Introduction

The tale of two cities began in 1973, when the Philadelphia Orchestra visited Beijing, an ice-breaking journey finally developed into a three- decade engaging relations.
The tale of two cultures begins in 2007. It tells of the five-month adventure of me, Lou Yi. It is as ambitious yet much more personal as the orchestra's relationship.
As a reporter from Cajing Magazine, a leading Beijing business publication, I am working on a fellowship as a fresh Philadelphia Inquirer journalist. I spent a year in Washington D.C. in 2004-2005 as Caijing's first correspondent in the United States, so I do not expect any culture shock here. But I expect to be shocked somewhere, some time by something. As they say, the devil is in the detail.
I come, I see, I write. Stay tuned. And visit often.