many times.
Brandt was as curious as a child duringhis first trip to China. Holding his camera，he was eager to capture every scene he saw.In the Stele Forest （Beilin Museum） ofXi'an， he raised his camera with his trem-bling hands in front of a tall monumentstanding on a stone turtle. Accidentally hemissed his step and fell down from a one-meter-high platform. Amid the cry of alarmfrom crowds， Brandt rolled backwards withthe camera in his arms and stood up at theend. That is not what a 70-year-old mancan do. Seeing us astonished， he tidied hisclothes with a smile on his face， saying "Istill play basketball twice a week."
After this little episode， we took to theroad to Louguantai Temple at the foot ofZhongnan Mountain accompanied by Ms.Ye Guangqin， a famous writer. The tem-ple still reserves the site where Lao Tzu， aTaosim philosopher， preached more than2，000 years ago. On the way， we saw thecrisscrossed field dotted with peach blos-som and willow trees. Mountains and riverswe passed were all narrating ancient legendsto us. At that moment， grasping by wavesof nostalgia， I kept asking myself that wasit worth leaving my country back then.
Part Ⅱ
Back in 1987， I came to Canada tofurther my studies after graduating fromthe Department of Journalism of the Chi-nese Academy of Social Sciences. At thattime， half of my classmates went to theUnited States， but only I chose Canada.The reason was quite simple： at the age oftwenty， I watched a film called Betbune.Confucius Institute VOLUME 62 I N0.3 MAY. 2019co-produced by China and Canada， at apiazza on a pleasantly warm spring night.After that very night， I have been dreaminglooking for "a pure person， a noble person，a moral person..." Ever since I was a child，I have longed for Canada， the hometown toBethune. It was Bethune， an international-ism fighter， from which I drew great spiritstrength during my writing journey
Everything started new after my de-parture from home. Srudy and work oc-cupied most of my time while writinghad become a sanctuary for my dreamsand homesickness. Since then， I began towrite my thoughts on life and love for mycountry. My first book， the English novelRed Duckweed， was completed when I wasbesieged by nostalgia， the most familiar andunforgettable memories for students whostudied overseas in the early 1980s. Morethan a decade later， more and more Chi-nese people had gone abroad or even immi-grated overseas. As I found more Chinesepeople around me in the overseas， I shiftedto writing immigrant life. Looking back onthe path I have taken， I wrote the Englishnovel Lily in the Snow. Though puttingsome critical thinking on the new life， Istill conveyed in my book that no matterwhat life circumstances are， we could walkour of puzzle and confusion under the sup-port of our ideal and belief. My currenr jobhas offered frequent contacts with peopleof different cultural backgrounds duringwhich I found more cultural exchangeshave brought the world's increasing atten-tion to China. I went to a dinner party in my first yearin Canada. A senior sitting next to meamazed me with his authentic tongue ofcentral China's Henan province. It turnedout that he once served as the Canadianambassador to China and had a very well-reputed Chinese name-Ming Mingde（Arthur Menzies）. In just two weeks later，I came to read an article on Peoples DailyOverseas Edition， telling a story of CanadianMing Yishi （James Mellon Menzies） studyingthe oracle bone inscriptions in Anyang， Henanprovince. Out of curiosity， I wrote to AmbassadorArthur Menzies， finding that he was the only sonofjames Mellon Menzies. I visited his home inOttawa several times. During my visits there， wetalked day and night and I recorded some oralinformation. After then， we have kept in contactin letters. But in the following years， I was caughtby my busy schedule. It was not until more thantwenty years later that I finally began to write anon-fictional novella， Where Does the Little RedFisb Live-Oracle Bone Inscriptions and the Men-zies， which introduced this surprisingly low-keyfamily who has left a colorful stroke and taken animportant part in the history of China-Canadarelations.
Over a hundred years ago， James Mellon Men-zies came to China as a missionary Yet he was ob-sessed with Chinese ancient characters， and laterbecame the first person to discover the unearthedland of the Oracle bone inscriptions in ruins ofYin Xu， the capital city of the late Shang Dynasty（1300-1046 BC）. James Mellon Menzies， prob-ably forgetting his original mission， made himselfa professor of archaeology at Cheeloo Universitywhere he trained the first batch of students study-ing Oracle bone inscriptions for China. Dedicatedto collecting tens of thousands of oracle bones， hepreserved them in different cities in China whenJapan invaded， saving these precious cultural relicsfrom destruction.
Born and raised in Anyang， Arthur Menziesreturned to China in the mid-1970s as the Cana-dian ambassador to China. Recalling the past， hetold me the great changes in the People's Republicof China under CPC's leadership with his voicequivering with emotions. His two sisters whowere also born in China helped the country dopost-war reconstruction in the 1940s. To date，exchanges between Arthur Menzies' family andChina have been passed down to the third andfourth generations.
In 2010， I made a long-distance call to ArthurMenzies. The 93-year-old ambassador immediatelyrecognized my voice and called out my name afterso many years， which really surprised and touchedme. However， it was a true pity that he deceased afew days after reading my English manuscript. Hisson， Professor Ken Menzies wrote a letter to me，"Yan， please believe that my father departed theworld in gratification and satisfaction. It seems that fate always has plans. It not onlyconnects me with Ambassador Arthur Menzies，but also enables me to realize my dream of goingabroad to follow Bethune's footprints.
Many Chinese people know that in the earlywinter of 1939， Bethune was lying on an earthenbed on Taihang Mounrain， leaving behind a longlist of dying words to his comrades in China andCanada. His will said that， "The Japanese flagshall be left to Lillian". However， the Chinese hadno idea of who this woman was back then. Afterseventy five years， I solved this mystery by chance.Just over a hundred kilometers from my residence，I interviewed an old man named Bill Smith， andcame to know that Lillian was just his mother. Theold man has not only the last letter that Bethunewrote to Lillian， in which Bethune invited Lil-lian to travel to Taihang Mountain to fight side byside wirh him， bur also preserved the only photoof Mao Zedong and Bethune in the world. This isamazing！ With great excitement， I wrote down ALetterfrorn the Remotest Corner of the World-Bet-hune's Last Love Note. Writing is also a process of understanding life.I saw Bethune as a brave man who could stand upto reality His courage， frankness， uprightness andloftiness are held dear in human nature. His ideal-ism and dedication， noble qualities of all humanbeings， is a lamp in darkness that guides me walktowards brightness no matter what adversiry I amfacing.
In the fall of 2015， on the occasion of the 70thanmversary of the Chinese People's commemora-tion of the victory of the war of resistance againstJapanese Aggression， I led representatives from allwalks of life in Canada to visit China again andfollow Berhune's foorprints to see Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area where the hero has once fought.An open and convenient environment allows meto share the heroic history of the motherland withmore people and spread the seeds of friendship inthe hearts of the Chinese and Canadian people.
In the golden hall of the Beijing Hotel， BillSmith donated the cultural relic that is precious tothe Chinese revolutionary history： a photo of MaoZedong and Bethune. "If l get an opportunity， Iwould be more than willing to contribute my ownbit to China-Canada friendship. Though I am ourof shape now， I would be more than happy to be aguide if my Chinese friends come to visit Bethune'shometown in Canada to see where he grew up andworked." Bill Smith said in an interview to the me-dia.
Part Ⅲ
In 2007， the University of ～Vaterloo establishedthe Confucius Institute. I said yes when I was askedif I would like ro be the director. Over the pastdecade since the establishment， I have kept askingmyself： What is the purpose of spreading Chineseculture overseas？ I know deep down that humancivilizations each have its own merits， and there isno single culture better than others. We do not tendto replace the beliefs of others. Instead， we strive tolet the world understand China， know the Chinesepeople， eliminate misunderstandings and seek com-mon ground while reserving differences. Only inthis way can we win long-lasting friendship and theConfucius Institute achieves its missions. To this end， we have been engaged in high-endacademic research and literary exchanges for tenyears， and organized ten international seminarsincluding "Homeland， History， and Representa-tion"， "History in Literature， Literature in History"，"Our Quilts"， "Literature and Our Environment"，
and "Interculturaliry and a Community of SharedFuture for Mankind". These seminars have allcontained eager anticipation of my colleagues andmine.
In the Confucius Institute， we have compiled andpublished bilingual books and research monographson Chinese culture， providing overseas studentswith simple and easy-to-understand materials toignite their interest in Chinese culture. We haveinvited Chinese and foreign experts and scholarsto hold lectures， pool wisdom and make sugges-tions on the common problems faced by mankind.At the same time， we have established a number of"Confucius Institute Chinese Reference Rooms"in different cities， and hold Chinese recitationcompetitions and essay competitions every yearto encourage overseas Chinese youths to write inChinese and promote the inheritance of Chineseculture. In terms of public construction， we con-tinue to cooperate with public libraries in threesurrounding cities to organize Chinese languagetraining classes， interest classes of Chinese cultureas well as traditional festival celebrations. In thecontext of multicultural and fair competition， weare seeking and creating opportunities to use anddevelop Chinese language overseas.
My work is full of happiness when I contributeto building bridges berween the motherland andworld cultures and enhancing friendship amongpeople all over the world. When looking back， Iseem to understand the sacred mission I shoul-dered when I went to a foreign country severaldecades ago.