During the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong’s short essay first published in 1939, 'In Memory of Dr Bethune', became one of the most notable texts in the Little Red Book. It was a text that every child was obliged to memorise in school. It turned Dr Bethune (Bai Qiu’en) into a household name and the synonym for Canada. Today, Dr Bethune is no longer as significant as he used to be. But he is still a figure that bridges China and Canada, and the generations grew up under his influence are now playing a key role in the Chinese society.