The Chair in Columbia University

This story is based on real people and events. It’s a recollection of a half-century of friendship between Dean Lung, a Chinese laborer from Guangdong and Horace Wapole Carpentier, a successful Scottish- American businessman during the implementation of the "Chinese Exclusion Act". It started when Dean Lung was employed as the valet in Carpentier’s manor, and the companionship was never diluted by clash of nationality, race, social status and culture.

33 years Dean Lung’s senior, Carpentier’s upbringing and temperament were entirely inverse. Impressed and influenced by Dean Lung’s innate qualities that carried traditional Chinese moralities, Carpentier’s compassion aroused and self redemption evolved after witnessing Dean Lung’s gentleness, kindness, moderation, benevolence, righteousness, wisdom and integrity.

In 1902, restrained by his Chinese origin and legal restrictions, Dean Lung’s life was jeopardized with imprisonment and deportation despite the effort from Carpentier to obtain his right of residence. Prior to his departure back to China, to promote understanding and diminish misunderstanding on Chinese culture,  Dean Lung donated his life savings to Columbia University to fund a department chair position. Touched by his philosophy of "heart for heart", Carpentier contributed almost all his fortune to secure Dean Lung’s ambition.  Their friendship had never ceased and lived through the last moment of their lives.

Dean Lung and Horace Carpentier might have submerged in history one century ago, but their legend still echos among those pursuing interracial amity nowadays.