从2004年踏上云南大理白族自治州喜洲镇那一刻起,林登的人生就和云南大理这片土地再也分不开。现在,当地村民亲切地称他为“洋村长”。他总是笑着说,我最重要的工作就是做好中国文化的传播者。
Since 2004 when he set foot in Xizhou Town, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Linden's life has been bonded to this land in west Yunnan province. Now, locals call him the "foreign village head". “My job is to be a good communicator for Chinese culture,” said Linden with a smile.
林登出生于上世纪60年代美国芝加哥的一个蓝领家庭。1983年,正值青年的他白天在一家地毯清洗公司做兼职,晚上在社区大学上课。
Brian Linden was born in 1960s in a blue-collar family in Chicago, USA. During his teenage days in 1983, Linden worked part-time in a carpet cleaning company in the day, while having classes at the community college at night.
一次偶然的机会,他从一位芝加哥教授那里得知了中国政府会给国际留学生提供奖学金的消息。在教授的鼓励下,林登抱着一线希望,拨通了联系电话。
By chance, he learned from a Chicago professor that the Chinese government offers scholarships to international students. Encouraged by the professor, Linden made a phone call to China with a glimmer of hope.
那年8月,他顺利来到中国。
In August 1983, he came to China.
求学、拍电影、赴南京大学继续深造……林登在中国的人生可谓丰富多彩。后来,他到斯坦福大学攻读博士学位,又入职了一家瑞典公司,在许多国家做国际教育项目。
Linden's life in China was enriched by learning, film making, a further study tour at Nanjing University…. Later, he went to Stanford University for his PhD and worked for Swedish company, doing international education projects in many countries.
第一个孩子出生后,他觉得应该换个不那么奔波的工作。
Following the birth of his first child, Linden felt like changing to a job with fewer business tours.
他心里对中国有特别的情愫,也希望为中国做点什么。
With China recurring on his mind, he hoped to do something for this country.
2004年,他卖了在美国的房子,筹集了60万美元,带上妻子和两个儿子直飞中国。
In 2004, Linden sold his house in America at the price of $600,000, and he flew directly to China with his wife and two sons.
在中国各地考察了一圈,喜洲镇征服了他。他说,这里的文化是活的,这里的人非常包容,他在这里找到了家。
After a tour around China, he chose to settle down in Xizhou Town. “Traditions here remain as alive as ever, and locals treat me like family, especially those living in Xizhou,” said Linden.
在大理政府的帮助下,林登租下当地的一栋民居——杨品相宅,还聘请了100多位当地工人对这个老宅进行修缮,将其改造成了一个精品客栈,取名喜林苑。
With the help of Dali government, Brian restored a traditional Bai-style house into the most popular local tavern for foreign tourists. Now the house is known as Linden Centre hotel.
客栈步入正轨以后,林登开始和欧洲、美国的学校合作各类国际教育项目。这些项目使小小的喜洲成为了外国学生了解中国的窗口。
Since the hotel was put into service, Linden has been re-engaged in international education projects by European and American schools. These projects have turned Xizhou into a window for foreign students to learn about China.
比如,上海美国学校的学生需要每人选一个村里65岁以上的老人,与他们一起生活,最后给老人拍一段视频;美国明德大学的学生会在这里拍摄纪录片,每个学生还会完成一本和喜洲有关的书……
For example, Linden Centre allowed students in Shanghai American School to live with a rural folk over 65 years old and take a video for the seniors. And Linden will invite the students of Middlebury College to Xizhou, who are expected to shoot documentaries here and each write a book related to the town....
目前,喜林苑和美国西德维尔高中、上海美国学校、普林斯顿大学、耶鲁大学、印第安纳大学凯利商学院等学校都有类似的教育项目。
So far, the Linden Centre hotel has forged cooperative ties with Sidwell High School, Shanghai American School, Princeton University, Yale University, Indiana University’s Kelly Business School and others.
林登说,这些学生来自一些美国最好的学校,他们未来有可能成为各领域的领袖。在中国学习和生活5个月的经历可以让他们较为全面地了解中国,有一份中国情怀。
Linden said that these students come from some of the best schools in the US, and they are potential leaders in various fields. Their five-month learning tours in China allow them to understand the country in an all-round manner.
2008年之后的10年间,林登又相继接管了同在当地的2个院子——宝成府和杨卓然院。随着事业的不断做大,他将更多的力量投入到教育、扶贫、农业等公益项目中。
Since 2008, Linden took over another two local residences, the Baocheng House and the Yang Zhuoran Courtyard. With a thriving business, he devoted himself more to public-welfare projects in education, poverty relief and agriculture.
十几年来,喜林苑接待了超过20万中外客人,其中不乏各国驻华使节、企业家、学者、艺术家、诺贝尔奖获得者等。
In the pastten plus years, Linden Centre has received over 200,000 Chinese and international visitors, including envoys, entrepreneurs, scholars, artists, Nobel laureates and more.
“中国文化很有吸引力,我希望把中国的魅力和她真实的样子分享给世界。”林登说。
"The Chinese culture is amazing, and I’d like to share with the world the charm and true picture of China," said Linden.