At the end of May 2024, David Hankin, Steven Hankin, and Moriah LeFebvre took a long flight from the United States to China, bringing the precious artifacts and historical materials related to the Nanjing Massacre. They are the descendants of Charles Riggs (Chinese name: Lin Chali), a member of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone. In Nanjing, they met with Charles Riggs's great-grandson Chris Hankin (Chinese name: Lin Kui), an international student at Nanjing University, and embarked on an extraordinary journey.
Donating Historical Artifacts: On May 27, Charles Riggs's descendants donated 8 sets of precious artifacts and historical materials to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. The donated items included a Blue Jade Medal, and this donation marked the first time the Memorial Hall had collected the medal. “The Memorial Hall is the best place to keep it, so that more people can learn about the history. It’s just exactly what Charles Riggs would want.”
Exploring Nanjing: During their five days in Nanjing, they visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, Nanjing University, Nanjing Normal University, and John Rabe-Former Residence. “People like Charles Riggs and Minnie Vautrin stood up during that time to help protect Chinese refugees, and the Chinese people have always been grateful to them.”
Reconnecting: A Chinese nursery song humming at the beginning of a short film created by Moriah, the stone camels at the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum looking just the same as in the old photo, and the southern magnolia flowers representing endless vitality at Nanjing Normal University... Many corners of the city of Nanjing bear the imprints of the Charles Riggs family. “Following the old objects, we came to Nanjing. This time, we learned more about Charles Riggs and forged new connections.”
“The stories of China-U.S. relations are written by our peoples. The future of China-U.S. relations will be created by our peoples.”
From 1916 to 2024, a span of 108 years, the four generations of the Charles Riggs family maintain such profound connections with China, across the Pacific Ocean and without interruption. As time passes by, history is still alive. Connect and continue. Continue and reconnect.
2024年5月末，南京安全區國際委員會委員查爾斯·里格斯（中文名：林查理）的外孫大衛·漢金、外孫斯蒂文·漢金和曾外孫女莫里亞·勒費弗爾，從美國出發，飛越浩瀚的太平洋，順利抵達南京。他們帶來了有關南京大屠殺史實的珍貴文物資料，與林查理的曾外孫、南京大學留學生克里斯·漢金（中文名：林奎）見面，開啟一段不同尋常的中國之旅。
捐贈史料。5月27日，林查理后人將8件（套）珍貴文物捐贈給侵華日軍南京大屠殺遇難同胞紀念館，其中包括一枚白色紅藍鑲采玉勛章，此次是采玉勛章首次捐贈南京。“將它放在中國的紀念館，能讓更多人知曉歷史，這應該也是林查理想要看到的。”
尋訪南京。在南京的這5天，他們尋訪了侵華日軍南京大屠殺遇難同胞紀念館、南京大學、南京師范大學和拉貝故居等地。“那時，曾外祖父、魏特琳那群人，他們伸出援手，保護了那么多的中國難民，而對他們，中國人民也從未停止過感恩。”
再度聯結。自創短片開頭的中文兒歌哼唱、明孝陵石駱駝一如照片上模樣、南京師范大學的廣玉蘭花生生不息……這座城市的許多角落都有林查理家族故事的印記。“循著以前的物件，我們來到這里。我們重新看見了林查理，也重新達成了新的聯結。”
“中美關系的故事由人民書寫。中美關系的未來也必將由兩國人民共同創造。”
從1916年到2024年，108年間，林查理家族四代人隔著太平洋，和一個遙遠的國家不曾間斷地延續著深刻的聯結。時間在走，歷史從未遠去，在聯結中延續，在延續中再度聯結。
出品Publisher / 顧雷鳴Gu Leiming
監制Chief supervisors / 沈崢嶸Shen Zhengrong 朱威Zhu Wei
