Firm belief, eternal friendship

1 The presentation ceremony for the national medals and honorary titles of the People’s Republic of China was held at the Great Hall of the People in 2019. Among all the laureates, a white-haired elderly lady was in the spotlight. She was awarded the Friendship Medal, China’s highest order of honor for foreigners. When Isabel Crook walked slowly onto the stage, there was a burst of enthusiastic applause to salute this 104-year-old laureate. At that moment, she couldn’t help thinking of her husband David Crook. If he were still alive, he would have definitely appeared on the podium with her.

2 The Crooks belonged to the generation who grew up during the raging flames of the two world wars. The call of the times prompted them to hold a communist belief, so later they both joined the British Communist Party. In November 1947, with a letter of introduction from the British Communist Party, they crossed the oceans, broke through the blockade lines, and finally arrived in Shilidian in the old revolutionary base area of the Taihang Mountains in China.

3 Arranged by relevant leaders of the Communist Party of China, the Crooks became members of a work team in Shilidian, which reexamined the whole process of the land reform, together with the peasants and the Party organization there. Meanwhile, they noted down what they had observed. The observations were later published in the book Revolution in a Chinese Village: Ten Mile Inn. In 1948, when they were preparing to leave China, some leaders of the Party invited them to stay to help train foreign language personnel for New China.

4 Although totally unprepared, the Crooks put aside their original plan. Out of their heartfelt dedication to the cause of the Chinese revolution, they went to the Central Foreign Affairs School, the predecessor of Beijing Foreign Studies University, to report for duty--a turning point in the course of their life. For more than half a century, they worked tirelessly and conscientiously for China’s foreign language education. When people asked them, “Why did you choose to work in China?”, they responded, “The main reason, of course, is our political commitment.”

5 It is this sense of commitment derived from their belief that enabled them to cultivate brotherly friendships with the Chinese people. While working in Shilidian, they always shared their joys and sorrows with the villagers. The Crooks learned how to carry manure to the fields on a shoulder pole and how to use a Chinese hoe. They were often seen squatting by the fields with rice bowls in their hands, chatting while eating with the villagers. As a result, the villagers ceased to regard the Crooks as “foreigners” and treated them as their members of the family.

6 The Crooks were always eager to integrate with the masses no matter when and where. Tall and dressed in the blue cotton-padded uniform, they looked like everyone else around them, except for their faces. They gnawed wowotou and pickles and ate cabbage soup together with others during the difficult times. They also took the initiative to request cutting their salary. They never complained about the harsh conditions because of their faith in communism.

7 The common belief in communism also led to comradely friendships. People always called the Crooks comrades. When they revisited Shilidian, the local people affectionately called them “Comrade David” and “Comrade Isabel”. Even our beloved Premier Zhou Enlai cordially called them comrades and regarded them as good friends of the Chinese people.

8 The Crooks, who blazed a trail in the field of English teaching in New China, contributed to the training of generation after generation of foreign language talent in the fields of foreign affairs, history, trade and finance, journalism, education, etc. They were all inspired by the Crooks’ spirit of selfless devotion. In the early 1960s, when the Soviet Union withdrew all their experts from China, the Crooks chose to stay. They said, “China is faced with economic difficulties. At a crucial moment like this, we can’t just leave.” So, without hesitation, they turned down the job offer from the University of Leeds.

9 The life of the Crooks in China was both ordinary and extraordinary. It was ordinary because they were always in the grass roots--a member of the Shilidian work team and a faculty member at school. It was extraordinary because they left their homeland for the Chinese revolutionary cause, to which they made an absolute commitment. The friendship between the Crooks and the Chinese people is eternal! The Chinese people will never forget what David Crook said in the 1980s: “I am confident that by the end of this century … China, which Isabel and I love, which has become our second homeland, will be creating a strong socialist society.”

坚定的信仰，永恒的友谊

1 2019年，在人民大会堂举行了中华人民共和国国家勋章和国家荣誉称号颁授仪式。在所有的获奖者中,一位白发苍苍的年长女士成为人们关注的焦点。她被授予“友谊勋章”，这是授予外国人士的中国国家最高荣誉勋章。当伊莎白·柯鲁克缓步走上领奖台时，会场爆发出一阵热烈的掌声，向这位104岁高龄的获奖者致敬。那一刻，她不禁想起她的丈夫大卫·柯鲁克。假如他还在世，他肯定会和她一起出现在颁奖台上。

2 柯鲁克夫妇属于在两次世界大战的烽火硝烟中成长起来的那一代人。时代的召唤促使他们胸怀共产主义信仰，因此后来他们双双加入了英国共产党。1947年1月，带着英国共产党的一封介绍信，他们跨越重洋，冲破封锁线，最终来到了位于中国太行山老革命根据地的十里店。

3 在中共有关领导的安排下，柯鲁克夫妇成为十里店工作队的队员。在那儿，工作队与当地的农民和党组织一起对土改的全过程进行了复查。同时，柯鲁克夫妇把自己观察到的都记录了下来。这些观察记录后来被编纂成书——《十里店——中国一个村庄的革命》——并出版。1948年，当他们准备离开中国时，中共有关领导人邀请他们留下来帮助新中国培训外语人才。

4 虽然对此完全没有准备，但是柯鲁克夫妇还是搁置了原先的计划。怀着对中国革命事业的赤诚之心，他们赶赴中央外事学校（北京外国语大学的前身)报到——这成为他们人生道路上的一个转折点。在半个多世纪里，他们兢兢业业地为中国的外语教育工作不懈努力。当人们问他们：“你们为什么选择在中国工作？”他们回答：“主要原因当然是我们的政治责任。”

5 正是这种源自信仰的责任感使他们与中国人民之间有了兄弟般的情谊。在十里店工作时，他们一直与村民同甘共苦。柯鲁克夫妇学会了肩挑扁担往地里送肥和使用中式锄头。人们经常看到他们端着饭碗蹲在田间地头，与村民们边吃边聊。于是，村民们不再把柯鲁克夫妇当作“外国人”，而把他们当成自己的家人。

6 无论何时何地，柯鲁克夫妇总是渴望与群众打成一片。他们个子高大，身着蓝色棉制服，除了长相以外，看起来和周围的其他人一样。在困难时期，他们跟其他人一起啃窝头、吃咸菜、喝菜汤。他们还主动要求削减工资。他们从不抱怨环境艰苦，因为他们胸怀共产主义信仰。

7 对共产主义的共同信仰也孕育了同志般的友谊。人们总是称呼柯鲁克夫妇为同志。当他们重访十里店时，当地的人们热情地称他们为“大卫同志”和“伊莎白同志”。就连我们敬爱的周恩来总理也亲切地称他们为同志,并把他们看作是中国人民的好朋友。

8 柯鲁克夫妇是新中国英语教学领域的先行者、为培养一代又一代外事、历史、贸易和金融、新闻、教育等领域的外语人才作出了贡献。这些人都受到柯鲁克夫妇无私奉献精神的激励。20世纪60年代初，当苏联从中国撤走所有专家时，柯鲁克夫妇选择了留下。他们说：“中国正面临经济困难。在这样一个关键时刻，我们不能一走了之。”因此，他们毫不犹豫地拒绝了英国利兹大学的工作机会。

9 柯鲁克夫妇在中国的生活既平凡又不平凡。说平凡是因为作为十里店工作队和学校教师中的一员，他们始终身处基层。说不平凡是因为他们离开自己的家乡，全心全意地投入到中国的革命事业中。柯鲁克夫妇和中国人民的友谊是永恒的!中国人民永远不会忘记大卫·柯鲁克在20世纪80年代说过的话：“我相信到本世纪末……中国，这个我和伊莎白热爱的国家，也是我们的第二故乡，将成为一个强大的社会主义社会。”