Uncovering narratives

The couple lived in China where they raised their daughters. Even after 50 years, they are still conducting research together on their topic of interest, delving into the cultural exchanges between China and the US, and uncovering the rich history and narratives of Kuliang.

"I'm the kite, and he's the string," Elyn described their collaborative work. "We are still doing our group project." While Elyn researched archives online, Peter scanned documents and conducted fact-checking.

Following their 2015 trip, the couple visited numerous libraries, gathered thousands of pieces of information and reached out to families who had lived in Kuliang.

"I wasn't looking for numbers," she said. Elyn is also working on a book that reports the story of Kuliang and the people-to-people friendship from the past to the present. "I was looking for quality of story, and I tried to find people whose families had stories to tell."

In June, Elyn returned to Kuliang to take part in the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-US People-to-People Friendship Forum, gathering "Kuliang's Friends" together, while also making new friends there.

"The Kuliang spirit represents 'peace, friendship and love'," Elyn said, but she added two more key elements — understanding and respect — to the people-to-people exchanges through generations of many US families.