Li Hua, Our Imaginary Friend, and the Letters That Flew Back
Today's Li Hua be like
Credit: Warner Brothers
01
Thousands of "Li Hua"s recently received replies from foreign pen pals they never expected to hear from.
If you've ever taken a Chinese English exam, you know who Li Hua is.
He and she—as it's not a very gender-oriented name—is the protagonist of countless English writing prompts in exams. Li Hua is a common fictional character in Chinese English exams, often used in writing tasks where students are asked to write letters to foreign friends from Li Hua's perspective.
Believe it or not, Li Hua has a Baidu Baike page (Chinese version of Wikipedia). Supposedly, this iconic figure first appeared in a 1995 Chinese college entrance exam or even earlier in city-level mock exams. Fast forward to 2024, and Li Hua still showed up on two examination papers for the National College Entrance Exam.
2019: Suppose you are Li Hua, a senior high school student at Hongxing High School. Last week, your class organized a social practice activity themed "Labor is the most glorious." Based on the following four pictures in sequence, write an English diary entry to recount the entire process.
2014: Suppose you are Li Hua, a senior student in Class 1 at Hongxing High School. Based on the following four pictures in sequence, write a short essay for the school magazine English Corner, describing how you and your classmates suggested solutions to the school's bicycle storage problem.
02
This isn't just a quirky exam tradition. It's a story that unexpectedly tugged on the heartstrings of people worldwide.
It all started when someone on RedNote (now a Tiktok-alternative community) explained the concept to curious "Tiktok refugees." They painted a vivid picture: generations of Chinese students practicing English by writing heartfelt letters to imaginary English-speaking pen pals, always signed as "Li Hua." For years, these letters seemed to disappear into the void.
But not anymore.
Moved by the thought of this one collective "Li Hua" waiting for replies, countless foreigners began writing back.
One such letter read like this:
Dear Li Hua,
Let me start my first reply to you with sincere gratitude for your many earnest letters. Your spelling and grammar were impressive, but that's not the point.
...
You wrote when you were young, and for many years. l didn't see the letters. l should have known you would write, but l carelessly failed to check. Your messages went unanswered for so long.
I had only a cloudy notion of who you might be. Others painted a picture of you, but it wasn't accurate. lt was incomplete, and in my childishness I believed that it was all l would ever know of you.
Now, seeing how often you wrote, l gulp every word. Your hopes and dreams, and what you had for lunch on any given day. Who you are. Who you love. Who you strive to be.
I have many questions for you, too. Are you happy? Did you imagine we would someday meet? What did you leave out of the letters? Can you imagine meeting me now?
...
I have your letters, torn open, on my nightstand. They will stay there by my pillow, where they will influence my own dreams for the rest of my life.
I hope you get this letter, Li Hua. l hope we strike up a solid correspondence. Perhaps if there is hurt l haven't addressed, we can talk about it soon.
...
@ē§ę(Bryn)
Another writer confessed:
Dear Li Hua,
...
I hope to see you someday. Being an adult is hard—everything is expensive, and I live in a tiny apartment with little room for keepsakes. But meeting you would mean more than anything. Seeing the world you described so beautifully in your letters would be a dream come true.
...
@mango.smoothie
03
For many, the act of writing back felt like stitching together something that had been quietly waiting for closure.
This exchange touched not only those just discovering Li Hua but also those who once "were" Li Hua.
One former student shared a photo from their school days, reflecting, "Everyone in this picture has drifted away. My parents and relatives are gone. I've lived alone for years, but today, I got your reply, and for a moment, I loved the world."
Some people replied back in letter:
Hi
..
I (grew up) became a very ordinary person. I'm doing a job l don't really like. l almost forgot who l used to be, just like forgetting the letter l wrote.
Your reply reminds me (of) my youth, a girl who (was) full of curiosity and imagination about the future and the world.
...
Obviously, I'm not (the person I dreamed to be).
But I've tried my best, and I think l've done well.
I'm so grateful for your reply because it reminds me how optimistic and cheerful l used to be.
...
@Heather
Another wrote: "Hi, Li Hua. It's been over 20 years since I last wrote to (in the name of) you. I've lost two unborn children, experienced betrayal, and am now watching my niece battle an incurable autoimmune disease. Some nights, I wish it was all a dream, and I'd wake up as the little girl in that classroom, full of hope for the future. But dear Li Hua, we all have to wake up and find courage to move forward. To you from the other side of the world, I hope your life has been simple and happy."
Even those who once hated studying English said: "Today, I feel it was worth it."
04
This story isn't just about letters.
It's about the quiet connections that span time, space, and language. It's about a world where strangers, touched by the simple hope of a fictional name, reach out with compassion and sincerity.
To every Li Hua who once sat in a classroom writing letters, and to every stranger now writing back—you've reminded us that kindness can ripple in ways we never imagined.
May you always be well!
Your friend,
AnyShanghai
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