On September 25, more than 30 Chinese Christians from the Washington, D.C. area gathered at the Museum of the Bible to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of John Leighton Stuart (1876–1962).
Organized by Olive Bridge, a cross-cultural research and dialogue platform, the event was titled "The Bridge Still Stands—John Leighton Stuart at 150: A Commemorative Gathering of Historical Readings and Dialogue."
Born in Hangzhou in 1876 to American Presbyterian missionary parents, John Leighton Stuart spent much of his life in China as a Christian educator and helped establish Yenching University, becoming its first president. He later served as U.S. ambassador to China from 1946. His life connected education, faith, culture, and diplomacy, ultimately linking China and the United States.
The gathering featured a 45-minute historical film of readings centered on the life of John Leighton Stuart. Drawing on autobiographies, diaries, letters, and memoirs by Stuart and his contemporaries—including Liu Tingfang, Hu Shih, Bing Xin, Wen Yiduo, Huang Hua, Fei Xiaotong, and members of the Yenching University community—the film combined historical photographs, archival materials, and footage to tell his story.
Olive Bridge had previously held commemorative events in Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Nanjing. The Washington, D.C., gathering continued this approach, presenting historical texts and film with English subtitles to introduce Stuart's life to audiences in the United States within the broader context of China-U.S. relations.
Following the screening, participants discussed Stuart's Christian faith and educational legacy, as well as his example of cross-cultural engagement and the role of individuals in fostering understanding between China and the United States.
"Nowadays, people—you can judge someone just based on one sentence that they said, saying whether they're your enemy," said Dr. Chou, a media professional based in Washington, D.C. He emphasized the need for bridge-builders like Stuart to foster genuine friendships and mutual understanding.
"You can tell that he was fully committed to China. At the same time, he can be fully committed to Christianity or fully committed to the U.S. … His heart was so wide that he could be fully committed to things that feel like they cannot be together… That was the most impactful thing for me and challenging thing for me: to have such a wide heart," he said.
Mary, a longtime educator, reflected on the Chinese identity of students born in the United States and their potential to build bridges between the two countries. "They feel they are Chinese," she said, describing that sense of identity as precious. She recalled telling her students, "You will become a bridge in the future."
