by Xinhua writers Ren Ke, Ren Yaoti
BEIJING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Uwe Kraeuter vividly remembers the days before leaving Heidelberg in southwestern Germany in July 1974. He wandered around the city, trying to etch every detail of his hometown into his memory before heading to China, a place he considered "further away than the moon."
Initially intending to return home after a few years, Kraeuter found himself rooted in China for the past half a century.
The 78-year-old is one of the longest-residing Germans and Westerners in China. During his time in the country, he participated in the translation of major political documents, facilitated the first overseas tour of China's classic drama "Teahouse," and produced numerous documentaries for international broadcast. Presently, he focuses on introducing Chinese regional dramas to European audiences.
Kraeuter married Chinese film actress Shen Danping in 1984, a rare intercultural marriage during that time. However, his decision to stay in China and foster mutual exchanges between the two countries goes far beyond.
Adorning the wall of Kraeuter's home is a painting gifted to him by a renowned Chinese artist. This piece of art uses traditional Chinese ink painting techniques to depict an owl with golden-red hair and mustache, and golden eyes -- bearing a resemblance to a young Kraeuter.
"I love such comparisons between the East and the West, Europe and Asia, and Heidelberg and Beijing... I never feel bored in China," said Kraeuter, reflecting on his captivating half-century saga in China.
In 1974, Kraeuter, a PhD student in sociology at Heidelberg University, got a job offer from Foreign Languages Press in Beijing to work as a German language expert. While translating and polishing important documents and articles, he met many cultural celebrities in Beijing, including playwrights, translators, painters and actors. Their minds were full of creative ideas that deeply attracted Kraeuter.
"We became friends. They were important for my decision not to go back to Germany," Kraeuter said.
Influenced by these artists, Kraeuter's focus shifted from translation to culture. Around this time he watched "Teahouse," one of China's most famous contemporary plays vividly portraying the country's turbulent first half of the 20th century, particularly through the lens of a teahouse in Beijing.
"I've watched it at least 20 times," said Kraeuter, taking out a pink-covered booklet, the German version of "Teahouse" that he co-translated with a Chinese friend. The book was published in July 1980 and is still available for sale on Amazon.
According to Kraeuter, although the historical backgrounds of China and the West are different, the portrayal of humanity in "Teahouse" resonates universally. This realization can be both enlightening and pleasantly surprising for Western audiences, catalyzing deeper understanding and appreciation.
He reached out to Mannheim National Theatre to organize a tour for the crew to stage this play in 16 cities in West Germany, France and Switzerland in the fall of 1980, with his simultaneous interpretation.
"The tour was a great success. The audience stood up and applauded enthusiastically at the end!" Kraeuter said.
Later, Kraeuter started his own cultural business, facilitating exchanges between Germany and China. He has traveled all over China and produced documentaries capturing the diverse aspects of the country. He went to Sichuan Province to film giant pandas. He crossed the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and made a documentary named "Children in the Desert," which garnered widespread popularity.
"German TV stations and the audience asked me to do more programs about China. The content in my films is different, it is about real life in China," Kraeuter said.
Currently, Kraeuter is actively engaged in efforts to bring "Huiju," a traditional opera from east China's Anhui Province, to Germany for performances, aiming to introduce it to Western audiences across the region.
"It is very important that we do understand more about the thinking, culture, and habits in other countries, especially in far-away countries," said Kraeuter, noting that China in Western media is different from the China he lives in. In an attempt to capture the audience's attention, Western media often portray China in a dramatic light. However, Kraeuter has found that China is culturally diverse, and its people lead colorful lives.
He hopes that through his efforts, more Westerners will realize the importance of understanding China and other non-Western cultures, fostering mutual learning characterized by humility and equality, rather than adopting a condescending attitude.
Having witnessed China's drastic changes over the past five decades, Kraeuter is amazed at the country's rapid modernization and the diminishing gap between China and developed Western countries.
What impresses him the most is the increasingly open and confident mindset of the Chinese people. Cultural exchanges between China and the West have become more frequent, and his work has received support from governments at all levels. Organizing cultural events and cross-country exchanges has become easier.
Kraeuter noted a significant shift in the mindset of the Chinese people. With China's increasing openness, there has been a marked development in their rational comprehension of the outside world, as well as a deeper appreciation of China's history, cultural traditions and capabilities.
The younger generation of creative individuals in China, particularly directors and screenwriters familiar to Kraeuter, have their own unique China stories to share. They aspire to engage in more equitable exchanges with the West.
Kraeuter visits Germany two or three times every year. He frequently reflects on his life compared to that of his friends in Heidelberg, reaffirming that his decision to move to China in 1974, rather than remaining surrounded by the familiar environment and concepts of his hometown, was the right one.
"Some German people ask me whether I would return to Germany as my life has entered the evening. I said I don't consider it, I don't even look at my life as an evening...I love every day I am here," Kraeuter said. ■
