Situated in the valley of Mount Lu, China, Kuling was founded in 1895 by English missionary Edward Selby Little. Initially established as a sanatorium and holiday resort for Westerners residing in China, it evolved into a unique colonial enclave.
The Kuling resort enclave is a fascinating case study of how Westerners imagined and constructed a utopian community for themselves in the East. Studying it is essential to understand how the colonial histories of Western powers continue to shape the current multicultural societies, especially in the context of the globalization and the rising anti-immigration sentiments. Though largely forgotten, Kuling opens a crack through which I can examine many questions that are urgent for us today: Where do we belong? How does land and the materials tied to it shape our bodies and identities? What strategies can we adopt to live in foreign lands and engage with different cultures? How does migration shape the landscapes, and how do these landscapes, in turn, influence politics? Finally, how can we reimagine a utopia that welcomes diverse cultures and ideologies equally within a postcolonial context?

Situated in the valley of Mount Lu, China, Kuling was founded in 1895 by English missionary Edward Selby Little. Initially established as a sanatorium and holiday resort for Westerners residing in China, it evolved into a unique colonial enclave.
The Kuling resort enclave is a fascinating case study of how Westerners imagined and constructed a utopian community for themselves in the East. Studying it is essential to understand how the colonial histories of Western powers continue to shape the current multicultural societies, especially in the context of the globalization and the rising anti-immigration sentiments. Though largely forgotten, Kuling opens a crack through which I can examine many questions that are urgent for us today: Where do we belong? How does land and the materials tied to it shape our bodies and identities? What strategies can we adopt to live in foreign lands and engage with different cultures? How does migration shape the landscapes, and how do these landscapes, in turn, influence politics? Finally, how can we reimagine a utopia that welcomes diverse cultures and ideologies equally within a postcolonial context?