Shelburne officials revisit ‘sister village’

A delegation from a “sister village” alongside the Great Wall of China arrived in Shelburne for a brief visit in late July, the third exchange between the two communities in the past four years.

The relationship between Mutianyu, China, and the village of Shelburne Falls is said to be the only one of its kind involving a small Chinese community and a U.S. counterpart. It was made possible in part by Shelburne native Julie Upton-Wang, the daughter of former Selectman Donald Upton. In Mutianyu, which is a prominent tourist attraction, Upton-Wang is an investor in a former schoolhouse and grain silo that have been converted into a western-style restaurant and a studio for traditional glass-blowing.

The Chinese delegation that arrived on July 26 was led by the chair of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory committee in the national government. After spending two days visiting sites in Shelburne, Buckland and Charlemont, the delegation made stops in Boston and Toronto.

The presence of the committee chair elevated the significance of the Chinese officials’ visit, a key purpose of which was to learn more about promoting tourism in places like Mutianyu without “killing the goose that laid the golden egg in the first place,” said Upton-Wang.

Mutianyu officials made their first trip to Shelburne Falls in 2007. In 2010, a local delegation, including Sen. Stan Rosenberg, traveled to Mutianyu.

“It was just marvelous,” said John Payne, chair of the Shelburne Board of Selectmen. “It couldn’t have been more different from New England, from Shelburne Falls. The road that takes you to Mutianyu ends at the foot of the Great Wall.”

Payne said that the residents of the village greeted the Americans with warm smiles. “And not just we-want-your-money smiles,” he said. “They were thrilled to have us visit.”