【导语】
2023年，我第一次在纽约长住，整整70天。那一年，在911遗址上重建而起的世贸中心一号楼65层，我有了一间可以供我使用的办公室，办公室朝南，坐着看窗外，自由女神像一览无遗，911遗址就在窗下。正是这间办公室，让我写下了这篇文章。2026年恰逢911恐袭事件二十五周年，也是美国建国250周年，此文我仅把2023年在纽约留下的那些小小足迹整理成文，以此回望。
世贸中心一号楼里的故事，我写了南北两篇。这一篇是"南篇"：写的是南窗外的那片风景——自由女神像、911遗址，以及它们注视下的故事。北篇另文再叙：北窗外是整个曼哈顿的全景——中城、中央公园、帝国大厦、时代广场；而在那扇朝北的窗前，我会见过迈克尔·杰克逊的女搭档Marva King，与纪念迈克尔·杰克逊音乐会的团队一起开会，也与李小龙的学生、纪念李小龙大型活动的发起人Howard Haim Helfgott相聚。两篇合在一起，才是完整的世贸中心一号楼——这一篇，先讲南窗。
2019年3月，我第一次来到纽约。
那是一次跟团旅行，我从加拿大蒙特利尔出发，跟着旅行团在纽约的大街小巷里穿梭。行程很赶，节奏很快，到一个地方，拍照，上车，再去下一个地方。
就是在那样的"走马观花"里，我第一次站到了双子塔遗址前。
说实话，那一刻我并没有太多感触。游客很多，风很大，大家都在瀑布池边拍照留念。我站了一会儿，听导游简单讲了讲，就跟着团队离开了。
那个时候的我，从来没有想过——
2023年，我第一次在纽约长待两个多月。而那一年，我在911的原址上、在重建而起的世贸中心一号楼的64层，美国演艺活动主办方安排了一间供我使用的办公室。
而且我的办公室朝南，从那扇窗望出去，就能看见自由女神像。
图注：2019年3月，第一次站在双子塔遗址前。那时的走马观花，如今的刻骨铭心。
图注：世贸中心一号楼65层，我的办公室窗外，自由女神像就在那里。
小时候，我看过一部电视剧，叫《爱丽丝岛》（Ellis Island）。
剧里有这样的画面：那些漂洋过海的移民和难民，船只驶入纽约港，当他们在甲板上熬过漫长旅途、疲惫不堪的时候，海平线上突然出现那座高举火炬的雕像——
船上所有的人都涌到甲板边上，有人欢呼，有人落泪，有人跪下来亲吻甲板。
他们知道自己到了——到了自由世界。
那是我第一次知道自由女神像。那时候我不懂什么叫移民，也不懂什么叫难民，但我记住了那座雕像，记住了人们看到她时眼睛里的光。
很多年以后，我站在自己办公室的窗前，窗外就是那座雕像。
小时候在电视剧里看到的画面，如今成了我推开窗就能看见的风景。
从第一次踏上纽约，到住进这扇窗前——这条路，我只走了四年。
美剧《爱丽丝岛》海报
图注：小时候在美剧《爱丽丝岛》里认识了她——自由女神像。
2023年那个夏天，我在纽约的每一天都像在赶场：
走进联合国总部会议楼，作为特邀贵宾出席联合国亚裔小姐选美大赛，专访联合国世界人民委员会主席；
在百老汇剧院的全美才艺大奖赛颁奖典礼上，作为唯一受邀的演唱嘉宾献唱《花好月圆》；
主持代表华人社区、讲述华人故事的好莱坞电视剧《缅街》全球大型海选，与奥斯卡终身评委、《小鬼当家》导演斯科特同台；
专访迪士尼电影及百老汇音乐剧《狮子王》制片人Ron Zulu、电影《李小龙》制片人霍华德先生；李小龙生前女搭档，香港著名影视演员被誉为“女版李小龙”的茅瑛老师等国际艺术家。
8月31日，我在纽约被授予"美国时代华人杰出风云人物奖·最佳主持人及文化使者"——证书上，是六任美国总统顾问王碚和华人神探李昌钰的亲笔签名。诺贝尔文学奖得主莫言老师也获得了美国时代华人杰出风云人物评选的“时代作家功勋奖”。美国国会参议院多数党领袖查克·舒默、纽约州共和党领袖Robert Ortt、纽约州众议员Grace Meng均亲临颁奖现场给予支持。
美国主流媒体称我为"中美文化交流的使者"。
别人来纽约，是逐梦；我来纽约，是被这座城市迎入席的人。
王国权所获《美国时代华人杰出风云人物》最佳主持人及文化使者奖荣誉证书，由六任美国总统顾问王碚和华人神探李昌钰亲笔签发
诺贝尔文学奖得主莫言老师所获《美国时代华人杰出风云人物》时代作家功勋奖荣誉证书
被视为美国“二号实权人物”的美国国会参议院多数党领袖查克·舒默在《美国时代华人杰出风云人物》颁奖典礼现场发表讲话
在世贸中心1号这间65层的办公室里，我曾接待过我的搭档——南非裔著名主持人、南非总统拉马福萨的好友Vuyo，还有在美国深耕多年的活动策划资深媒体人等。
和搭档Vuyo在世贸中心1号办公室初次见面，我们联袂主持卡内基音乐厅秋季音乐会等活动
每次有客人在，我都会带他们到窗前，指着那片景观对他们说：那边是布鲁克林大桥，那边是埃利斯岛——一百多年前，人们在那里登陆，翻开自己人生的第一页。
客人听了，往往都会沉默一会儿。
图注：在世贸中心一号的演播室，我和美国搭档Vuyo互为专访花絮
人们总说美国梦。可什么是美国梦？
不是淘金，不是暴富。
是相信"明天会比今天好"，相信"倒下了还能站起来"，相信一个一无所有的人，可以凭自己的努力，在这座城市赢得一席之地。
双子塔倒下了。但纽约没有倒下。
世贸中心一号楼在原址上重新拔地而起——1776英尺，西半球最高的建筑，也是迄今为止全球造价最高的摩天大楼。
1776，那是《独立宣言》签署的年份。
而今年是2026年——是911二十五周年。一座在袭击中倒下的城市，在美国建国250周年的今天，依然站在世界之巅。
更值得一提的是这座楼"怎么建"的：基座用厚厚的钢筋混凝土加固，核心筒比一般的摩天大楼坚固数倍，楼梯间加宽、加压、防火，还专门设计了供救援人员使用的独立电梯和通道，从设计的第一天起，它就准备好面对最坏的情况。
他们用这种方式告诉世界：
你可以摧毁我们的建筑，但你摧毁不了我们重建的决心。
也摧毁不了我们重建得更好的智慧。
图注：1776英尺——《独立宣言》的年份。西半球最高，全球造价最贵。
这，才是美国梦真正的内核——不是从不跌倒，而是每一次跌倒之后，都重新站起来。
自由女神像在南面伫立了近两百年，经历过两场世界大战，也经历了911。她看过废墟，也看过废墟上重新亮起的车水马龙。
逝者已矣，而生者要做的，就是替他们好好地、用力地活下去。
我们纪念911，不是为了停留在伤痛里，而是为了记住——归零的地方，也可以是重新出发的地方。
就在这个9月，一场"缅怀9/11恐怖袭击二十五周年图片展"将在911遗址所在的纽约市第一选区举办——由美国酒店华裔协会主办，第一选区市议员马泰办公室赞助，9月7日已在华埠召开发布会公布详情。协会会长黄华清大哥第一时间把消息发给了我。
前排左起美国酒店华裔协会主席陈乐英、左二美国酒店华裔协会会长黄华清发言中，左三美国纽约州参议员Steven Chan，左四纽约州众议员郑永佳在911图片展新闻发布会上
而911遗址，正是纽约市第一选区的辖区。
此刻我虽不在纽约，但我的办公室，和他们所守护的这片土地，在同一个选区。
图注：美国酒店华裔协会主办“缅怀9/11二十五周年图片展”在我办公室所在的纽约市第一选区举办。
为美国酒店华裔协会纪念911事件20周年图片展送上嘉奖令的纽约州参议员Steven Chan、纽约市第46选区议员庄文怡、纽约市第一选区议员马泰——这三位都曾为我颁发过荣誉证书。
《纽约综合新闻》刊登的关于纽约州参议员、纽约市议员授予我“情歌王子·国际主持人”荣誉证书的相关报道
一百多年前，移民们在埃利斯岛踏上新大陆，翻开美国梦的第一页；
一百多年后，一个小时候在《爱丽丝岛》里看自由女神像的中国孩子，如今就站在女神像的注视下，在911的原址上，写下了属于自己的一页。
从第一次走马观花地看遗址，到今天能站在窗前，向来自世界各地的朋友指着这片风景，讲述这个关于自由、失去与重生的故事——这，就是美国梦。
它不属于某一个国家，它属于每一个不认输的人。
9月11日，愿逝者安息，愿生者坚强。
一切荣耀，归于上帝。
图注：归零的地方，也是重新出发的地方。
作者简介
2025年2月16日，本文作者王国权在纽约市政厅举行“情歌王子”王国权“花好月圆”经典金曲个人演唱会，大获成功！
王国权（Prince John），情歌王子·国际主持人，"国际妇女之友"。联合国妇女地位委员会大会（CSW）官方论坛主持人及官方代表。曾获纽约州参议院与纽约市议会授予"情歌王子·国际主持人"官方荣誉称号。曾与艾美奖、格莱美奖得主合作演出，受邀在纽约林肯艺术中心、卡内基音乐厅、纽约市政厅、哥伦比亚大学、耶鲁大学等担任主持及演唱嘉宾。2026年4月，与英国伦敦奥运会闭幕式演唱者CNN、BBC顶尖主持人拉塞尔·布兰德（Russell Brand）共同作为重量级嘉宾出席第56届世界地球日时代广场音乐会。多年旅居欧美多国，致力于跨文化交流与传播。
Another Side of New York · Series
Episode III: The American Dream Lives On at Ground Zero
[Lead]
In 2023, I stayed in New York for the first extended period of my life — a full seventy days. That year, on the 65th floor of One World Trade Center, the tower rebuilt on the Ground Zero site, I came to have an office of my own. The office faces south: open the window, and the Statue of Liberty lies in full view; right below the window is the Ground Zero site. It was this office that inspired this article. The year 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States — so I have gathered the small footprints I left in New York in 2023 into this piece, as a tribute.
The stories of One World Trade Center, I have written as two pieces. This is the "South Piece": it is about the view beyond the south-facing window — the Statue of Liberty, the Ground Zero site, and the stories told beneath their gaze. The North Piece is a separate story: from the north window, a panorama of all of Manhattan — Midtown, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square; and at that north-facing window, I met Marva King, Michael Jackson's female partner, held meetings with the team behind the Michael Jackson memorial concert, and gathered with Howard Haim Helfgott, Bruce Lee's student and the initiator of the large-scale Bruce Lee memorial event. Only the two pieces together tell the complete story of One World Trade Center — and this one begins with the south window.
[Body]
In March 2019, I came to New York for the very first time. It was a group tour. I set off from Montreal, Canada, and followed the tour bus through the streets of New York. The schedule was tight and the pace fast — arrive at a spot, take photos, get back on the bus, and move on to the next. It was during that "rush-and-go" trip that I first stood before the site of the Twin Towers. Honestly, I didn't feel much at that moment. There were crowds of tourists, the wind was strong, and everyone was taking photos by the reflecting pools. I stood there for a while, listened to the guide's brief introduction, and followed the group away. Back then, I never imagined —
In 2023, I stayed in New York for the first extended period of my life — seventy full days. And that year, at the 9/11 site, on the 64th floor of the rebuilt One World Trade Center, the organizers of American performing arts events arranged for me to have an office of my own. My office faces south — from that window, I could see the Statue of Liberty.
When I was a child, I watched a TV series called "Ellis Island." There was a scene like this: ships carrying immigrants and refugees who had crossed the ocean sailed into New York Harbor. After enduring the long voyage, exhausted on the deck, they suddenly saw it appear on the horizon — the statue holding her torch high. Everyone on board rushed to the railing — some cheered, some wept, some knelt down and kissed the deck. They knew they had arrived — they had arrived in the land of the free. That was the first time I ever learned of the Statue of Liberty. Back then, I didn't understand what an immigrant was, or what a refugee was. But I remembered that statue, and I remembered the light in people's eyes when they saw her. Many years later, I stood at the window of my own office — right outside the window stood that very statue. The scene I once watched on TV as a child has become the view I see every time I open the window. From my first step onto New York soil to living at this window — that road took me only four years.
That summer of 2023, every day in New York felt like running from one event to another: I walked into the conference building of the UN Headquarters as a special guest at the UN Asian Miss Pageant, and interviewed the Chairman of the World Council of Peoples at the United Nations; at the awards ceremony of the American Talent Grand Prix in a Broadway theater, I was the only invited guest performer, singing "Blooming Flowers and Full Moon"; I hosted the global casting call for "Main Street," the Hollywood TV series that represents the Chinese community and tells Chinese stories, sharing the stage with Scott, the director of "Home Alone" and a lifetime Oscar judge; I interviewed Ron Zulu, producer of Disney's "The Lion King" film and Broadway musical, and Mr. Howard Haim Helfgott, producer of the film "Bruce Lee"; and I interviewed international artists including Mao Ying — Bruce Lee's former on-screen partner, the renowned Hong Kong actress known as the "female Bruce Lee."
On August 31, in New York, I was honored with the "American Chinese Outstanding Figures of the Year Award · Best Host & Cultural Ambassador" — on the certificate are the handwritten signatures of Wang Bei, advisor to six U.S. presidents, and Dr. Henry Lee, the renowned Chinese-American forensic detective. Nobel laureate Mo Yan also received the "Writer of the Era Lifetime Achievement Award" of the same honor. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York State Republican Leader Robert Ortt, and New York State Assembly Member Grace Meng all attended the award ceremony to show their support. American mainstream media called me "an envoy of cultural exchange between China and the U.S."
Others come to New York to chase their dreams. I came to New York — and was welcomed by this city.
In this 65th-floor office, I have received my partner — Vuyo, the renowned South African host and a close friend of South African President Ramaphosa — as well as senior media professionals in event planning who have worked in the U.S. for many years. Whenever I have guests, I bring them to the window, point at the view, and say: over there is the Brooklyn Bridge; over there is Ellis Island — where, more than a hundred years ago, people landed and opened the first page of their own lives. My guests often fall silent for a moment.
People always talk about the American Dream. But what is the American Dream? It is not about gold rushes, not about getting rich overnight. It is believing that "tomorrow will be better than today," believing that "if you fall, you can get up again," believing that a person with nothing can, through his own efforts, win a place in this city. The Twin Towers fell. But New York did not fall. One World Trade Center rose again from the very same ground — 1,776 feet, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the most expensive skyscraper ever built in the world. 1,776 — the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. And this year is 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. A city that fell under attack still stands at the top of the world, 250 years into its history.
What is even more remarkable is how this building was built: the base reinforced with thick reinforced concrete; the core several times stronger than that of an ordinary skyscraper; stairwells widened, pressurized, and fireproofed; and dedicated elevators and passageways designed for rescue workers. From the very first day of its design, it was prepared to face the worst. In this way, they told the world: you can destroy our buildings, but you can never destroy our determination to rebuild — nor our wisdom to rebuild better.
This is the true core of the American Dream — not never falling, but rising again after every fall.
The Statue of Liberty has stood to the south for nearly two hundred years. She has lived through two world wars, and through 9/11. She has seen the ruins, and she has seen the traffic and lights come back to life above the ruins. The departed are gone, and what the living must do is live well — and live hard — on their behalf. We commemorate 9/11 not to linger in grief, but to remember: the place where everything returned to zero can also be the place where we start anew.
This very September, a photo exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks will be held in New York City Council District 1, where the Ground Zero site is located — hosted by the Hotel Chinese Association of USA and sponsored by the office of District 1 Council Member Christopher Marte, with a press conference held in Chinatown on September 7 to announce the details. Mr. Huang Huaqing, the association's president, sent me the news. And Ground Zero is exactly within the jurisdiction of District 1. I am not in New York at this moment, but my office and the land they safeguard are in the very same district.
New York State Senator Chen Xueli, New York City Council Member of the 46th District Susan Zhuang, and New York City Council Member of District 1 Christopher Marte — who presented commendations for the Hotel Chinese Association of USA's photo exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks — all three have personally presented honorary certificates to me.
More than a hundred years ago, immigrants stepped onto the new continent at Ellis Island, opening the first page of the American Dream. More than a hundred years later, a Chinese child who once watched the Statue of Liberty in "Ellis Island" now stands under her gaze, at the 9/11 site, writing his own page. From rushing past the site as a tourist, to standing at this window today, pointing at this view and telling friends from all over the world the story of freedom, loss, and rebirth — this is the American Dream. It belongs to no single country. It belongs to everyone who refuses to give up.
On September 11, may the departed rest in peace, and may the living stay strong. All glory to God.
About the Author
Prince John (Wang Guoquan) — "The Prince of Love Songs · International Host," known as "A Friend of Women Worldwide." Official Forum Host and Official Delegate of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Honored with the official certificate of recognition "Prince of Love Songs · International Host" jointly presented by the New York State Senate and the New York City Council. He has performed with Emmy and Grammy Award winners, and has been invited to serve as host and guest performer at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, New York City Hall, Columbia University, Yale University, and more. In April 2026, he appeared as a featured guest alongside Russell Brand at the 56th Anniversary Earth Day concert in Times Square. Having lived across Europe and the Americas for many years, he is devoted to cross-cultural exchange and communication.
相关链接：
纽约的另一面03: 国际主持人王国权出任第24届联合国国际和平日纽约时代广场音乐会新闻发言人
纽约的另一面02: 致敬坚守的歌声｜从多莉·帕顿到纽约曼哈顿东村的爵士老灵魂
纽约的另一面01: 从万米高空到史坦顿岛，银幕照进现实，寻觅纽约被低估的温柔
