How Personal Connections Build Culture
At a time when headlines often highlight the ups and downs of U.S. – China relations, WEST MEETS EAST: Stories Of Americans In China, by noted author and academic Dr William N. Brown, offers a different perspective – one rooted in human connection.
Rather than focusing on political or diplomatic narratives, WEST MEETS EAST highlights the personal stories of Americans who have lived, worked, and formed lasting bonds in China over the past century. The book spans more than 100 years of history, featuring figures such as the Caldwell family of Tennessee, who settled in Fujian Province in the late 19th century; members of the Flying Tigers who supported China during World War II; and individuals who devoted their lives to Chinese culture and scholarship, and in many cases still do.
Having first arrived in the city of Xiamen in 1988, Brown has since traveled extensively across the country, collecting stories through letters, photographs, and oral histories. WEST MEETS EAST brings together 20 such accounts, offering a deeply human perspective on cross-cultural exchange. “What moved me most,” Brown noted, “was not the place itself, but the people.”
Brown was inspired to write this book by his good friend Professor Hu Min, Chairman of New Channel International Education Group and a longtime advocate of cultural exchange. “These are stories that should not be forgotten,” Hu says. “They remind us that beyond political differences, there exists a deep and genuine bond between our peoples.”
Brown offers a valuable new lens on China, demonstrating that meaningful and fulfilling lives can be built across cultures, fostering cross-cultural understanding through storytelling. He stresses that genuine understanding requires direct engagement and personal experience. “As the Chinese saying goes, we are all hé ér bùtóng, ‘alike but different.’ Once we see how we are alike – our common ground, hé – we can better understand, accept, and even embrace our differences, bùtóng,” says Brown.
Dr Brown hopes this book will encourage readers to learn more about the people of China and visit the country to see for themselves how China and the U.S. have so much to gain if they work together – and the entire world has much to lose if they do not.
WEST MEETS EAST is an opportunity to see China from a new perspective, where friendship brings people and countries closer together.
About the Author
William N. Brown served in the United States Air Force in Taiwan from 1976 to 1978. Since 1988, he has been professor of leadership and strategy at the MBA Center of Xiamen University, where he is also OneMBA academic director.
In 1992, he became Fujian Province’s first permanent resident foreigner. He has driven over 200,000 km around China exploring its development, written twenty books, co-written and hosted over 400 TV episodes, consulted with cities on urban and rural development, and has been the recipient of China’s Friendship Award.