Once a sociology PhD and labor organizer in the United States, Mark Levine, a U.S. professor based in China, has made the country his home for more than two decades, transforming from an observer into a storyteller who uses music, writing and teaching to bridge cultures.
“China is the place where my heart resides,” he sings in one of his own compositions. A permanent resident and recipient of China’s highest honor for foreign experts, he says he is committed to sharing China’s story with the world.
I. From Sociology PhD to a Life in the East
On the campus of Minzu University of China, one often encounters a tall figure with a snowy white beard, usually carrying a guitar on his back. This foreigner is a familiar sight to students and faculty alike: American professor Mark Levine. Although he is 77 years old, he remains active on the podium, passionately sharing his observations on China and the changing world.
As a musician, a line from his 2023 song, There’s Nowhere Else in the World I Would Rather Be, perfectly captures his sentiment: "China is the place where my heart resides; for so many years, I have always felt free here."
Born in Los Angeles in 1948, Levine’s journey to China was preceded by a life of activism. He followed a few years of university teaching to join the Western Service Workers Association, volunteering for nearly thirty years. This work drew his attention to the achievements of the Chinese labor movement and the immense creativity displayed by the Communist Party of China in leading the people toward liberation and development. He studied classic works such as Mao Zedong’s On Practice, while Edgar Snow’s Red Star Over China filled him with a yearning to understand the Chinese revolution.
In 2005, at the age of 57, Levine arrived in Huai’an, Jiangsu—the hometown of Premier Zhou Enlai—to teach English at Huaiyin Normal University. He originally planned to stay for only one year, but the vibrancy of local development and the optimism and kindness of locals captivated him, leading to his decision to remain in China for the long haul.
In 2007, amid job offers from prestigious institutions in Beijing like Tsinghua University, he chose a position at Minzu University of China (MUC). Calling this one of the best decisions of his life, he describes MUC as a "very interesting and exciting place" where one can understand not just China, but the diversity of the Chinese nation. The university has a large population of ethnic minority students, most of whom return to build their hometowns after graduation—students Levine specifically hoped to teach.
Professor Levine views himself as a "bridge" between China and the United States, dedicated to promoting cultural exchange. In 2014, he was awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest honor for foreign experts in China. Two years later, he received his Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card. He revealed that he was the first person to obtain a Chinese "Green Card" through the Friendship Award.
II. The Podium as a Starting Point: Telling China’s Story through Music
Levine has been teaching at Minzu University for 18 years, focusing on courses such as Public Speaking, English Debate, and British and American Culture and History. He is also active in classrooms across many Chinese universities, sparing no effort to help students tell China's story in English. Leveraging his cross-cultural background and rich social experience, he helps Chinese students expand their international horizons. His clear teaching goal is to help students master "strategic communication" in public speaking, teaching them to consider their audience while sharing stories about China’s history, culture, and development.
Music has become Levine’s favorite medium for "storytelling." Transcending from a music lover to an original songwriter, he has composed over 80 songs about China in the past decade. His first song written after arriving, The Future of Huai’an is Promising, vividly showcased the diligence of the Huai’an people and the city’s rapid development. In 2009, he performed his original song My Lovely Asian Eyes on the Xingguang Dadao (Star Avenue) TV program. Later, he composed a series of works reflecting the unity and struggle of the Chinese people in the face of major challenges like the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, snowstorms, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic, using his music to tell the world about the real China.
Beyond his roles as a professor and musician, Levine is also an author. In books such as Stories from My Chinese Story and Singing My China Stories to the World, he has documented his interactions with people from all walks of life. These include heartwarming and amusing anecdotes, such as getting a driver’s license without knowing Chinese, appearing on Xingguang Dadao, and spending a month during Spring Festival in a rural village in Hubei.
III. Measuring the Real China with Footsteps: Refuting Prejudice with "Fieldwork"
Holding a PhD in Sociology, Levine places great emphasis on "fieldwork" when observing China. He states frankly that the China he sees with his own eyes is vastly different from the version portrayed in Western media. His travels have taken him to 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, while he has lectured at over 80 universities. He believes travel is crucial because it provides "first-hand data," allowing him to witness the lives of ordinary people and understand their daily realities through conversation.
Levine points out that false reporting by Western media regarding China, particularly concerning Xinjiang, is common. Between August and September 2023 he embarked on his first trip to Xinjiang, visiting Kashgar and counties including Yecheng, Zepu, Shache, and Taxkorgan. This journey revealed to him the Chinese government’s unprecedented efforts and achievements in poverty alleviation. He noted that China's measures to solve poverty were vastly different from the U.S. "War on Poverty" in the 1960s (often cynically referred to as a "war on the poor").
In Xinjiang, he visited Uyghur families and learned of the substantial government subsidies provided for building modern homes and courtyards. He saw agricultural technology parks transforming desert land into oases, where residents renting greenhouses received free training and housing. Addressing Western allegations of "cultural genocide," Levine speaks using facts: "I saw kindergartens in development zones teaching in both Mandarin and Uyghur; on the streets of Kashgar, most traffic and commercial signs use both languages." He points out that what he witnessed in Xinjiang is the exact opposite of the historical treatment in the U.S. and Canada, where indigenous people were punished for speaking their mother tongues.
IV. Experiencing "Shared Beauty" in Unity and Diversity
Levine firmly believes that "seeing is believing" and "human contact" are the best methods of cross-cultural communication. Through his teaching practice at Minzu University, he has deeply observed the harmonious picture of China’s multi-ethnic development. He notes that MUC is one of the few schools with students and faculty from all 56 ethnic groups. He sees students from different ethnicities studying, collaborating, and socializing together, noting that he has never seen or heard of conflicts arising from ethnic issues.
What he observes is a shared value system: every individual, while seeking their own well-being, also considers how to contribute to the nation. He calls this true "patriotism." He says, "I see a commonality, a shared interest. Everyone understands that if we help China get better, our lives will get better, because we are China, and China is us." This inclusivity and diversity stand in stark contrast to the scenes of conflict often depicted by Western media. Through participating in Tibetan song and dance performances, ethnic culture festivals, and volunteering as a guide at the university's Museum of Ethnic Cultures, Levine has personally experienced China’s "unity in diversity."
Levine is convinced that one can only truly understand China by experiencing its local customs personally—which is far more effective than reading books, listening to interviews, or watching television. In his residential community, neighbors affectionately call him "Grandpa Christmas." His home is filled with instruments and trinkets from various Chinese ethnic groups, and he is often seen in the park, practicing the "diabolo" (Chinese yo-yo) with local residents.
Levine indicates he has no plans to retire because he "has too much to do." He needs to write more songs, articles, and books, and give more speeches. Even during the pandemic, he never considered leaving Beijing, because China is the place he most wants to be. "China is a very peaceful, very friendly country," he says. He firmly believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the country’s future is bright. China, in his heart, is the "final destination" where he found his impulse to sing and his life’s value. He hopes to continue using his own stories to show the world a real, hope-filled China.
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