US scholar moves to China to trace family roots

An American scholar follows in her grandparents' footsteps, moving to China to trace her family roots. Along the way, she has come to believe that encouraging Americans to see China for themselves could help break down diplomatic barriers.

Ellen's journey begins with her grandmother's Chinese jewellery box-an heirloom that crossed the Pacific a century ago.

Deputy Dean of Global Business and Leadership at Sofia University, Ellen Touchstone, says: "Couple of years ago, I decided to to string it on a bracelet, so that I would have my grandmother, her strength and her wisdom with me."

Ellen's grandparents arrived in China in the early 20th century.

By 1917, her grandfather was serving on the management board at Soochow University, while her grandmother worked as head nurse at the university hospital. They fell in love in Suzhou, married in the 1920s, and soon welcomed their first child.

She says: "This is my grandfather with my Aunt Mary, Mary Alice Touchstone, this was in the Suzhou university campus."

Raised in the American Midwest, Ellen went on to become an international business professor.

Fourteen years ago, an unexpected teaching offer from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou brought her right back to where her story began.

She says: "l am not a religious person, but I just took it as a sign yuanfen, destiny, that I needed to come back to China. We Touchstones have been here in China for over 100 years, making a difference, building capacity in education and healthcare, and yeah, I find it very inspirational."

"lt's so great to see you. I have a gift for you."

Ellen recently moved to Beijing to write her next chapter. Having lived in China for over a decade, with former students across the nation, she has witnessed the ebbs and flows of Sino-US relations.

Despite geopolitical tensions, she remains convinced that people-to-people connections matter most.

Ellen says: "My role needs to be as a good example of an American person who loves living in China, respects Chinese culture. It speaks the importance of people to people exchange, which I think we have been lacking."

"We've got to bring more American people over to see what China looks like because they really don't have any idea."

President Xi Jinping has mentioned a couple times that the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people. Media reports that the number of American visitors to China has gradually picked up in recent years, with around two million arrivals from the United States recorded last year approaching to pre pandemic level.