A Letter: In Memory of Jeremy Prynne, and a Case Study of True Friendship Between China and the West

This commemorative essay serves a dual purpose: it pays heartfelt tribute to the distinguished British experimental poet Jeremy Prynne and records the long-term sincere cross-cultural friendship between the author and Prynne, which stands as a typical case of genuine communication between Chinese and Western intellectuals. Recounting over two decades of interactions starting from 2001, the text chronicles their weekly academic discussions at Cambridge, Prynne’s visiting scholar experience at Guangzhou University, more than a thousand exchanged emails, and multiple supportive gestures Prynne offered the author—including a three-and-a-half-page recommendation letter, full backing for the memorial of Chinese poet Xu Zhimo at King’s College, and his final consent to act as an advisor for the Chinese and European Association for Poetry and Poetics (CEAP) while seriously ill in bed. Beyond personal reminiscence, the essay reflects on a core obstacle to Sino-Western communication: insufficient literary reading and inadequate cultural immersion among language learners on both sides, which frequently trigger misunderstandings. To address this barrier, the author introduces his over-ten-year Modern English and Culture Education Program (MECEP), a reading-oriented teaching model proven effective in fostering cross-cultural linguistic and cultural competence. Rooted in the belief of shared humanity across civilizations, the author also shares his optimistic life outlook shaped by Prynne’s sober reminders of global evils, and defines his professional mission as an English educator to bridge China and the world through literary exchange. This memoir illustrates how sustained literary dialogue can transcend national divisions and build lasting mutual trust.