Though many of their peers from early 20th century China have gradually disappeared from our thoughts, we still remember Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin, Xu Zhimo and Zhang Youyi. While these memories may not be much, history has a way of inspiring us when we need it with melancholy reflections and compelling comparisons.

Alle Xu is a young movie director. Born in the United States, she took pride in making films that explored different cultures and were globally-minded. In that way, she resembles her great grandfather, Xu Zhimo, one of the most famous romantic poets of the 20th-century Chinese literature. 

CGTN hostess Tian Wei talks to Alle Xu and her father by Weiming Lake in Peking University. /CGTN Photo

While studying in Britain, he fell in love with romantic English poetry like that of Keats and Shelley, and was also influenced by the French romantics and symbolists. When he returned to China, he became a leader of the modern poetry movement. 

Xu Zhimo is remembered not only for his contribution to modern Chinese literature, but also his many romances outside his marriage with Zhang Youyi. She was a successful entrepreneur, born in a time in China when equal opportunity for women was a rare luxury.

Tian Wei interviewed Alle and her father Tony in Peking University during their annual visit to Beijing. Alle's great grandfather, Xu Zhimo, stayed in this university for a year before he went to study overseas. 

Alle Xu and her father read a poem written by her grandfather Xu Zhimo. /CGTN Photo

When asked about the poetry of Xu Zhimo, Tony Hsu said, “I am very touched when I listen to it. There is so much beauty and messaging in his poetry. Maybe the first time or second time you cannot get it…” He also read a famous poetry of Xu Zhimo's,   

“Quietly I leave, just like quietly I came, quietly I wave a farewell to the west sky flame…”

One of the most well-known photos of Xu Zhimo, Alle's great grandpa, is one taken with Tagor, during one of his visits to China. The world-famous Bangali poet was then accompanied throughout his trip by Xu Zhimo and Lin Huiyin, a noted female Chinese architect and writer. These are two titles very few women, from her time and now, could dream of attaining. 

Anni Liang. /CGTN Photo

Lin and her husband Liang Sicheng made unprecedented efforts to document China's phenomenal architectural heritage and they were painstakingly devoted to the restoration work despite tremendous challenges and pressures.

“Fouguang Temple is very ancient temple that my great grandfather discovered in 1937, there are a lot of westerners and Japanese who travel to China and visit many historical sites, but had not found architectures predating to Liao or Jin dynasties, and Fouguangsi is the first temple to date back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907),” said Alle, talking about the great work her great grandfather had done.

History was made by their great grandparents' generation, a generation which heatedly debated what direction China should take and what the future should hold - and now, their descendants are using these ideas to make their dreams a reality.

World Insight with Tian Wei is a 45-minute global affairs and debate show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 10:15 p.m. BJT (1415GMT) with rebroadcasts at 4:15 a.m. BJT (20:15GMT)