Beginning in 1982 I began to take the study and translation of Helen Snow’s works and life as my lifetime career. In September 1982 I visited the United States with the provincial government delegation and discussed with the governor of Minnesota about the establishment of a sister state/province relationship. The delegation stayed in New York City for two days and then went on to Minnesota.
During our brief stay in New York, we were hosted by Sharon Crain who was a neighbor of Helen Snow. Through the introduction of Helen Snow, Sharon Crain had visited Xi’an in 1979 and we two had already become good friends. Sharon Crain fully understood Helen Snow and also understood what was in my mind. She strongly suggested that the delegation make a flying visit to Helen Snow in Madison, Connecticut. The delegation leader was Madam Sun Ming, the first lady of Shaanxi Province and the deputy director general of foreign affairs office. Since Sharon was so friendly and sweet, Sun Ming could not resist her sincere request. Although she did not want to go, she said, “Well, we will wait and see if we have time.” This was, from a Chinese perspective, a very polite refusal. However, the sincere Sharon Crane did not understand Sun Ming’s reply in that way. As soon as day broke, she drove to the Consulate General in New York City where we stayed, and picked us up and took us out for breakfast. She personally acted as our driver and tour guide and made full use of every minute. In one day we nearly covered all the places in New York City, and at the dinner time Sharon Crain suggested to Sun Ming again, “Tomorrow we will go to visit Helen Snow. The scenery is very beautiful along the way, and my home is also there.”
That day Helen Snow wore the Chinese style silk jacket presented to her by Deng Yingchao (Madam Zhou Enlai) as a gift. She stood at the doorway to welcome us, smiling. As an interpreter I introduced her to our boss Madam Sun Ming and He Kejing. But it seemed that she forgot all of her formality and could not wait to hug me. This was the first time I had been to Helen’s home. I was very excited and happy to meet her again.
I was greatly affected by my meeting with Helen in Madison. I was speechless; I could scarcely control myself. What I felt was only touching, sympathetic, emotional, and respectful. Helen’s ideas and strength of character are just what we need in our society. I was determined to do my best to help by doing what Helen wanted but was unable to do. I would translate her works and get them published in China and help more people understand her. I was determined to make an in-depth study of her life and disseminate the outstanding contribution she made to human progress, and disseminate her ideas and spiritual legacy. After 1982 I had a much clearer goal and determination for the study and translation of Helen Snow’s life and works.
From September 1985 to September 1986 I had the opportunity to lecture as a visiting scholar at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. And nearly every weekend I went to Madison, Connecticut. I stayed with Helen Snow to help her sort her manuscripts and files to try to understand her way of life and her way of work and learn more about her ideas and character, including the tones in her daily conversation and in making speeches as well as the details of her hobbies and everyday life, because I believed all of these details were very important in understanding her life and writing her biography. Only in this way could I give a vivid picture of such an outstanding person. During all these weekends of this one-year period I had many long conversations with Helen. We talked about the key issues, and I tried to tape them. I taped over 20 tapes, took about 100 slides plus another 100 photographs.