LANZHOU, June 29 (Xinhua) -- After graduating from Yale University, 24-year-old American Edward Kuperman made a choice few of his peers would have expected.
Rather than staying in the United States or heading to one of China's bustling metropolises, he settled in Dunhuang, a small oasis city in northwest China's Gansu Province that has long served as one of the world's greatest crossroads of civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.
Kuperman, better known by his Chinese name Gu Aihua, didn't come to this decision by accident. His story marks a new chapter in Dunhuang's long history as a meeting place of civilizations, where cultural exchange continues to thrive in the 21st century.
"Dunhuang offers a unique gateway to observing, understanding and telling China's story," Kuperman said.
Before stepping into his role as the first full-time foreign presenter at a local media center in Dunhuang this April, Kuperman had already built a decade-long connection with China. This connection started with his first Chinese language class in middle school.
Back then, however, he never imagined Chinese would be so challenging to learn, or that he would stick with it for years on end, Kuperman recalled.
His devotion to Chinese culture grew richer through classic literature. In one of China's must-read classics "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," he found the figure Zhuge Liang in many ways embodying his own vision of an ideal personality -- one marked by wisdom, principles and a sense of responsibility.
"'A gentleman may be killed, but he cannot be humiliated.' I really admire that sense of integrity and moral conviction in traditional Chinese culture," he noted.
These early impressions of China were later reinforced through a series of short-term experiences in the country, which deepened Kuperman's determination to return and stay longer.
At 17, he spent 40 days living with a host family in Suzhou, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province. Though he initially struggled to follow everyday conversations, he wasn't discouraged. Instead, the challenge motivated him to double down on his studies. Later, during his years at Yale, he also joined exchange programs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where full immersion further strengthened his fluency.
Now, in the eyes of his colleagues, the young American can not only express himself naturally in Chinese, but is also able to use more specialized and less commonly used vocabulary with ease. Yet for Kuperman, there is still a long way to go before he truly reaches an ideal level of understanding the country, something he believes can only come after 20 years of living and working there.
And that's why he always feels fortunate to have chosen Dunhuang as the starting point of this long journey. The city's unique natural landscape, cultural atmosphere, and warm-hearted people have become the very reasons that motivate him to share Dunhuang's culture with the world with passion.
Since his arrival, colleagues in Dunhuang have helped him settle in. Once, a taxi driver even refused to accept payment for a short ride. In return, Kuperman has strived to give back to the city with the same spirit of kindness he's received.
Once, a Dutch tourist lost a backpack at a night market in Dunhuang. With the help of Kuperman and local vendors, it was eventually recovered three hours later, a timeframe many would have considered too long for it to be found again.
Kuperman told the relieved tourist, "In China, nothing gets lost." The tourist nodded in agreement.
The video of the incident later gained public attention online, leaving a deep impression on Kuperman and reinforcing his belief that it is not necessary to repeatedly tell foreign visitors about China's convenience or safety.
"Facts would just speak for themselves. That's even better," he said.
Now, Kuperman produces interviews, street conversations, and daily short videos such as those featuring valuable artifacts preserved in local museums, to showcase Dunhuang's culture, history, and contemporary stories to international audiences.
While his posts have yet to attract large view counts, Kuperman is not in a rush to chase online traffic, as he believes that true international communication starts with concrete, real-life details.
"A real person standing in a real setting, talking about a specific issue or experience, is often far more convincing than grand narratives," he noted.
For Kuperman, conversations like these are needed now more than ever in a world marked by growing uncertainty. And Dunhuang, once a thriving hub along the ancient Silk Road, continues to play as a platform where people from different cultures can meet, exchange ideas and better understand each other.
"My encounter with China has been a journey of broadening horizons and rethinking the world," Kuperman said. "It has also made me reflect on my own role and reminded me of the true value of communication between the East and West." ■
