我与“南京人”的不解情缘

文/贺福

每天清晨，我坐在书桌前翻译《南京民国建筑地图》。这册书一共500页，经过大约3个月的努力，就可以付诸印刷出版，让北美地区的广大读者了解南京民国建筑的精华。

我在中国工作生活了近30年，亲身经历了中国改革发展翻天覆地的变化，向世界讲好“南京故事”、弘扬中华文化，就是我的使命！

来自苏格兰高地的青年

我叫Frank Hossack，中文名贺福。因为我的太太是中国人，她姓贺。在英国，她跟我姓；在中国，我跟她姓。

1969年，我出生于苏格兰，那里是一望无际的高原，有欧洲最美的风景，人烟稀少，生活安静而恬淡。

在那时，欧洲很多国家已经成为发达国家，社会发展、生活节奏都比较缓慢。我一眼就能看到未来，因为明天和今天一样，明年和今年也基本一样。我想改变，让人生有更多的可能。所以在1993年，24岁的我离开苏格兰高地，来到了中国上海。

I will be sitting at my desk and translatingevery morning, a book totaling 500 pages. After about 3 months of hard work, it can be printed and published so that readers in North America will get to know the best description of the architecture in Nanjing dating back to the Republic of China.

I have worked and lived in China for nearly 30 years, and have personally experienced the earth-shattering changes happened here due to its reform and development. As a result, I see it as my mission to tell Nanjing Story to the world and to promote Chinese culture!

A Young Man from the Scottish Highlands

My name is Frank Hossack and my Chinese name is He Fu. “He” is the family name of my wife who is a Chinese. In the UK, she adopts my surname, while in China, I adopt hers.

In 1969, I was born in Scotland, where an endless plateau with the most beautiful scenery in Europe lies. It was sparsely populated there, but life was quiet and peaceful back then.

At that time, many European countries had already become well-developed, resulting in a relatively slow social development and living pace. I could see the future at a glance as tomorrow would be the same as today and the next year will probably be the same as this one. I wanted to make a change and to seek more possibilities in my life. So in 1993, at the age of 24, I left the Scottish Highlands and came to Shanghai, China.

I spent 10 years in Shanghai as a producer of a music radio program and witnessed its economic take-off.

In 2003, I came to Nanjing and hosted music programs on Jiangsu Radio Station and Nanjing Radio Station, mainly introducing foreign pop music, and also hosted the “One Minute English Program”.

People are usually attracted by something unknown to them and find it hard to part with after knowing it so well. That is what happened between China and I, and also—my wife and I. In 2004, I met my beloved Nanjing girl He Wen who was studying abroad as a graduate student at that time. She worked in Shanghai after graduation. Although we had undergone a long-distance relationship for a while, that did not stop two hearts from getting closer and closer. Finally, we were able to live a happy life together. What is interesting is that He Wen was not the reason that I chose to stay in Nanjing. Actually, it was because my career in Nanjing needed help that brought He Wen back to her hometown.

我在上海生活了10年，担任一个音乐广播节目的制作人，见证了上海的发展与腾飞。

2003年，我来到南京，在江苏广播电台和南京广播电台主持音乐节目，主要介绍外国的流行音乐，同时也办过一档《一分钟英语》节目。

因为不了解而互相吸引，因为了解而离不开。我与中国、我与太太，都是如此。2004年，我遇见了心爱的南京姑娘贺雯。当时她在外国攻读研究生，毕业后又在上海工作。虽然经历了一段时间的异地恋，但我们最终还是幸福地走到了一起。有趣的是，并不是贺雯把我留在了南京，反而是我在南京的事业需要帮助，让她最终选择回到家乡。

中华文化博大精深，为了帮助外国人更好地了解中国的风土人情、融入当地社会，2009年我成立了南京贺福文化传媒有限公司，通过网站等传播渠道，帮助在南京的外国人获取最直接的生活讯息，了解这里的传统文化和风俗习惯。

创办英文杂志《南京人》

像我一样，在南京工作、学习、生活的“老外”有很多。他们对南京的历史文化感兴趣，想了解这里的人和事，也有获取生活资讯的“刚需”。南京，作为一座国际化的城市，同时也需要一本全英文杂志，而我正好可以做这件事。

2010年10月，我创办了英文月刊杂志（《南京人》）。杂志每一期都有一个主题，用“老外”熟悉的表达方式，讲述南京和南京人的故事。办杂志的第一年，我常常睡不好觉，担心办不好，有时甚至想过放弃。不过后来情况越来越好，读者越来越多，杂志发行到很多学校、餐馆、医院等地方，甚至在英国的图书馆里也能看到。除了每年1月和7月停刊外，杂志每年发行10期，到目前一共发行了113期，最近一期是2022年6月份出版的，主题是关于“梦想”。

现在，我还同时运营两个外文网站和一个外文微信公众号，面向南京和其他各地的“老外”，积极致力于中西方文化交流，并利用Facebook、Twitter和Instagram等国际社交媒体宣传南京和中华文化。

In order to help foreigners better understand the broad and profound Chinese culture and help those living in China to integrate into the local society, I established Nanjing Hefu Culture Media Co. Ltd. in 2009,hoping to provide foreigners in Nanjing with the newest life information and the most authentic culture and customs here through website and other communication channels.

Nanjinger, the English Magazine of Nanjing

Just like me, there are many foreigners working, studying and living in Nanjing. They are interested not only in the history and culture of Nanjing, but also in the people and stories here. It has become a must for them to have access to the life information of Nanjing. Nanjing, as an international city, at the same time, was also in need of an English magazine. I thought I would be the right person to do this.

In October 2010, I started the monthly English magazine(meaning the people of Nanjing). Each issue of the magazine had a theme, using expressions familiar to foreigners to tell the stories of Nanjing and its people. In the first year of running the magazine, I was worrying all the time about whether it was good or not and found it difficult to fall asleep for many nights. Sometimes, I even thought about giving up. But then things got better as more and more readers start to follow us. The magazine appeared in many schools, restaurants, hospitals, and other places, even in British libraries. Every year, 10 issues of the magazine are published except for January and July. So far, there are a total of 113 issues and the latest issue was published in June in 2022, with the theme “dream”.

I have dedicated myself to the cultural exchange between China and the West. Now, I also run two foreign language websites and a foreign language WeChat official account, targeting foreigners in Nanjing and other places in China. I also make good use of international social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to promote Nanjing and Chinese culture.

has also opened up a new world for me.

In 2017, on December 13—the National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, for the first time, my friends and I wrote a series of English articles on the website ofand our WeChat account,telling stories about foreigners such as Rabe and Minnie Vautrin, who had managed to protect the citizens of Nanjing during the Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese invaders. After that, every year during the National Memorial Day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre,will publish a special article in commemoration of these victims.

“We will win together” was the slogan created by my wife and me in 2020 to fight against the coronavirus pandemic. It was displayed on a giant electronic screen of a commercial building in Nanjing, causing quite a stir at the time.

Here in Nanjing, I am a foreigner, but not an outsider. After the out-break of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, although I was isolated at home, I kept myself busy by translating theposter into English with my wife. We posted it on our overseas website and accounts. I thought this road map of protection could clearly shows what should be done between the seven stages which are going to work, returning home, seeking medical attention, staying at home,washing your hands, outdoor and domestic observation, just like taking the subway. It had brought great convenience to foreigners living in China during the pandemic. Surprisingly, the English version of the poster had also aroused a lot of response after being posted on overseas social media accounts.

而，也为我的人生打开了一个新的世界。

2017年，在12月13日南京大屠杀死难者国家公祭日，我第一次和同伴们在网站、微信公众号，推出了一系列英语文章，讲述拉贝、魏特琳等外国人在侵华日军南京大屠杀期间保护南京市民的故事。之后，每年南京大屠杀死难者国家公祭日的时候，都会推出专文纪念。

2020年，我和妻子为抗击新冠肺炎疫情专门创作的英文口号“We will win together”，在南京商业楼宇的巨型电子大屏上展现，当时还引起了不小的轰动。

在南京，我是外国人，但不是外人。2020年新冠肺炎疫情发生后，虽然隔离在家，但我一直没闲着，和妻子一起将“预防新型冠状病毒”海报翻译为英文版并放在自己的海外网站和账号上。我觉得这张防护措施路线图，把上班、返程、就医、宅家、洗手、户外和居家观察七个流程，像乘地铁线路一样直观地呈现出来，简洁明了，给在中国生活的外国人带来极大便利。值得高兴的是，这一幅英文版海报在海外社交媒体账户上推出之后，引发了很大的反响。

我还做了其他很多事，比如在网站和微信公众号上及时更新相关信息，介绍中国的疫情防控措施，提醒读者一些必要的防护措施和最新政策。

我的一位老同事在伦敦广播公司（LBC）的电台工作，看到我发布的南京抗疫故事，主动联系了我，并在2020年3月17日的一档节目中与我对话，介绍了南京抗疫情况。英国广播公司（BBC）得知这一情况，也联系上我，做了一次连线采访。

在BBC的节目中，我详细介绍了南京的情况。南京的防疫工作做得很好。疫情期间，南京人除了戴口罩，还有很多防护措施，比如部分小区实施封闭式管理，这意味着进入小区都要测体温。关于外来人口的管理，我重点介绍了“宁归来”“苏康码”两个APP的使用，通过大数据分析，对不同人员落实分级分类管理。疫情严重地区来南京的人员需隔离观察14天等。当时，我有不少亲朋好友都在英国，我非常担心他们的现状。我在BBC的节目中介绍南京的抗疫经验，希望英国民众加强个人防护和消毒，减少出门和聚集，保护好自己和家人。

除了写南京和南京人的故事，我还牵线南京与家乡苏格兰的文化交流。很多外国人对云锦特别钟情，我就找来曾为英国女王设计服装的著名设计师和苏格兰毛呢传承人，共同设计了一款前所未有的苏格兰云锦礼服。同时，我拍摄了一部纪录片展示古老云锦的国际性价值。

I also updated relevant information on my website and WeChat official account timely to introduce China’s pandemic prevention and controlling measures, and to inform readers of some necessary protective measures and the latest policies regarding to pandemic prevention.

A former colleague of mine works at London Broadcast Company (LBC)radio station in the UK. He saw my story about fighting the epidemic in Nanjing and contacted me. He talked to me on his program on March 17, 2020, and invited me to introduce the situation of pandemic prevention in Nanjing. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also contacted me to do a wired interview after knowing this.

In the BBC program, I made a detailed description of the situation in Nanjing. Nanjing has done an excellent job in its epidemic prevention.During the epidemic, wearing a mask is the basic requirement for a citizen. Besides, the government of Nanjing also took many protective measures. For example, some communities implemented a closedoff management, which means that everyone entering the community should be taken with their body temperature. Regarding the management of the migrant population, I mainly focused on the use of two apps—”Safe Returning” and “Jiangsu Health Code”. With the help of big data analysis, the management of different personnel differs due to their travelling history and other related information. Those who came to Nanjing from areas with severe pandemic influence needed to be quarantined and observed for 14 days. At that time, I was very worried about the situation of my many relatives and friends back in the UK. I introduced Nanjing’s anti-epidemic experience in the BBC program and hoped that British people would strengthen personal protection and disinfection, reduce outdoor activities and gatherings to protect themselves and their families.

In addition to writing stories about Nanjing and its people, I also tried to facilitate the cultural communication between Nanjing and my hometown Scotland. Many foreigners have a special love for Yunjin(Cloud brocade), so I contacted with a famous designer who once designed clothing for the Queen and the inheritor of Scottish wool—an intangible cultural heritage to jointly design an unprecedented Scottish Yunjin dress. At the same time, I filmed a documentary to show the international vision presented by the ancient Yunjin.

Every Day Here is Full of Possibilities

Nanjing is a city where tradition and modernity coexist.

这里的每一天都有无限可能

南京，是一座历史与现代交融的城市。

我觉得我很幸运能在南京生活，这里有厚重的历史文化底蕴，也有发达的交通网络、日新月异的城市发展。由于工作原因，我需要经常往来于长三角地区，便捷快速的高铁是我最喜欢的交通工具。购票、进站、上车，一系列服务不仅细致周到，而且准时高效。列车每天运送成千上万的旅客，但每一趟都是准时出发、准点到达，很少晚点。这些年来，轨道上的“长三角”让我印象深刻。我刚来中国时，上海到南京要坐6个小时火车，现在只需要一个多小时。

高铁、高速公路、城际公交、轨道交通、过江大桥、沿海港口等构成的长三角区域一体联通交通网，更是大大拉近了南京等长三角城市之间的时空距离。我将一个个真实的故事分享给外国人，让他们更多地了解南京的日新月异，了解中国的蓬勃发展。

来到中国、定居南京，是我人生最好的决定！南京很多方面都很独特，这个城市让我觉得放松。闲暇时，我可以去颐和路、紫金山、老门东，感受到南京厚重的历史文化底蕴。周末，我喜欢带着妻子和孩子去江宁、高淳、溧水的美丽乡村，那里空气很清新、风景优美，非常适合散心散步。

在这里，所有一切都在快速发展，你会发现这座城市每年都有新面貌。无论你住在哪里，都能感受到经济和社会发展带来的变化。这里的生活有无限可能。

从最初把西方音乐介绍给中国听众，到现在让中华文化走向世界，我亲身经历并见证了中国这些年快速发展的步伐。近20年来，我坚持用文字和影像还原南京的温情与美丽，并努力将这种爱与美传递给每一位走进与路过这座城市的国际友人。我很荣幸被授予“江苏友谊奖”和“情动江苏·杰出国际友人”。

我的家在南京，我的事业在南京。我的孩子和《南京人》杂志同年诞生、共同成长。未来，我将继续发挥自己的专业特长和资源优势，用全部的热爱和激情架起南京与世界沟通的桥梁，向世界讲好中国故事、讲好南京故事，为构建人类命运共同体贡献一份力量！

I feel very lucky to live in Nanjing where has many historical and cultural heritages. The ever-changing urban development has helped the city build up a sophisticated public transportation system. Due to my job, I need to travel a lot within the Yangtze River Delta region. The convenient high-speed railway is my favorite way of transportation.A series of services, including buying tickets, entering the station and getting on the train can offer passengers with careful and warm experience. Thousands of passengers are transported every day and they can leave and arrive on time due to the high efficiency of the rail system.Over the years, I have been deeply impressed by a Yangtze River Delta moving on the track. When I first came to China, it took me 6 hours to travel from Shanghai to Nanjing by train, but now the time is reduced to only more than an hour.

The integrated transportation network of the Yangtze River Delta region composed of high-speed railways, expressways, cross-city coaches,rail transit, river-crossing bridges, and coastal ports has greatly shortened the distance between cities in the Yangtze River Delta including Nanjing. I tell foreigners about these stories so that they can learn more about the rapid development of Nanjing and moreover, the vigorous development of China.

Coming to China and settling in Nanjing was the best decision of my life! Nanjing is unique in many ways. I feel very comfortable and relaxed here. In my spare time, I can go to Yihe Road, Zijin Mountain and Laomendong to feel the rich historical and cultural atmosphere of Nanjing. On weekends, I like to take my wife and children to the beautiful countryside of Jiangning, Gaochun, and Lishui where the air is fresh and the scenery is beautiful to go for a walk.

Here in Nanjing, everything is changing fast as you can discover the new look of the city every year. No matter where you live, you can feel the change brought by economic development and social progress. Life here is full of possibilities!

From a young man who hoped to spread Western music to Chinese audience to today’s He Fu who tried to introduce Chinese culture to the world, I have personally experienced and witnessed the path of China’s rapid development over the past few years. In the past 20 years, I have insisted on restoring the warmth and beauty of Nanjing with words and images, and tried my best to convey this love and beauty to every international friend who walks into or passes by the city. I was honored to be awarded the “Jiangsu Friendship Award” and “Affectionate Jiangsu · Outstanding International Friends”.

My home is in Nanjing, and so is my career. My child and my magazine were born in the same year and grew up together. In the future, I will continue to take advantage of my expertise and resources to build a bridge between Nanjing and the world with all my love and enthusiasm. By telling the stories of China and Nanjing to the world, I hope to contribute to the building a global community of shared future for mankind!