中国日报2026-9-26
https://enapp.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202609/24/AP6ab479d1e4b01bdced9fab3f.html
Gordon Trimble and his family, from the United States, visit Kuliang, in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian province in April. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
As the autumn semester arrived this September, 82-year-old Gordon Trimble and his wife Sonia Trimble flew back from the United States to Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province, to teach at Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College and continue a five-generation family legacy.
Since 2005, the teacher — always recognizable by his Hawaiian aloha shirts — has returned annually to offer practical English courses. He also takes his students to Kuliang, a historic mountain resort in Fuzhou, to share century-old stories of friendship built by early foreign professionals who came from the late 1880s to the early 1900s as teachers, doctors and diplomats.
Lydia Trimble, his great-grandaunt, was part of this historic wave, arriving in Fuzhou in 1889. Driven by a belief in female empowerment through education, she founded the precursor to Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College in 1908, southern China's very first institution for women.
Following in her footsteps, Lydia's niece Ethel Wallace arrived in Fuzhou in 1906 and taught at the college for 40 years. She was also joined by Lydia's two nephews: Fred Trimble, an architect who helped design a campus building, and Garnet Trimble — Gordon's grandfather — who managed a local hospital in Nanping, Fujian.
They came to Fuzhou because they thought all life was important, Trimble said, adding that these expatriates traveled from afar to gather in Kuliang and discuss how to make China better. They built houses, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a community club on the mountain, all governed by a rule of absolute equality between Chinese villagers and Western residents.
They were creating a 'paradise' in Kuliang, he said. They wanted to raise children who respected each other, children who would become good global citizens. My father was one of those children.
Born in Fujian, his father, Robert Trimble, grew up in China until age 12. Though he spent most of the rest of his life in the US, he remained fluent in the local dialect.
Yet, this deep family heritage remained an abstract story to young Gordon Trimble. Growing up in the 1950s' Southern California, he tuned in closely whenever China made the news. Whenever the family traveled to visit his grandfather, their gatherings always centered around Chinese restaurants.
Until the late 1980s, during China's reform and opening-up, Trimble's aging father yearned deeply to revisit his childhood home. Despite discouragement from people around him, Trimble and his wife finally accompanied his father on a root-seeking journey back to Fujian in 1989, marking his father's emotional return after 62 years.
I could feel what my father felt, Trimble said, recalling the moment they walked onto the historic campus and spotted the faintly visible family name Trimble engraved on the wall. Suddenly, there was a connection.
Following that trip, Gordon Trimble's father returned almost every year until he passed away in 2014. His father also pioneered the partnership between Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College and the University of Puget Sound — the very institution where his grandfather had served as a campus physician when he returned to the US.
Over the past two decades, Trimble watched China achieve fast development in many aspects, including high-speed trains, subways and automated manufacturing.
For the last 20 years, what is the most exciting place in the world you can live? It's right here in China, he observed.
Since 2005, the Trimble family has donated 4 million yuan ($597,200) to support education in China, including sustaining exchanges between the University of Puget Sound, Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College and Fujian Normal University. Under his sponsorship, 20 American graduates have come to China as English teachers, while eight Chinese educators have visited the US for academic exchanges.
Wu Lanjia, vice-president of Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College, said, The Trimble family's relay to support Chinese education is a vivid embodiment of international friendship that crosses mountains and seas.
In recognition of his devotion, Gordon Trimble received the 2025 Chinese Government Friendship Award and was named one of the top 10 people moving Fujian in 2026. The couple both received a permanent resident card in 2024.
Today, Kuliang has evolved into a premier landmark for China-US youth exchanges, hosting cultural festivals that carry the torch of friendship forward. As Trimble shared during a youth baseball event: We treasure our Chinese friends. We are happy to call Fuzhou home.
以下为中文翻译：
山海相隔，友谊相通
一个美国家族五代人，在福州延续教育薪火
金秋九月，开学之际，82岁的程高登（Gordon Trimble）与妻子程索尼娅（Sonia Trimble）从美国飞回福建省会福州，到福建华南女子职业学院任教，延续家族五代人的教育传承。
自2005年以来，这位总是以夏威夷花衬衫示人的老师每年如期归来，为学生们开设实用英语课程。他还会带领学生前往福州鼓岭——一处历史悠久的避暑胜地，讲述百年前由早期外籍教师、医生和外交官缔结的跨国友谊故事。这些专业人士于19世纪80年代末20世纪初陆续来到福州。
他的曾姑婆程吕底亚（Lydia Trimble）正是这股来华浪潮中的一员，1889年抵达福州。秉持着以教育赋能女性的信念，她在1908年创办了福建华南女子职业学院的前身，这也是中国南方第一所女子院校。
追随她的脚步，程吕底亚的外甥女华惠德1906年来到福州，在校执教长达40年。一同前来的还有程吕底亚的两位侄子：建筑师程奋鹏（Fred Trimble），参与设计校园建筑；程盖瑞特（Garnet Trimble），也就是程高登的祖父，在福建南平一家医院管理80张床位。
程高登说，“他们来到福州，是因为坚信每个生命都值得珍视。”他补充道，当年这些远道而来的外籍人士相聚鼓岭，一同探讨如何让中国变得更好。他们在山上修建住宅、网球场、泳池和社区俱乐部，并且定下一条准则：本地居民和外国人地位完全平等。
“他们想在鼓岭打造一处‘家园’。” 他说，“希望养育出懂得相互尊重、能成为优秀世界公民的孩子。我的父亲就是其中之一。”
程高登的父亲程闽岱（Robert Trimble）出生于福建，在中国长到12岁。虽然此后大半人生在美国度过，但他一直能流利使用福州方言。
但在程高登年轻的时候，这段厚重的家族往事对他而言还只是抽象的故事。20世纪50年代，他在南加州长大，每当新闻里提到中国，他都会格外关注。家族团聚、前去看望祖父时，一家人常常在中餐馆相聚。
直到上世纪80年代末，中国改革开放后，年迈的父亲一心想重回童年故土。不顾身边人的劝阻，1989年，程高登夫妇陪同父亲踏上福建寻根之旅。时隔62年，父亲终于回到魂牵梦萦的地方，百感交集。
“那一刻，我能体会父亲心中的感受。” 回忆起走进历史悠久的校园，看见墙壁上依稀可辨的“Trimble”家族姓氏刻字时，程高登说，“一瞬间，血脉与历史的联结就此建立。”
这次寻根之后，程高登的父亲几乎每年都会重返福州，直至2014年离世。正是由他牵线，促成了福建华南女子职业学院与美国普吉湾大学（University of Puget Sound）的校际合作——当年他的祖父返回美国后，曾在这所大学担任校医。
二十多年来，程高登亲眼见证中国方方面面飞速发展：高铁、地铁、智能制造日新月异。
“过去20年，全世界最有活力、最值得生活的地方，就是中国。” 他感慨道。
2005年至今，程氏家族累计捐赠400万元人民币（约合59.72万美元）支持中国教育事业，推动普吉湾大学、福建华南女子职业学院与福建师范大学之间的交流项目。在他的资助下，已有20名美国毕业生来华担任英语教师，8位师生赴美国开展学术交流。
福建华南女子职业学院副校长吴岚葭表示：“程氏家族接力支持中国教育，正是跨越山海的国际友谊的生动写照。”
因为这份突出贡献，程高登荣获2025年度中国政府友谊奖，并获评2025年“感动福建”十大人物。夫妻二人于2024年双双获得中国永久居留身份证。
如今，鼓岭已发展成为中美青年交流的重要地标，举办文化节活动，将友谊的薪火代代相传。程高登曾在一场中美青年棒球交流活动中说道：“我们珍视中国朋友。福州，是我们心中的家。”
