(ECNS) -- The Long March began his lifelong connection with China, said Harold Weldon, vice president of Weldon International and winner of the 11th Special Book Award of China, at the 2nd World Conference on China Studies on Tuesday in Shanghai.
Recalling more than four decades of engagement with China, Weldon highlighted that his father, who had read Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow during his schooling years, was deeply inspired by the spirit of the Long March.
At that time, Weldon noted, the world knew very little about China — most people in the West thought of it only as a land of rice paddies. So, his family's publishing company, Weldon International, decided to produce a photographic book on the Long March, aiming to present a different image of China to the world.
For the book, photographers from around the globe were invited to capture scenes along the Long March route, using images to tell the story of the historic journey and to showcase the perseverance and resilience of the Chinese people.
The book was published in over 60 countries and regions, and sold nearly 200,000 copies.
Recalling his own journey retracing the Long March, Weldon said the grassland dotted with marshes left the deepest impression on him. It's a place of both great tragedy and heroism, where many Chinese soldiers perished after marching thousands of miles.
When he visited the grassland, he remembers walking into the marshes where the water was so deep. It was springtime, snowing and freezing cold then, he said, "The local people were amazing". Wherever he went, they would invite him in for tea and food, he said.
Weldon emphasized that China Studies should go beyond classrooms and books. Academic rigor is essential, he said, however, "We must also help younger generations share China's stories in different forms of knowledge systems, so the world can truly understand China. "
(By Gong Weiwei)
京公网安备 11010202009201号