Yu encourages teachers not to repeat themselves. "If a man you are chatting
with over dinner is telling you the same stuff he told you five years ago, then
I don't think much of his life."
Soft-spoken Yu does not like to repeat himself. A tractor driver in his home
village, Yu told himself he did not want to drive a tractor all his life.
This frail-looking man has had to wrestle with hardship during his life.
Childhood poverty, two failures in university entrance exams, a year of sick
leave while at university, repeated refusals of his overseas study visas, and
later he was almost killed when his path crossed that of some dangerous thieves.
"These ordeals make me treasure every minute of life and be ready to help
others," he says.
Confucius, Chinese philosopher and education founder, is one of the thinkers
Yu appreciates, along with Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Nietzsche and Schopenhauer.
"Confucius had so much social responsibility that sometimes it weighed on
him," Yu says.
"I don't have much social responsibility, of course," Yu says, "I started
private education to make a living. But as the company grows, responsibility
accrues. For me, social responsibility means serving the students with all your
heart."
Yu admits frankly that his high-speed career has meant heavy pressure and
sleep deprivation for years.
He still tries to find time to enjoy hobbies such as reading, writing,
traveling, and some "dangerous sports" like horse-riding and single-board
skiing.
"I yearn for the idyllic life of intellectuals in days gone by -- writing,
reading, traveling and drinking with friends."
Even as his Chinese dream takes shape before his eyes, he still dreams of
going one day to the USA. When he retires, he hopes to study philosophy or
literature at an American university, exploring different cultures.
¡¡¡¡What special talents did Yu have? When he was a student, he was good at
sketching Chinese and world maps with clearly marked provinces and countries. He
dreamed that one day he would visit all those places. He also boasts a
remarkable sense of direction, which often makes him the guide when he visits
new places with his friends.
The students and teachers enjoy making fun of Yu, who has become a kind of
guru in the New Oriental schools. Stories, genuine or false, circulate among
classes to help students stay awake.
When asked what Yu's favorite hobby is, students answer "telegraph poles --
just like dogs!" Yu has happy memories of the early days of the school when he
would post advertisements on telegraph poles.
Another joke concerns Yu's supposed weakness in accounting. When his school
earned 100 yuan on its first day of operation, Yu gave teacher A 40 yuan and
teacher B 40 yuan and said "the rest is mine. The rule will not be changed."
The teachers thought Yu was very gullible. However, when the school went on
to earn 1,000 yuan a day, Yu still gave teachers A and B 40 yuan each and said
"the rest is mine and the rule will not be changed."
Galloping on the back of a racing horse in the Beijing suburbs is one of Yu's
favorite methods for relieving tension.
But while he is fond of horses, Yu tells China Features that he feels
temperamentally closer to the slow-paced and good-tempered camel.
"A camel can walk a long way in difficult conditions. Running a career is
similar to a trek through desert. Career success means walking from one oasis to
another. It calls for camel-like perseverance and a good sense of direction."
¡¡¡¡
