Global Times - Sidney Shapiro loves China and the Chinese

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Sidney Shapiro loves China and the Chinese

Source: Global Times
[16:46 September 24 2009]
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In 1963, Shapiro successfully became a naturalized Chinese citizen and decided to stay in China forever. He missed his mother in the US so much and said, “I left my mother for 16 years. After several months when I got my Chinese citizenship paper, my mother secretly flew from the US to China to see me. She was 70-years-old at that time. She had never sat on a plane before and she flew from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Finally she arrived in Shenzhen. My colleagues took turns to accompany with her to go everywhere. However, when she returned to the States, her passport was cancelled, because she violated the rule of not visiting China.”

At the beginning of the 1970s, the chill of China-US relations began to thaw. Shapiro returned back to his hometown after 25 years. He was the first person who visited the US with Chinese papers. After that, Shapiro always saw his mother every two or three years and returned back to Beijing after one or two months.

The year 1979 was a great turning point for Shapiro. He published his first book, An American in China. In that same year, an American publisher released the paperback edition. He was invited to give a speech in the US. Shapiro recalled, “In September 1979, Feng went with me to America. Our work unit purchased the air tickets for us. This was the first time Feng went to America. The Washington Post assigned an excellent columnist to interview us.”

Shapiro retired with honors in 1983 to become a member of the Chinese People’s Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He spent a lot time observing and studying everywhere. This job seemed to make him busier than his previous work. He frequently wrote essays about the conditions of China’s reform and opening up policy and sat in front of computer everyday at 8 am. To keep fit, Shapiro does shadowboxing everyday. He added, “I am also addicted to tai chi. I do it while listening to music, Chinese and foreign, modern and classical.”

Ten years ago his beloved Feng passed away. He lives with his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Shapiro said, “My granddaughter does not want to live in the US for the rest of her life. After finishing her university studies, she returned to China and now works for an American company. Her husband also decided to live in China.”

Shapiro’s fascinating life all began here and will not leave. “I have taken root in China. After I died, I hope my ashes can stay in China forever.”