Thursday, November 11, 2021

Searching for Life

I talk about how to grow | A “flowering youth” is more worth than a “youthful fame”

Reading aloud | 台州 (Tàizhōu) Literacy Association 薛悠路 (Xuē Yōulù)
November 11, 2021

“He is the one who accepts the heavens, so the wise and the people who are not immune, but also for the people”. Every time I read 王安石 (Wáng Ānshí)’s 《伤仲永》 (Pity Zhòngyǒng), I think about it for a long time.
First I studied chess without distraction, then I turned to academic studies in my golden age, and finally I entered the 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University) to bring new horizons to physical education... All along the way, for over 20 years, the word “genius” always radiated its dazzling light, but under the sparkling cover there are countless hard days and nights.
In fact, the so-called talent is only the starting point: success depends upon hard work and dedication.
In 2011, The New York Times wrote: “If there’s a human face on Rising China, it belongs not to some Politburo chief, not to an Internet tycoon, but to a quiet, mild-mannered teenage girl named 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)”.
I learned chess at 5; at 7, accompanied by my mother, I moved to 山东省 (Shāndōng) to study art; at 9, I travelled abroad for the first time, I won my first victories and entered the national team; at 16, I won the Women’s World Championship becoming the youngest Queen in chess history, and then defended the title three times... I became famous when I was young, and countless auras were poured over me, but I never stopped because of the “spotlight”. Yet still no “genius” appeared. I spent more than 20 years with chess, filled with tears and laughter. Nigths and nights I spent sleeplessly studying chess, globetrotting all around the world for tournaments... In order to play chess, I paid a lot, and my parents paid a lot too. Sometimes talent is cheap. To me, hard work and self-discipline are priceless, they will pay you off one day. Why do you sigh? Look forward, as only by going the way you have to go, you can achieve your goal, and only by going through the days no one cares about, you can embrace your poetry and distance.
The most indulgent people of our time are not “geniuses”, but those who love to learn. Such a happy student age as my youthful dream of studying at school that ended buried in my hearth by my chess career.
In 2012, Peking University offered me an “olive branch”. In the golden age of my career, I chose to enter the Institute of International Relations at Peking University to study diplomacy. At the time my decision aroused the opposition of the chess establishment. Many people thought that I should focus on playing chess instead of reading academic books. But I felt and knew that only by studying and studying I could build a better self.
I cherished very much the hard-won learning opportunities. I organised myself between chess training, competitions, academic studies and many other aspects. And when I was not playing tournaments, I attended classes, earned credits, and joined clubs, just like other classmates.
In 2017, I was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship; in 2018, I entered the University of Oxford to study for a Master’s Degree; all years of academic career gave my life content, meaning and satisfaction, which greatly enriched my spiritual world, broadened my understanding, and provided me with other keys to the world than only “chess”.
People who do not learn will always lack a source of motivation to move forward and progress. With the growth of life experience, the lack of culture will make people shrivel up for the rest of their lives. There are always mountains in my heart waiting for me to climb up. I firmly believe that learning is the fastest way to the top of the mountain.
In July 2020, I was hired by 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University) and became the youngest full Professor in the history of the institution. The change of identity gave me fresh energy and new enthusiasm to take up the responsibility on my shoulder.
Life needs broad and complex views. Teaching is full of challenges, but I like challenges! I hope that I will contribute to make chess more than just a discipline, by unveiling its hidden meaning of unique combination of science and humanism, and I will use my own background to help my gifted students make a career out of it..
A life full of challenges is a wonderful life.
Chess players, students, professors... Every change of identity is a choice of life, and every choice is faced with unknown challenges, and every challenge is a self-transcendence. Enjoy every challenge and you will become better. I think there is still a long way to go, and there are more miracles waiting for me to happen.
After all, a “flowering youth” is more worth than a “youthful fame”.


She is the narrator tonight.
Her name is 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
She is a chess Grandmaster.
She is a four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and a Professor at 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University).

(English translation by I, Robot)

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