under mountains of difficult and ancient texts, but
rather the feeling that one can have, even in a fastpaced contemporary China that the world looks to,
of the relevance and implications of our past to our
present and our future. By relevance I refer not to
financial or foreign policy gain, but to the relevance
of understanding where we are from to better
understand who we are now, and of appreciating the
awe-inspiring achievements and ideals of Chinese
culture while, perhaps most impressive of all,
observing and celebrating the spirited perseverance
of the people through the best and worst of times.
It is this collective desire – a collective odyssey – to
understand the self from within and without that has
enabled the birth of a powerful idea.
And that is exactly what Keystone is, and has set out
to do. In his ambitious vision mapped out by our
Head of School, Malcolm McKenzie described a truly
distinctive and inspiring future – a new World School
founded and focused on China, its language, history,
culture and identity. This thread ties together the
Chinese, American and International educational
traditions that form the core of the Keystone
curriculum. By looking deeply into China over a
span of centuries, its social and economic systems,
artistic and literary values, political structures,
historical trends and philosophical assumptions,
it is our intention that our Chinese students will
understand, appreciate and develop one of the most
fascinating living heritages the world has seen, and
be able to maintain their core identities which make
up the very essence of being Chinese. Additionally,
for our international students, we believe that they
will benefit immensely from exploring and imagining
beyond the boundaries of their own existence,
from learning more about the range of possibilities
in human experience and catching a glimpse of a
reality including the “roads not taken” in their own
culture, from their own homes. And this issue of the
Keystone Magazine, I hope, will shed some light on
the numerous attempts and stories taking shape here
at Keystone as we realize this remarkable mission,
and continue to define ourselves and journey through
this never ending process of self-exploration.
To me, there is no greater gift to future generations
than providing them with opportunities to ask
questions about our past, to shape renewed
perceptions about our future, to embark on this
meaningful quest to find answers about who we
really are, to explore and arrive at where our sense
of belonging resides, and where our hearts and souls
are. It just feels like home.
Yes, we are indeed heading home.
Sincerely Yours,
Sabrina Liu
Director of Marketing and Communications
www.keystoneacademy.cn
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