Peking University, July 26, 2022: The first time Wang Xinyao visited Peking University, in her fourth grade, she was on a rehabilitation trip to Beijing for injuries she suffered in an accident at age 6, which left her confined in a wheelchair. Accompanied by her mother, she was instantly mesmerized and impressed by the beautiful scenery and cultural appeal of Peking University. "The campus was very pretty, and its cultural ambiance was remarkable," recalled Wang, who, since the trip, had sown the seed of studying at PKU in her mind.

Having difficulties moving about, Wang Xinyao, who had until recently studied at the High School Attached to Northeast Normal University, in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, must face up to challenges arising not just from her study but also from her life. For her contemporaries, the morning and night routines as simple as washing and toothbrushing might only take 10 minutes to finish; but for Wang, they took an hour. The daily rehabilitation training was even more time-consuming. 

Wang Xinyao at PKU when she was in her fourth grade

Due to the weakness of her waist muscles, Wang Xinyao had to take a rest on and off throughout her everyday study. Whatever time she lost for her physical recovery Wang made up with the fragments of the school recess. For her, even a matter of a few minutes could be segmented and saved for a recitation of texts, or the solution of some questions on a test sheet. 

In the eyes of Bai Gang, Wang’s history teacher at her high school, Wang Xinyao, together with her parents, redefined such words as “courage” and “love,” and embodied the qualities including “optimism” and “fortitude”.  

During her three-year stay at her high school, Wang had been, against all odds, racing with time, in the meantime turning obstacles into motivation. The meticulous care from her parents and the support from her teachers and classmates also gave her the spiritual strength to overcome difficulties and chase her dreams.


“Seeing the sacrifices Wang’s parents have made (in her study) makes me deeply touched by the strength of the parental love,” said Zhou Chunmei, Wang’s geography teacher at the high school. “Parental love is perhaps the only unconditional love in this world, and Wang’s parents are my role models being a parent myself.”

On the concrete steps leading to the teaching building at her high school, there was a special wheelchair ramp built for Wang Xinyao. To ensure that she could take a noon break, the high school also arranged a rest room for her; and whenever Wang was on her way to her optional classes, her classmates always offered their help and company…

After taking this year’s college entrance examination, Wang was admitted this month to Peking University—the dream place she had aspired to—where she will study at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature. 

On July 22, Jin Rui, Deputy Dean of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University, traveled to Wang’s high school to deliver her admission letter in person. At the special “handover ceremony,” Prof. Jin also handed Wang Xinyao a set of books entitled Our Days in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University, an encapsulation of the department’s 112-year-old history, as told by 38 academics from the department. 

In the flyleaf of the books was an inscription written by Prof. Li Zongkun, which read: "石可破也而不可夺坚，丹可磨也而不可夺赤 (literally, A rock can be smashed, but its pieces will still be hard; cinnabar can be ground, but its powder will still be red). "



Written by: Meng Bin
Edited by: Zhang Jiang
Source: PKU News (Chinese)