Yang Jia, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences: Blind at the age of 29, abandoned by her husband and children, and then she counterattacked in 8 years
Have you heard of Yang Jia, the woman who regained her light from the darkness and wrote an epic of struggle with her life? Her story is not an ordinary legend, but a real counterattack in life.
Think about it, how does a blind woman use firm faith and indomitable spirit to move step by step towards the light? Yang Jia is not only her own redeemer, but also a beacon for those who struggle in the darkness.
Swimming against the current: Yang Jia's brilliant journey
When she was 15 years old, this little girl was studying in the High School Affiliated to Hunan Normal University, and she plunged into the door of the English Department of Zhengzhou University with her excellent results in mathematics and English competitions, which made people marvel.
Yang Jia is a legend in school. A little girl at the level of a high school student suddenly skips a grade to college, surrounded by big brothers and sisters who are older than her.
She was so young, but she had to face such a new environment, you say, is it a lot of pressure? But she and her family bravely accepted this challenge and resolutely stepped into this unknown world.
After the lights went out at 9 o'clock in the evening, under the dim light in the dormitory, Yang Jia looked at the lower bunk classmates with miners' hats on their heads, reading intently, and the energy in her heart rubbed up.
Yang Jia's results are among the best in the whole department. The big brothers and sisters who didn't take her seriously at first had to look at her with admiration. Even the foreign teachers were amazed by her writing skills and English listening.
At the age of 19, she became the youngest English teacher at Zhengzhou University, which is nothing short of a miracle!
I remember that summer, she went to Henan University for the first time as a college entrance examination marking teacher, but when the doorman saw her flower skirt and ponytail, he actually regarded her as a student and misunderstood her to check the college entrance examination scores.
Bright Star in Adversity: Yang Jia's Extraordinary Journey
Yang Jia, a 19-year-old girl, faced with a group of students of the same age or even older, standing on the podium to teach, how much courage and confidence does it take?
Just as she was about to step into the role of a university teacher, something ridiculous happened.
When she went to Henan University to participate in the college entrance examination marking work, she was mistaken for a student who came to check her scores, which frightened the doorman. Thankfully, her colleague showed up in time to explain the truth.
This young girl is not satisfied with the status quo. Her ambitions and dreams go far beyond that. It only took two years for her to be admitted to the graduate school of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
At the Academy of Sciences, her teachers often asked her to substitute for her, and Yang Jia taught English writing. Usually, this course is taught by foreign teachers, but the school wants to train its own writing teacher, so Yang Jia is sent to teach. She taught for eight full semesters with excellent results.
In class, the students not only enjoyed her lectures, but also often sent her flowers to express their gratitude. How much pressure and challenge does a 24-year-old young teacher invisibly bring to other teachers? This is Yang Jia, a bright star who shines in adversity.
But just when she decided to make a career in the teaching profession, life hit her with a huge blow. This blow ushered in the darkest moment in her life.
How did this promising young teacher face this challenge?
Light Reborn: Yang Jia's Journey of Adversity
One day in 1992, Yang Jia began to experience such a transformation. She thought that blurred vision was just a trivial matter that required a new pair of glasses, but who would have thought that this would be the beginning of the biggest challenge of her life.
As time went on, her eyesight got worse and worse, to the point where she couldn't even read words clearly. After diagnosis, Yang Jia was told that she had retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and irreversible disease.
Her father was so grieved that he spent the night in vain. Yang Jia tried all possible treatments, Chinese medicine, Western medicine, acupuncture, and even the extremely painful "retrobulbar injection", but to no avail. One winter morning, she woke up to find that she had lost her sight.
To add insult to injury, her husband filed for divorce and asked to take his daughter away. His questioning made Yang Jia's heart like a knife: "How can you raise your daughter well like this?" Faced with such a reality, Yang Jia was speechless and had to let go.
After losing her sight, Yang Jia felt extremely sad. Her world is not only dark, but also full of confusion and fear.
Like a child at a loss, she wanders between the old and the new, both nostalgic for the past and afraid of the present. This mental journey was extremely difficult for her.
In such a predicament, Yang Jia faced the most important choice in her life: "What should I do, should I sink in confusion, or be reborn in a predicament?"
Bright persistence: Yang Jia's brave road
She was once free, but suddenly she had to relearn the basic skills of Xi life like a child: dressing, eating, using a cane...... Even.
She also had to learn Xi touch Braille with her fingertips, not only Chinese, but also English. Her hard work and persistence are really touching.
Faced with the reality that the blind school does not accept older students, Yang Jia was not discouraged, but asked for advice by phone and became self-taught.
She bought cassettes, recorded English broadcasts, and did her best to improve herself. You say, this kind of persistence is not something that anyone can do, right?
The most admirable thing is that Yang Jia decided to return to the podium. My heart warms every time I think of her elderly father, holding her hand and walking through the crowd just to bring her to the classroom on a cold winter day. "Daddy is your crutch", this sentence is not only a support, but also a manifestation of her endless love.
Her teaching standards have never been lowered because of blindness. She is still the youngest associate professor in that college, marking the professor's board with tape attached to the blackboard and remembering the voice of each student. In her own way, she overcame the invisible obstacles.
Yang Jia has not only achieved success in teaching, but she has also written and published textbooks such as "English Writing for Graduate Students" and "English Reading for Graduate Students", which have become teaching reference books for many universities.
Waking up early every day and working hard, her story teaches us that no matter how difficult it is, with determination, it is possible.
When her school decided to develop into an internationally renowned institution of higher learning, Yang Jia's heart swelled with excitement. She longs to witness and be a part of this great purpose.
Stars Illuminating the Darkness: Yang Jia's Harvard Journey
For the 37-year-old Yang Jia, this is not only a dream, but also an unparalleled challenge. As a senior visiting scholar at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, she was admitted to Harvard University's Kennedy School with honors, becoming a radiant star.
How many hardships and challenges are there behind this achievement for an unseen person?
The examiners were amazed, and even said, "This Chinese candidate is so good that Harvard has no choice but to admit it!" This is not only a recognition of her talent, but also an affirmation of her perseverance.
At Harvard, teachers like to use images and case studies, which is a big challenge for Yang Jia. But she used a special keyboard, with the help of her classmates and her own ingenuity, to accurately record the main points of each lesson.
She continued to study Xi until two or three o'clock in the morning every day, sometimes even through the night, reading an astonishing 500 pages. To increase efficiency, she increased the speed of her voice software to 400 words per minute, almost as fast as a tape recorder fast-forward.
Yang Jia not only completed the Xi task, but also overcompleted three additional courses. One of her papers, "On Deng Xiaoping's Art of Leadership," won Professor Gogan's favor and received the highest A+ in the school, breaking with the tradition of the Kennedy School.
At the graduation ceremony, when the dean presented her with a diploma, he said, "Congratulations, Jia, you are China's soft power. This sentence elicited a standing ovation from thousands of teachers and students in the audience.
The feat of a blind student receiving an MBA degree for the first time in the 300-year history of Harvard University is not only an affirmation of Yang Jia personally, but also an encouragement to all those who still persevere in the face of difficulties.
Shine in the Dark: Yang Jia's Legendary Life
Yang Jia, this name is like a dazzling star in our hearts, blooming with a unique light in the dark. Once a distinguished scholar at Harvard's Kennedy School, she continues to brighten the lives of others on stage at home and abroad.
Can you imagine how a blind lady could teach such high-end courses as "economic globalization" and "the art of communication," which are the preserve of top professors, even at Harvard. But Yang Jia, she did it, and got their special permission.
Her day-to-day teaching work has not stopped. Yang Jia continues to teach English courses for graduate and doctoral students, and she finds joy in teaching, which has also earned her honors such as "National Advanced Worker" and "The Fourth Beijing Top Ten Outstanding Youths".
In addition, Yang Jia has held various social positions, such as vice chairman of the China Blind Association and vice chairman of the Beijing Association of the Blind.
Even more admirable, she was also elected Vice-Chair of the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, becoming the first person in Chinese history to hold this position.
On the stage of the United Nations, Yang Jia not only won more voice for Chinese people with disabilities, but also let the world know the real China through her story.
She believes that everyone is like a drop of water, as long as they bravely go to the world, they can win glory for China on the international stage.
She once wrote, "I can't see flowers, but I can smell them, I can't see books, but I can gain knowledge, I can't see the sun, but I can shine, I can't see the distance, but I will step out of myself."
I can't see you, but I want you to know how beautiful I am!" These words, like a portrayal of her life, show her determination and courage to surpass herself.
Yang Jia's life story inspires everyone: even in the dark, we must be brave enough to pursue the light, surpass ourselves, and illuminate others. She is not only a role model for people with disabilities, but also an inspiration for all to pursue their dreams.