May 2, 2026 14:00-17:00
305 Friends Way, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
The Talk
The China Folk House – a “Human Anchor” in a Virtual Age
Panelists
- Kurt Campbell (Former Deputy Secretary of State 前美国外交部副部长)
- Stephen Biegun (Former Deputy Secretary of State 前美国外交部副部长)
The Tea
Three Realms of Tea (三道茶）: A gathering over tea where eastern and western elegance meet
- Three-Course Tea curated by our Yunnan tea master
- Pastries exclusively crafted for this event by a Le Cordon Bleu Pastry Chef
- A live performance of music.
- Story tellings about tea, tea history and tea culture. 从一片叶子到一种文明
Fee: $120/person
Hosted by
北大校友： Peking University Alumni
大华府云南同乡会：Yunnan People Association
With generous support from:
半杯清茶社 Tea4Soul
栖心小院 The Mindful Space
John Flower, a Sidwell Friends School teacher, along with volunteers, dismantled and brought back a Yunnan Folk House that would be submerged in water by a dam to this beautiful Blue Ridge mountain top with Shenandoah River running close by.
For more than a decade, John and Pam have led American students to live and learn in Yunnan, immersing them deeply in the region’s culture and daily life, giving students firsthand understanding of anthropology, nature, and economics of this highland.
In an age when everything can be virtual, China Folk House stands as a real human anchor. To ensure that the stories held beneath these bricks and tiles are passed down through generations, we are not only preserving a building—we are building a pathway of the heart toward the future.
This year’s fundraising centers on illuminating young minds. Unlike restricted funds, our scholarship program is the fertile soil that sustains the growth of China Folk House:
Planting Seeds: Every donation becomes a stepping stone for students—whether it supports a transformative study trip to China ($4,000 per student) or an immersive summer language program ($1,500 per student).
Growing a Forest: Supporting students is also sustaining the House. These funds help power our team and daily operations, ensuring this cultural landmark thrives over time.
A Bridge Across the American Heartland: We are launching an exciting new chapter with the offering of summer scholarships to financially challenged students. Reaching our $30,000 goal will allow us to offer 7 dedicated scholarships to students from America’s heartland or West Virginia, planting the seeds of cross-cultural friendship across continents.
We are about to unveil a new tile wall to honor major donors. This is not a ledger of transactions, but a collective act of writing sustainability into the future. Each tile represents a commitment to moving China Folk House beyond uncertainty toward a stable and enduring future.
This spring, we invite you to join us in writing the next chapter—helping pave a journey across mountains and oceans for the next generation.