On November 8, "the sixties top scholar" Li Wenchao arrived at Tsinghua University with heavy luggage. Currently, he is auditing doctoral courses at both Tsinghua and Peking Universities. Our reporter Pu Feng took the photo.
■ Profile
Li Wenchao was born in 1942 in Fengdu County, Chongqing. He has worked as a substitute teacher, railway worker, correspondent, and government official before retiring in 2000. In 2001, at the age of 59, Li Wenchao participated in the national college entrance exam and scored 286 points, ranking first among senior candidates nationwide, earning him the nickname "the sixties top scholar" from netizens. Guizhou Normal University admitted him despite his age. After graduating from undergraduate studies, he audited graduate courses at the same university for five consecutive years. On November 8 this year, Li Wenchao came to Beijing to audit doctoral courses at Peking and Tsinghua Universities. He said: My sole purpose of studying is to absorb knowledge, without any distractions.
On November 11, it was the fourth day since Li Wenchao arrived in Beijing. Winter had set in, and cold winds would suddenly blow through the Beijing nights, carrying sand that felt like cutting one's face. Around 7 p.m., Li Wenchao left his accommodation and walked a few meters into a small restaurant to eat dumplings. Except for the first night when he ate shrimp and fish with relatives at a larger restaurant, this was the first time he had improved his diet in four days. He said that for the previous few days, each meal consisted of rice noodles costing five yuan.
Li Wenchao currently rents a room in an underground hostel near the China University of Geosciences. The small room of about ten square meters houses four people, filled with various smells - the kind that comes from long-term habitation without proper ventilation. "They are all young people who have just graduated, either working or looking for jobs elsewhere," Li Wenchao said. He added that his dreams differ from theirs; he only wants to learn knowledge, while they seek better lives.
Recollection
"The Sixties Top Scholar" faced numerous misfortunes
The wealthy ancestors did not leave much for Li Wenchao, and his childhood was spent in hunger, facing unexpected disasters throughout his growth.
Li Wenchao's grandfather was once a rich merchant, running businesses on large ships on the Yangtze River, making substantial profits daily. Later, during one voyage, the ship and its cargo sank, and his grandfather clung to a piece of wood to drift ashore. Soon after returning home, he fell ill and passed away. The once-wealthy ancestors did not leave anything for Li Wenchao.
The place where Li Wenchao grew up could be more accurately described as a residential cluster rather than a village, with only six households. The land was barren, producing little grain. Li Wenchao thought going hungry was not the worst hardship; the real suffering was the unpredictable calamities. Pointing to a scar on his forehead, he said it was left from falling off a wooden staircase when he was three or four months old. His family couldn't afford treatment, so his grandmother carried half a bag of corn to pay the doctor as a fee to get him treated. During the Great Leap Forward, his leg was accidentally crushed, nearly resulting in amputation. The most recent incident occurred in 1999 when he was hit by a car while riding a tricycle to buy a refrigerator... Reflecting on his past life, Li Wenchao said: 14 deaths, 1 survival.
"I'm not afraid of anything now!" Li Wenchao looked around the cramped and messy room, patting the already sunken steel wire mattress and said, "As long as there's a bed to sleep on and school to attend, that's enough."
Experience
Not attending university was a lifelong regret
At the age of three, he attended private school, and at six, primary school. Transitioning from physical labor to writing work strengthened his resolve to study.
"My parents educated me from a very young age: strive for survival in poverty, pursue education in poverty," Li Wenchao said. At the age of three, his mother took him to a private school, and at six, he formally started primary school. From elementary to high school, he smoothly advanced each time, becoming a top student locally, "In classes of dozens of people, I was the only one who could advance." Li Wenchao proudly stated.
Not being able to attend university was Li Wenchao's lifelong regret. "I had excellent grades in high school, but after the college entrance exam, I didn't even receive an admission notice, nor did I see my test scores," Li Wenchao felt wronged, suspecting someone jealous of his education deliberately hid the notice.
After graduating from high school, Li Wenchao became a substitute teacher for a year. Later, he joined the Guiyang Railway Division's maintenance team as a rotating worker, performing manual labor such as carrying stones and timber. Due to his education, three months later, he was transferred to the engineering team office and then to the division headquarters and communication reporting group to do writing work, "Back then, even the unit's cadres didn't know how to read much." Li Wenchao realized, as his parents had said, that knowledge changed his destiny. From then on, he firmly believed: continue learning indefinitely.
Pursuing Education
Auditing 24 Graduate Courses Over Five Years
Scoring 286 points to rank first among senior candidates in that year's national college entrance exam, "the Sixties Top Scholar" inspired his entire family to study together.
In June 2001, the state lifted the age restriction for the college entrance exam, and Li Wenchao enrolled immediately, harboring a dream of attending university. After reviewing for over 20 days, he scored a total of 286 points, ranking first among senior candidates nationwide, and was specially admitted by Guizhou Normal University's Qiushi College. For four years, he lived a student life like young people, attending school, returning home, reading books, and reviewing, living a simple life between home and school. He never skipped classes, and his exam results were generally above average. Four years later, Li Wenchao obtained his bachelor's degree.
However, he still wasn't satisfied and wanted to pursue a master's degree. Thus, he audited graduate courses in literary theory at the School of Literature while simultaneously registering for exams. In five exams, his best score was 313 points, but due to low English scores, he was not admitted. Over five years, he completed 24 graduate courses, including the challenging philosophy and research on classical Chinese literature.
Zhan Fen, a postgraduate mentor at Guizhou Normal University and Li Wenchao's undergraduate instructor, commented on this older student: studious, honest, serious, hardworking, and persistent, "Li Wenchao takes notes meticulously, maintains an optimistic and peaceful attitude, and his approach to life is very pure."
Li Wenchao's wife Xu Changhong said that he has a strong determination to study and can stay awake all night. To this day, their home still preserves his many years of study notes, buying A4 paper in bulk weighing ten kilograms, "During those days at Guizhou Normal University, students would borrow his notes before exams." Influenced by her husband, Xu Changhong increasingly loved reading newspapers and books, not only completing high school courses later but also obtaining a diploma in economic management from the provincial party school at the age of 48. Their two sons also inherited their father's love for learning; the elder son holds three university diplomas, and the younger son has two. Speaking of his wife Xu Changhong, Li Wenchao praised her repeatedly: beautiful, capable, understanding, and supportive.
Wu Jie was Li Wenchao's undergraduate classmate. She said, "Li Wenchao likes to express himself; he is like our elder, inspiring us with his life experiences." Li Zujie, a fellow townsman of Li Wenchao at Tsinghua University, also held him in high regard.
Zheng Wenfeng, a reporter for the Guiyang Daily, once tried to understand his inner world. When asked if he felt lonely, the elderly man initially denied it but eventually admitted, "Some of my peers have passed away, some have become senile, and I don't have much in common with those who lack education. Studying more and reading more enriches oneself." Li Wenchao said. "His inner strength is unshakable; there is no one else there, only himself, which is why he constantly expresses himself." Zheng Wenfeng understood that perhaps because Li Wenchao endured too many hardships and repeatedly changed his circumstances through his own efforts, he became especially confident, "It might be impossible to fully understand him, but misunderstanding him is easy."
When asked why he was so obsessed with learning and persisted in continuing his studies, Li Wenchao said, "My sole purpose of studying is to acquire knowledge, without any utilitarian motives or distractions."
Traveling to Beijing
"Perhaps my remaining life will be spent there"
He audits doctoral courses daily at Peking University or Tsinghua University, and his family says he plans to further pursue postdoctoral studies.
At the beginning of November, after discussing with his family, Li Wenchao decided to go to Beijing to pursue a doctorate. On November 8, after a 30-hour train ride, Li Wenchao and his distant relative Xiao Li arrived in Beijing from their home in Guiyang. Unfamiliar with the city, they struggled under three large pieces of luggage searching for accommodations. They found an underground inn near the China University of Geosciences and rented two beds costing 30 yuan per day. The next day, he went to Tsinghua University as planned. After learning about Li Wenchao's situation, Teacher Yu from Tsinghua University's Publicity Department said that the university has teaching stations in Guizhou and could provide free distance education, "That's distance learning, electronic university-style education, which isn't as good as auditing classes at school!" Li Wenchao waved his hands in refusal. Despite having only 2000 yuan of retirement pension available each month, he insisted on staying in Beijing and told his wife, "If I can successfully audit the classes, I won't go home for the New Year." Before leaving, he also told his family, "It's possible that starting today, the rest of my life will be spent there."
Now, his daily routine is to audit doctoral courses at Peking University and Tsinghua University. He has no specific requirements for the major, willing to audit any course from any discipline as long as he has the time. Li Wenchao quickly entered the learning state, and what impressed him most was the ancient literature course at Tsinghua University's School of Journalism and Communication and the philosophy course at the Academy of Arts and Design. Although these courses require a deep literary foundation and are relatively dry, Li Wenchao said he always listened until he was unsatisfied. When asked if he could understand and absorb everything the teacher said, Li Wenchao confidently answered, "I can understand everything." He said that based on his four years of undergraduate and five years of graduate studies, he could not only comprehend the theories taught by the teachers but also integrate these theories into his own life experiences for a "second digestion."
Contemporary renowned philosopher Professor Chen Lai of Tsinghua University, upon seeing this elderly auditor, introduced him happily to the students: "This elderly gentleman has great spirit; despite his age, he continues to pursue education..."
Regarding coming to Beijing as an auditor, Xu Changhong strongly supports him: "He doesn't have any special hobbies, just loves studying. He says he will study until the 'top,' and he plans to pursue postdoctoral studies in the future." Regarding his father's unwavering commitment to learning, even neglecting his family, Li Chengtian, his second son, is already accustomed to it. He said, "For him, studying has become instinctive; he's not a fish in lukewarm water, he's a fish in the Yangtze River."
● Li Wenchao
Knowledge can change fate; it's not only for the rich or smart ones to read books. Even if you're dull or poor, you can still pursue knowledge.
Sitting at home waiting to die is boring and meaningless. I enjoy reading, why wouldn't I?
● Supporters
He feels that whatever he believes he can achieve, he must accomplish. He thinks he should enjoy fair treatment and strives for it. He is studious and ambitious, influencing his whole family.
―― Wife Xu Changhong
His inner strength is powerful, allowing him to withstand any blow. It may be impossible to fully understand him, but misunderstanding him is easy.
―― Reporter Zheng Wenfeng from the Guiyang Daily
● Opposers
At his age, he should be enjoying his twilight years at home instead of insisting on studying, which is selfish. Has he considered how worried his family might be?
―― Netizen
Many young people want to enter universities to study, yet he, at such an advanced age, insists on following them, wasting national educational resources.
―― A school teacher
This article was written by An Ying for the Beijing News.