Respected President Janet Mintzer,
Respected Chairman John Long,
Ladies & gentlemen, Dear Friends,

Good Afternoon! Today is a beautiful day, in a mood as good as the day, we are grandly holding the unveiling ceremony of " Pearl S. Buck Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition", the first issuing ceremony of " Pearl S. Buck in Zhenjiang" Commemorative Stamp Album, the first showing ceremony of "Pearl S. Buck in Zhenjiang" TV documentary; and the shooting-start ceremony of the CCTV show "looking for Pearl S. Buck". Firstly, on behalf of CPC Zhenjiang Municipal Committee, Zhenjiang Municipal Government and 2.9 million Zhenjiang people, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the participating representatives of the Pearl S. Buck International, experts and friends, and congratulate on the successful holding of these four cultural activities.

Zhenjiang is a famous historic and cultural city in China, with a history dating back to 3000 years ago. Here not only bred eternal beautiful legends, such as " Liu Bei married in Ganlu Temple" and " white snake flooding Jinshan hill", but also produced immortal masterpieces with far-reaching impact in Chinese history, such as " Wenxin Diao Long", a literary critique, " Wen Xuan", a selection of literary masterpieces, and "Meng Xi Bi tan", a scientific book. Zhenjiang is China's top tourist city, national sanitary city and national model city in environmental protection. Acclaimed as the " first mountain and water under heaven" and " mountain forest city", Zhenjiang's unparalleled landscape has been vividly described in many famous poems throughout the history.

Since ancient times, Zhenjiang has been an attractive destination rich in culture and talents. It's location at the intersection of the mighty Yangtze River and the Grand Canal endows the people of Zhenjiang with wisdom and talent; the tall and stiff south mountain and Beigu hill grant the people of Zhenjiang an upright and kind nature. Pearl S. Buck, who came to Zhenjiang as a baby and lived here for 18 years, was imperceptibly influenced and nurtured by Zhenjiang's culture and spirit, a substance flowing as freely as blood in her body. Wherever she went, Pearl Buck affectionately called her the daughter of Zhenjiang, and Zhenjiang her "Chinese homeland", while the people of Zhenjiang has always sentimentally attached to their filial daughter, who had longed for a return to her beloved homeland.

As an outstanding writer, Pearl S. Buck drew materials and inspiration from her life in Zhenjiang and China for her literary creation, her Nobel- Prize- winning novel "trilogy of the good earth" with its far-reaching impact still felt today enabled her ascend the peak of the literary world.

As an outstanding social activist and great humanitarian, despite countless misunderstandings and bias, Pearl S. Buck devoted her whole life to pursuing equality, understanding and fraternal love of the humankind. She sympathized with and assisted Chinese people in the fight against Japan, she contributed wholeheartedly to the better understanding between Chinese and American peoples, she promoted dialogue and exchanges between different cultures, and she was praised by former president Nikson of the united states of America "a human bridge linking the eastern and western cultures". Pearl Buck's contribution is the common wealth of the humankind. She is the pride of Zhenjiang people.

Chinese cultural predecessor Confucius said: " it won't pass with the passersby". Pearl Buck has left us and this world for 32 years, although many tremendous and profound changes have taken place since she left, the need for interracial understanding and fraternal love has never dwindled, on the contrary it has become even more imperative. Just from this standing point, Pearl Buck's humanitarianism shall prevail perpetually, and the people of Zhenjiang shall always remember their daughter and old friend who sympathized with and helped Chinese people. From the end of last century, Pearl Buck's Former residence was renovated by Zhenjiang and its partner in the US, two Pearl S. Buck research symposiums were held, Zhenjiang Pearl Buck Research Association was founded, "Pearl S. Buck", " Study on Pearl S. Buck", and " Collected Papers in Memory of Pearl S. Buck" were published, Pearl Buck's 110th birth year celebration was held, Pearl Buck International Class was conducted and teaching ambassadors of the Pearl S. Buck International were recruited. Today's four ceremonies once again testify that Pearl S. Buck shall long live in the hearts of Zhenjiang people!

Ladies & gentlemen, distinguished guests, and dear friends, Pearl Buck once predicted in her remaining years that " there will be a day that the two great nations of China and America will get together, understand each other, and love each other". Let's work together to further enhance the mutual understanding and fraternal love between our two great nations of China and America, and the people of this varied world. Let's join our hands to build a new century bridge for the cultural exchanges of the humankind.

I wish the four cultural activities a great success!
Wish you a pleasant stay in Zhenjiang!

Thank you!

Writer       ：Jiang Li Cheng, First Vice Mayor of Zhenjiang Municipality
Writefrom：September 27, 2004

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