American opera singer Carla Dirlikov Canales and 12-year-old Chinese elementary school student Huang Yicheng pose for a photo after the evening gala of "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival" in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 27, 2024. The melodious voices of Chinese and American singers floated through the balmy summer air in Fuzhou on the evening of June 27. Their captivating rendition of "Pursuing the Dream in Kuliang" served as a fitting climax to the evening gala of the "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival."(Xinhua/Zhai Xiang)
by Xinhua writer Zhai Xiang
FUZHOU, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The melodious voices of Chinese and American singers floated through the balmy summer air in Fuzhou on the evening of June 27. Their captivating rendition of "Pursuing the Dream in Kuliang" served as a fitting climax to the evening gala of the "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival."
"Space can be separated but not the deep affection... Pursuing the dream in Kuliang till grey-haired."
Starting from the 1880s, foreign expatriates initiated the construction of summer villas in Kuliang, a charming hillside resort in the eastern suburbs of Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Through their daily dealings, cultural exchange and strong ties have been forged between these expatriates and the local residents. A century later, Kuliang still resonates with stories of friendship and harmony.
Amid waves of applause, American opera singer Carla Dirlikov Canales and 12-year-old Chinese elementary school student Huang Yicheng continuously exchanged glances.
Gracefully dressed in an outfit reminiscent of Chinese attire worn seven centuries ago, it was clear that this was not Canales' first visit to China. In fact, she has made multiple trips to the country since 2011. Earlier this year, she was designated as a senior advisor and envoy for cultural exchange with the U.S. President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
"I always think about you in America. I really hope that you will come and visit the next time," Canales said, bending down to speak to Huang after the curtain call.
"I'm very happy to see him. He is getting bigger. Very smart, and so I really want to see him every year." When the still-present youth festival attendees asked who this young boy was, Canales spoke to Huang in Chinese, asking, "You are my friend from China, aren't you?"
Huang nodded.
What brought these two together despite language, age, and geographical distance?
In May 2023, Canales was in Zhangzhou of Fujian, leading a delegation of five American artists to attend a cultural and arts exchange event. During a visit to the tulou scenic area in Zhangzhou, a recognized UNESCO heritage site, Canales crossed paths with Huang. The Chinese boy, with friendly curiosity, approached Canales and greeted her in English.
After a pleasant, brief conversation, the two exchanged contact information, agreeing to become pen pals to share their cultures and teach each other their languages. Learning that Huang's watch was broken, Canales insisted on gifting him a new one.
As Canales was about to board her vehicle to leave, Huang rushed over with a model of tulou, or traditional earthen buildings, in return. He told Canales that since she was a singer, he hoped to become her "zhiyin," which, coming from a millennia-old Chinese story, literally means a very close friend who understands the other's music.
This was the first time the American artist, who was studying Chinese, encountered the concept of "zhiyin." She spent the rest of her trip delving into its significance and was profoundly touched by its meaning.
After a month, Huang received a letter from Canales mailed from Washington D.C. In the letter, she told him about her family, her fondness for ice cream, her experiences in China, and asked Huang about his likes and dislikes, and whether he enjoyed school.
"I treasure our friendship," she wrote.
In his response, Huang wrote each word with care: "I'm on summer vacation recently. I'm learning English, paper folding, and practicing calligraphy with a brush pen." "I often think of you since our last meeting." "You mentioned in your letter that you can sing in multiple languages, which is really impressive."
Remembering Canales mentioned the frog sounds she heard in Fujian and her hometown in Michigan, Huang created a green frog out of paper and included it in the envelope he sent to the United States.
"I hope to always be friends with Auntie Carla. To listen to each other and to share joys," he said.
Interactions with Huang became a source of inspiration for Canales. In October 2023, she published an article at The New York Times, arguing that, "for the U.S. and China, it starts with listening."
Canales started with "there is a phrase in China, 'zhiyin,' used to describe the person who knows you best."
"There is great power in this phrase." She wrote.
Looking back upon her acquaintance and friendship with Huang in the article, Canales mentioned Huang as her teacher, and advocated that the two countries "must make it our mutual goal to become each other's zhiyin."
The article elicited strong reactions in both China and the United States.
Exchanging New Year greetings and making video calls, the friendship and mutual understanding between this pair of trans-Pacific "zhiyin" deepened over the following months.
In April 2024, Canales told Huang that she would visit China in the summer. Huang eagerly anticipated that day.
"It's already past ten o'clock, you should go to bed early," Canales said as she reluctantly parted from her young "zhiyin." Prior to the performance she had gifted Huang a backpack brought from the United States, filled with carefully chosen gifts including a notebook, one T-shirt, and snacks. In return, Huang presented Canales with ceramic ornaments and local tea from Zhangzhou.
"After hearing Auntie Canales' performance, I was amazed. I think she is really incredible! Her singing is beautiful, and she sings Chinese songs very well," Huang told Xinhua, expressing his resolve to work hard and be an outstanding person like his American auntie.
Canales is scheduled to visit Zhangzhou again at the end of July. This "zhiyin" pair will meet for the third time. Both are looking forward to it.
As the translator for Canales during her 2023 visit to Zhangzhou, Lu Meilian, head of the international exchange division of the Zhangzhou Municipal Government Foreign Affairs Office, has helped translate letters from Huang to Canales over the past year. She, too, has been deeply moved in this process.
"It is a privilege to witness the sincere friendship between little Huang and Canales. This is not just a story of two individuals. I feel the profound strength of warm, people-to-people interactions."
