The definition of a legacy is anything handed down from a predecessor or ancestor. Pearl Buck's immediate family received some tangible legacies from her, but in all likelihood, she never thought that the many positive things she did during her lifetime were building legacies for the world. We are extremely fortunate that she left many legacies for all of us.
　　First and foremost, she is known worldwide for her literary legacy. Her first three books were written in China--East Wind: West Wind, The Good Earth, and The Exile, a much-lauded biography of her mother. The remainder of her published writings, 421 in all, was penned in America. At one time Pearl Buck was the most widely translated American author, reaching people in almost every corner of the world with her words. A very learned woman who grew up in Macedonia in the 1940's/ 1950's told me that Pearl Buck opened the world to her. She read the books in Serbian when she was a young teen-agar. Nehru of India read The Good Earth to his wife as she lay dying. Tourists who visit Pearl Buck's American home in Pennsylvania know her for her many literary works. Many say that they have read and reread all of her books. Her characters, although created many years ago and frequently of a different race than the reader, are timeless and so beautifully brought to life, that when we read her books we say, “I know someone just like that.” She helped us to understand that whatever our country or our color, we are humans and all the same. For her great talent with the written word she was awarded the American Pulitzer Prize in 1932 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938, a literary leggy that few will ever achieve.
　　Pearl Buck was a very determined lady. She could never turn her back on a child in need, and this exceptional drive to help children led to her humanitarian legacies. When she learned of a half-American, half-East Indian little boy in 1949, she established Welcome House, the first adoption agency for biracial children in the United States. Welcome house is still operating today and almost 7,000 children have found loving families because of Pearl Buck. Her other humanitarian legacy is the Pearl Buck Foundation founded in 1964, now known as Pearl S.Buck International. This agency seeks donors to help underprivileged children, mostly in Asia. Thousands of children and their families have benefited through the many programs of this charity. Pearl Buck believed that education is the best path out of poverty, so monies are provided for school tuition and uniforms and also for medical aid. One program offers HIV/AIDS education; another offers help for deaf children and those in orphanages. An ongoing program provides loans for families to begin a business which will help them to become more independent. As these loans are repaid they provide funds for other families. Much of the world is unaware of Pearl Buck's humanitarianism, but perhaps these two charitable agencies are her greatest legacies to the world as they continue to provide help to People almost thirty years after her death in 1973.
　　In writing of Pearl Buck's legacies, her biological child Carol cannot be forgotten. Carol was born with PKU (Phenylketonuria), a condition involving a problem with the absorption of protein, causing retardation. Learning that her child was mentally impaired was one of the greatest sadnesses of Pearl Buck's life. It was very difficult for her to accept, but she turned this personal tragedy into a positive by helping other families with mentally handicapped children when she wrote The Child Who Never Grew in 1950. Even today many parents of these special children read her book and are comforted by her words of wisdom.
　　Another legacy left to the world by Pearl Buck is her Pennsylvania home, Green Hills Farm Where she lived with her publisher husband Richard Walsh. She purchased the home and 48 acres of land in 1934. Today it is open to tourists year round, except for January and February. The house has been left intact and contains Pearl Buck's American and Chinese antique furniture, her art collections and clothes. Volunteer docents guide people through this wonderful house, relating the life of Pearl Buck and describing the many meaningful artifacts. A lovely gift shop, housed in Pearl Buck's old barn (now a Cultural Center), reflects Pearl Buck's love of Asia and America and delights visitors who come to her home. The shop is operated by volunteers, and all profits are donated to Pearl S. Buck International. More than 150 women and men volunteer to serve the legacies of Pearl S. Buck and to preserve her place in history. Some volunteers give their time because they loved her books, others because they are fascinated with her life story. Some are enchanted with her lovely old farm house, but every volunteer is there to help make people aware of the children that are still in need of their help through Pearl S. Buck International--the children Pearl Buck cared about so deeply during her lifetime.
　　Pearl Buck's legacies are many and far-reaching. They are well served by the members of The Pearl S. Buck Volunteer Association, the staff of Pearl S. Buck International, and the members of the PSBI Board of Directors who help to guide the work of her charities. Her legacies are also served by Korea as they establish a $3,000,000 park and memorial center in Pusan to honor her. And they are served by her beloved China as they recognize her good works and celebrate her ll0th birthday in October, 2002 at her former home in Zhenjiang.
　　When Pearl Buck died in 1973, many articles were written about her worldwide. Following is an excerpt from THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER:
　　“Her death at 80 is a loss that transcends political, racial and religious boundaries. Hers was a personal testament to the truth that East and West can meet, and understand, and love one another. Her life was almost equally divided between china and America. Her affection for both countries was reflected in all she did. Although she achieved fame with-The Good Earth --a portrayal of Chinese life that opened windows to understanding the Chinese people--her world was the ‘geod earth’not only in China, not only in America, but in the larger perspective of a single planet and one people.” Pearl Buck's autobiography is titled My Several Worlds a most appropriate title.

Writer       ：Sandra Bates
Writefrom：Collected Papers in Memory of Pearl S.Buck

共有3366位读者阅读过此文
【告诉好友】