On the afternoon of June 7, the opening ceremony for the "Pearls of the East, Harmony with the West—Memorial Exhibition of Nobel Prize Laureate Pearl S. Buck" took place at the Huaihai Road Branch of the Shanghai Library.
The exhibition was jointly organized by the Shanghai Library, the Shanghai Art Collection Museum, and the New York Public Library, with the support of Pearl S. Buck International, the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Foundation, the West Virginia and Regional History Center, and Pearl S. Buck's Former Residence in Zhenjiang, China. The ceremony was attended by over 40 guests, including organizers, leading scholars in Pearl S. Buck studies and Sino-American cultural research, as well as reporters.
Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) was the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Most of her works focused on the lives of ordinary Chinese people, a theme closely related to her personal experiences.
At just five months after her birth, Pearl Buck was brought to China by her parents, who were Southern Presbyterian missionaries. She spent 18 years, spanning her childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, and later lived and worked in other Chinese cities. In 1934, she left China, having spent nearly four decades in the country. She referred to Chinese as her "first language" and regarded Zhenjiang as her "hometown in China," where her former residence has since been preserved and turned into a memorial site.
Her most famous novel, The Good Earth, is set in the rural regions of northern Anhui and follows the life of a Chinese farmer, Wang Lung, and his wife, O-Lan. Through resilience and hard work, they overcome poverty and natural disasters, eventually achieving prosperity and building a multi-generational household. The novel reflects Buck's deep empathy and insight into Chinese rural life, offering Western readers an epic portrayal of Chinese farmers and challenging prevailing Western stereotypes of China. The book earned her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1932 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938. It was later adapted into a Hollywood film in the 1930s. In addition, Buck translated the Chinese classic Shui Hu Zhuan (Water Margin) into English as All Men Are Brothers, introducing the values of loyalty and righteousness from traditional Chinese literature to Western audiences.
Even after returning to the United States in 1934, Buck remained devoted to fostering understanding between East and West. Former U.S. President Richard Nixon once described her as "a human bridge between Eastern and Western civilizations," while President George H. W. Bush credited his early appreciation and understanding of China to reading her works.
The Shanghai Library places significance on this exhibition. In a preview published on its official WeChat account, the exhibition was described as "(It's) not only a tribute to this great female writer but also a reaffirmation of the original aspiration of 'mutual learning among civilizations.' At a time when globalization and anti-globalization coexist, Pearl S. Buck's spiritual legacy serves as a reminder that only by embracing differences with an open mind and resolving misunderstandings through dialogue can the tree of human civilization remain evergreen."
The hosting library introduces that this memorial exhibition coincides with the 95th anniversary of the publication of Pearl S. Buck's first novel, East Wind: West Wind. Centered on the theme of the clash between Chinese and American cultures, the novel marked the beginning of her lifelong literary journey dedicated to fostering East-West exchange. The exhibition traces Buck's life and legacy through nearly 200 exhibits, including manuscripts, letters, photographs, documentary footage, personal objects, and over 100 books available for display and reading. It unfolds in three thematic sections: "Writing the Earth," "Between China and the West," and "Mutual Understanding of Civilizations." The exhibition also features authorized replicas of Pearl S. Buck's Pulitzer Prize certificate and Nobel Prize medal, both recommended by the organizers.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Chen Chao, director of the Shanghai Library, remarked that in today's world, where conflict and dialogue between civilizations coexist, only by embracing differences with openness and resolving misunderstandings through dialogue can the tree of human civilization remain evergreen.
Mr. Hu Muqing, president of the Shanghai Art Collection Museum, shared details of the planning and design of the exhibition. He noted that the exhibition is not only a tribute to an exceptional writer but also a continuation of Pearl S. Buck's enduring spirit of cross-cultural understanding. He expressed hope that the exhibition would serve as a renewed opportunity for mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations in the new era.
Brent Reidy, the New York Public Library's Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries, stated that Pearl Buck's works remain profoundly moving. Through literature, she broke down barriers and reminded people to preserve human warmth in a complex world. In a video message, he emphasized that this transcontinental and cross-cultural collaboration highlights the continued relevance of Buck's mission to bridge divides and foster empathy in today's interconnected world.
Following the opening ceremony, a supporting event titled "Writing the Earth, Communicating Between China and the West—Pearl S. Buck Literary Dialogue" was held. The forum invited scholars from China and the United States to engage in discussion on Pearl S. Buck's literary accomplishments and cultural legacy, adding academic depth and cultural significance to the exhibition.
Originally published by the Christian Times
- Translated by Poppy Chan
