Chongqing - At 108 years old, Isabel Crook, an educator, anthropologist, and influential member of the international communist movement, left behind a remarkable legacy. Her profound impact on China was marked not only by her pioneering role in English language education but also by her commitment to chronicling the nation’s transformative journey.

Even in her later years, Isabel’s passion for writing remained undimmed. (Photo /Pan Jiaen)

Among her numerous contributions, she played an instrumental role in devising China’s inaugural English language textbooks for college students. She was a driving force behind English curriculum development, reforms, and the evolution of teacher training.

Wearing her anthropologist’s hat, Isabel penned such books as Xinglong Chang: Field Notes of a Village Called Prosperity 1940-1942 and Revolution in a Chinese Village: Ten Mile Inn. Through these works, she illuminated China’s revolutionary path, offering the world an intimate and vivid portrait of the nation.

Isabel’s bond with Chongqing was profound.

Answering the call of Yan Yangchu, a prominent educator in 1940, she became an integral part of the rural development project in Xinglong Chang (now Daxing Town), located in Chongqing’s Bishan District.

Throughout her two-year sojourn in Bishan, Isabel penned over a hundred letters, archived alongside other materials, which collectively filled ten boxes. Recognizing their historical value, she bequeathed these treasures to Bishan.

The former site of the civilian school was established by Isabel Crook in Xinglong Chang (now Daxing Town, Bishan, Chongqing). (Photo/Pan Jiaen)

She described her initial encounter with Xinglong Chang: "From a distance, Xinglong Chang appeared as an expansive ocean stretching from east to west, with countless deep green fir trees dotting its expanse. On most days, this modest town of just 82 households seemed a reflection of the monotonous rural life.”

Zhang Jian, a noted figure in the Chongqing literary scene, remarked, “She might not have realized then how deep her roots in Bishan would grow. Despite relocating in the 1940s, she revisited six times post the 1980s. I’ve been crafting a book about her titled ‘Faith Illuminates Life.’ It’s a pity she won’t witness its publication.”

To the locals, Isabel wasn’t just an observer; she was family.

Pan Jiaen, from the Southwest University Rural Revitalization Strategy Research Institute, noted how objects linked to Bishan held pride of place in Isabel’s home. Her lasting impact on the town remains evident, from the school she established in 1940 to being honored as an “Honorary Citizen of Bishan” in 2019.

Isabel’s residence was a modest dwelling at the Beijing Foreign Studies University for seven decades. Yet, she and Professor Ke Linqing set up a special fund in the U.S., supporting numerous Daxing Town students.

Isabel’s advocacy for rural development spanned generations, from collaborating with Yan Yangchu in her youth to supporting Wen Tiejun’s initiatives in her golden years.

During a 2018 event at Peking University, Professor Wen Tiejun honored her by presenting Centennial Chronicle of China’s Rural Development. (Photo / Pan Jiaen)