As part of the "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival", the global release of "Echoes of Kuliang" was held at the Haixia Youth Center in Fuzhou, Fujian province on June 26.

Members of "Kuliang Friends", a group organized by the descendants of American families who once lived in Kuliang, post letters of blessings into a "mailbox" at the global release of the radio drama series "Echoes of Kuliang" in Fuzhou, Fujian province on June 26, 2024. [Photo/Fuzhou Daily]

Based on the real stories of American physics professor Milton Gardner with Kuliang, "Echoes of Kuliang" is a radio drama series produced by CGTN Radio, with a total of five episodes.

In 1901, Milton Gardner came to Kuliang with his parents as an infant and lived there for 10 years. After returning to the United States, Gardner's greatest wish was to revisit his childhood home in China. Unfortunately, he never fulfilled this wish.

His wife made multiple trips to China but was unable to find the second home in her husband's memories. One day, she discovered 11 stamps with the words "Fuzhou Kuliang" among her husband's belongings. With the help of Liu Zhonghan, a Chinese student studying in the U.S., she finally learned that "Kuliang" was indeed "Guling" (Mandarin pinyin) in Fuzhou, China.

In 1992, she was invited to Kuliang, eventually helping her husband fulfill the wish to return to his childhood home.

"The process of writing the story was a beautiful journey for us, and we hope to share this experience with everyone," said a person in charge of the production team of "Echoes of Kuliang".

At the event, Chinese and American youth actively participated in interactive activities to immerse themselves in the legendary stories of China-U.S. friendship spanning a hundred years.

Elyn Maclnnis, representative of "Kuliang Friends", a group formed by the descendants of American families who once lived in Kuliang, and a descendant of the Donald Maclnnis family, shared her "Kuliang stories" as well as her family history. Chinese and American youth also shared their stories of living and studying in both countries, expressing their commitment to spreading the bond with Kuliang and contributing to the development of the Sino-U.S. friendship from generation to generation.