Becoming Chinese | Episode 1 — Uncle Tom’s 16th Chinese Spring Festival

Uncle Tom (Thomas Ramsey) is an American teacher who has taught at China Three Gorges University for many years. He loves the Yangtze River and Bruce Lee so much that he gave himself a Chinese name, Li Jianglong. This year’s Spring Festival marks his 16th Chinese New Year spent in Yichang.

In 2009, Tom set foot in China for the first time and decided to stay. In 2010, he became a middle school teacher in Yichang and was granted the city’s first foreign work permit. Years of living here have made him deeply familiar with the city. From grocery shopping to using digital services like Taobao and Meituan, everything comes naturally to him.

“My time in Yichang is priceless. This city has become my irreplaceable second hometown,” Tom says.

Today, more and more foreigners are choosing to stay in Yichang. According to the Exit & Entry Administration of Yichang Public Security Bureau, by December 2025, more than 50 foreign teachers were working in the city.