In 2005, American sociologist Mark Levine stepped onto China’s soil for the first time to start a new English teaching job at Huaiyin Teachers College in Huai’an, Jiangsu Province. Having lived in large, metropolitan cities in the United States for most of his life and spent the last 30 years as a full-time labor and community organizer, he was looking for something different.
马克•力文于2005年来到中国，在中国第一任总理周恩来的故乡——江苏省淮安市执教两年。马克•力文曾在美国多个社区的低收入工人组织内从事了近三十年的专职志愿者工作。
American sociologist Mark Levine has lived in China for nine years, teaching Chinese people about Western culture and the diversity of their country through music and writing.
马克•力文在中国已经生活了9个年头了，他教人们通过音乐和写作认识西方的文化和历史。
“I ended up taking a job at Huaiyin because the very first line of the letter asking me to come said, ‘The city of Huai’an is the hometown of the first premier of the People’s Republic of China, Zhou Enlai,” says Mark, who is also a part of the Chinese musical duo, In Side Out. It seemed like a good opportunity to learn more about the country.
第一次写信跟我的朋友们谈论我在淮安的工作，淮安是第一任总理周恩来的故乡，中国民间乐器也是我们组合“秀外慧中”的一部分，这样我就有更多的机会了解这个城市。
When he first came to Huai’an, he only knew a handful of facts about modern Chinese history. Now a nationally recognized foreign expert on Chinese culture and policy, Mark has dedicated his life to building connections between the West and China, and even teaching Chinese people about each other.
我第一次来淮安知道了一些当地的历史，现在是全国公认的致力于将中国的传统文化与西方的文化进行融合的人。
American sociologist Mark Levine has lived in China for nine years, teaching Chinese people about Western culture and the diversity of their country through music and writing.
(Photo by Mark Levine and his S•yairi Custom Guitar /www.syairi.com)
马克•力文在中国已经生活了9个年头了，他教人们通过音乐和写作认识西方的文化和历史。(图片是马克•力文和他的雅依利YD-42定制吉他 www.syairi.com)
