My Old Friend 81 Years Apart

Isabel, born in 1915, and I, born in 1996, are 81 years apart. Yet we share one common joy—we both love eating Sichuan-style twice-cooked pork (huiguorou). A single plate of this dish connects me with this century-spanning "old friend": she witnessed China in the midst of war, while I document China in times of peace and development.

This year marks the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. During those war years, Isabel was not the only international friend who stood with the Chinese people. Like her, many from around the world made their choices in the midst of conflict—some picked up scalpels, some picked up cameras, some picked up pens, and some even piloted planes across Chinese skies. They came from different countries, yet driven by a shared longing for peace, they stood on the same side of the line.

Eighty-one years later, as I once again tell their stories, it is not only to remember those years of standing shoulder to shoulder, but also to cherish the hard-won peace we enjoy today.

Source: ChinaDaily Youth Channel