This is the most effective way to learn

Chapter 66

How did wage earners become graduate students?

Guo Rongqing is a wage earner who sells vegetables while reading "Das Kapital". In order to ensure the reading time, he only does odd jobs. In September 2004, he was admitted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and became a graduate student of the Faculty of Law.

Guo Rongqing dropped out of school after graduating from junior high school, worked as a construction worker on a construction site, and sold vegetables in a road market. During the 9 years of wandering, he never gave up his hobbies and dreams of studying.He said: "Every time I go to a place, I first apply for a library card."

Guo Rongqing was born in Dongye Village, Qingtuo Town, Shandong Province in 1974.In that impoverished mountain village, Guo Rongqing was an upstanding child in the eyes of his parents, and his school performance fulfilled his original glory and dreams. "From elementary school to junior high school, I was the top two in my class." When he returned home with his report card after the exam, it was his proudest moment.But when he pays tuition every semester, it is the most uncomfortable time for him.It is often the deadline that parents struggle to finance tuition.When they handed the money into his hands, they couldn't help sighing. Guo Rongqing knew the heavy weight of the money since he was a child.

Most of the children in the village only go to junior high school. In 1991, 17-year-old Guo Rongqing graduated from junior high school and finally left school reluctantly.He took his luggage and followed the villagers on a part-time job, seeking to survive in farther places.

The first stop is Shanghai.Before going out, his parents gave him 200 yuan. He put the money in his pocket and tried his best to reduce expenses.But three days later, there was not much money left in his pocket, and what was even more frightening was that he hadn't found a job yet.When he first went out, he didn't know the various skills to survive in the city, and he didn't know how to find a job.During the day, he walked on the street again and again, indifferent to the colorful street scenes, only the employment notices on the side of the street would make his eyes shine.

The sixth day passed, and there was still no work to do, and no money on me.Guo Rongqing hadn't eaten for two days, and a large blister formed around his mouth in anxiety.Passing by a small restaurant, he saw a piece of steamed bun on the ground, so he picked it up and ate it.

Later, he went to a construction site to do a small job. After meeting the first contractor, he knew how to find a job, and his life finally settled down.The first time he got his wages, Guo Rongqing left the food money and ran to the bookstore to buy a high school textbook.After work, when others were playing cards and chatting about women, he would sit in a corner and open a book. Tiredness made his eyes dry, but he just couldn't bear to put it down.

From now on, wherever there is work to do, Guo Rongqing will go there.He has been to Shanghai, Xuzhou, Weihai, Qinhuangdao and many other cities, and his daily income is generally in single digits.Guo Rongqing said: "Outsiders think that I am bitter, but I have never felt this way myself. I have been in hardship, and I can't appreciate what is bitter. On the contrary, I will be very happy if I have a little sweetness. I can maintain my life by working part-time. Living, being able to study and send some money to my family, what’s so hard about it? If one day I earn a little more and have more money for studying and sending home, I will be happier.

Guo Rongqing swept the streets, worked as a small worker, and lived a wandering life.As soon as the work settles down, Guo Rongqing will take out the few books in his collection and look through them.After getting paid, he bought a new book and felt light when he walked.Reading is a kind of spiritual enjoyment for him after physical labor.But such a time is a luxury for him. He lives in a simple work shed with co-workers crowded together and often changes berths every ten and a half months. It is difficult for his books to find a safe place.But Guo Rongqing also has his own method, "every time he goes to a place, he must first apply for a library card."

In 1995, Guo Rongqing came to Dalian to sell vegetables in a street market.Early in the morning, he rode a tricycle to transport the vegetables from the wholesale market to the stalls, and waited for the business to come to his door after the classification codes were complete.Working from dawn to dusk in a month, he can earn 400 yuan.And besides getting up early, the physical strength is much lighter than the construction site.With stable income, the hearts of migrant workers will also be stable. Guo Rongqing decided to stay in Dalian.When there were few people in the market, he would take out the book from under the booth and take a look at it twice. Even if he was interrupted after reading only a page or two, he was very satisfied.

If selling vegetables is his main job, reading books is his preferred side job.In order to make no mistakes in both industries, Guo Rongqing found out some good ways to "save time".Others’ peppers sell for 8 cents a catty, so he put a cardboard sign in front of his stall saying “6 cents a catty, no bargaining.”In this way, at the end of the day, he would say a lot less and there would be no food left.At this time, he basically finished reading the high school courses. He likes books on philosophy and law, and feels that they can solve the confusion in his life.

When he stops every day, even if it is only for 2 minutes, he will open the book and read for a while.Back at "home" at night, he cooks some noodles, potatoes and other meals, and reads while eating.

There was no desk or chair, so Guo Rongqing picked up an old sofa, cut off half of it and turned it into a chair for reading.The room was so small that he only moved the chair down from the roof when he was reading.

In the past 9 years, this "reading chair" has been Guo Rongqing's closest friend and has not left for a single day.Guo Rongqing said: "I study to seize the usual time and often go to bed late, but I don't stay up all night."

After his deeds were published in the newspapers, many people called to ask Guo Rongqing for advice on learning methods. Most of them were young people, and there were also many wage earners.Guo Rongqing always tells them: "Reading should be about 'zero deposit and full withdrawal', that is, you should squeeze out time to read books every day, don't read enough today, and don't read at all tomorrow.

Study should be "pay attention everywhere", reading should be "zero deposit and whole withdrawal"

There are many bank deposit methods, one of which is "zero deposit and lump sum withdrawal".This method is for the convenience of those users who do not have much money left each month but want to save money, by depositing a certain amount of money every month to achieve the purpose of accumulating funds.The same should be true for reading.

There is no limit to learning, and there is no limit to art.The "zero savings and whole withdrawal" in reading is realized by "paying attention everywhere". Liu Xie, a literary theorist in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, said in "The Literary Mind and Carving of Dragons": "Accumulate learning to store treasures, and use reason to enrich talents". This is the truth.

But it is not easy to "pay attention everywhere" in real life.When talking about accumulating knowledge in the late Qing Dynasty, Liang Qichao said: "This kind of work is extremely stupid and painful, but truly learned people can't do without this road." People of insight, all "pay attention to everything" to "store treasure" and "rich talents".The famous Prime Minister Xiao He made great contributions in Liu Bang's establishment of the Han Dynasty because of his careful study of "laws, orders, pictures, and books" and other knowledge.

Nowadays, with the rapid development of science and technology, it is difficult to be competent without extensive and solid knowledge.Therefore, every scholar should be good at absorbing knowledge and long wisdom in a broader social space.

(End of this chapter)