事实上，无论我在生活中取得多大或多小的成就，我都觉得它们该归功于我的父母，一直以来，他们给了我不少压力要我成就点什么，却又给了我无限纵容，允许我去尝试或成就几乎任何事情。??（译文第一稿，完）湘伟2017年4月2号，上海TheWaytoGreatness?-AnUnfinishedPersonalJourney??MyfathernamedmeXiangweiwithsomedeephopes.XiangistheabbreviationofHunanprovincewhereIwasborn.Weimeansgreatorgreatness.HewantedmetobethegreatoneofHunan.Withoutmuchmeansandknowledgeofwhatitwouldtaketoreachthegreatness,Iwastoldrepeatedlywherethereisawill,thereisaway.Sothewillwashandedovertomeinallpossibleformsandhadbeeningrainedinmybrainfromearlyon.??YoucanimaginewhenItookthesurveyatourfirstclassofNapoleon'sGlance,Ididnothesitateasecondtochoose"Wherethereisawill,thereisaway"over"Wherethereisaway,thereisawill."Whatamomentofdisbeliefwhentheprofessordeclaredthatthelatterwaslargelyresponsibleforthemostbrilliantsuccessstoriesofourhumanhistory!YoumeanIgotitcompletelywrongalltheseyears???IponderwhatIwouldhavedonedifferentlyifIhadunderstoodthedifferenceofthetwoandmadechoicesearlyonbasedonthewaysthatwereavailabletome.??Inhindsight,IconsidermyselfextremelyluckytobeborninthetimewheneducationbecameimportantagaininChina.Thebeliefof"Theworthofallotherpursuitsissmall,onlythestudyofbooksexcelsthemall"isdeeplyrootedinthe5000yearsofChineseculture.The10-yearCulturalRevolutiondidnot“revolutionize”thisbeliefawhatsoever.[Theword"revolution"knowninChineseas"Ge-Ming"literallymeans"takinglifeawayofsomething"]Iwouldleavethehistorianstoevaluatethedeepimpactofthose10yearsonChinesecultureandsociety.Buttoordinarypeoplewholedalifefromdaytoday,themomentCulturalRevolutionwasover,theywentbacktothefundamentalbelief:Studyofbooksisgood.Let'sstudyevenhardertomakeupforthelosttime.??So,likemostChineseparents,myparents'firststeptobringmeclosertotheundefinedgreatnesswastomakesurethatIunderstoodtheimportanceofschoolingandstudyingbooks.Theydidnotjusttalkaboutit.Theytookactions,especiallywhenImissedthescorecardrankingfromtimetotime.TheymadesurethatIremembereditforalongtime.??NowthatIanalyzeit,IguesssomeformofenforcingwaystoleadtohighersuccessprobabilitywaswovenintotheChineseeducationsystematmytime.Inhighschool,studentsweregroupedintoclasseswithfocusonscience,liberalartsorsportsdependingontheirscoresofeachsubject.BythenithadbecomeclearthatIwastoodumbtobecomeascientistandtoowimpytobecomeanathlete,soIjoinedintheclassthatfocusedonliberalarts.Wasmywayoflifealreadyshapedduringthattime?Maybe!??Whatgoodcouldthestudyofliberalartsdotochangemylife?ForsometimeIthoughtthedumbstudentswereputinthatclasswithoutbeinglabeleddumbbutallunderstoodthatwehadnopromisingfuture.Atthetime,allChineseparentswereeagertosendtheirkidstostudymath,physicsandchemistrybecauseonlythesethreesubjectsweregoingtobringabrightfutureforthekidsandforthecountry.Sogoesthesaying,"Masterthesethreesubjects,youcanconquertheworldwithnofear."MaybethisexplainswhytherearesomanyChinesescientistsworkinginthelabsallovertheworldtoday.Didtheyknowatageof14thatthiswasthebestchoicetheycouldhavemadeinlife?Maybesomealreadytrulyfoundtheirwaythatearlybutdefinitelynotallofthemdid.??Atage14,mywaytogreatnessseemedveryblurryandmuddy.Fortunately,Idon'tthinkmyparentsreallyknewwhattheywantedformeotherthansendingmetocollege.Theywantedmetodowellbutdidnotknowwhatthedefininggoalswere.SothehighpressuretodowellinschoolcontinuedbuttheywerehappyaslongasIrankedontopofthetotalscorecard.TheyhadnoclueaboutwhetherIscoredpoorlyinChinese,wellinEnglishorviceversa.Subconsciouslymyfamilyletmealonetoexploretheartofwhatworked.Inaverystrangeway,Iwasfreeinmychoicesanddecisionswithafewexceptions.??AslongasIcouldremember,Ihavealwaysbeenpraisedformygoodvoiceandmytalentofsinging.Notinamillionyearsmyfamilywasgoingtoallowmetopursueanyformofmusicasaseriouscareer.Tobefair,IwasnotawareofsuchathingasstrategicintuitionandneverthoughttwicethatIcouldhavemadesomethingoutofit.SoIdidnotpushformore.Iwasnotalone.Asoftoday,Iamconvincedthattheworldmissedtheopportunitytohaveagreatmusicianbecausemyfamilydidnothavethemeansorawarenesstocultivatethemusicaltalentinoneofmybrothers.Havingmissedhisownturn,todaymybrotheristransferringallhishopesanddreamstohisfour-year-oldsontocarryonwithhispassion.Thelittleguystartedlearningconductingwithchopsticksbeforehecouldeatwiththem.Mybrothermightbemakingthesamemistakeasmyparentsbutjustinareverseddirection.Toomuchhelportoolittlecanbeequallydamaging.Mylittlenephewmightormightnothaveinterestortalentinmusic.Butitdoesnotseemtomatter.Hisfatherisdeterminedtomakehimbecomeagreatmusician.??Mybrotherisnottheonlypersistentparent.Accordingtosomeestimates,30millionChinesestudentsaretakingpianolessonsand10milliontakingviolinlessonsin2007.Whetherthesekidswillonedaybecomeascientistoralawyer,theirparentswantthemtolearnsomethingofwhichtheparentsthemselvesweredeprivedatsimilarage.Iamnoexception.AlthoughIamfullyawareofmypotentialsin,mydaughterhasbeenrequiredtositonthepianobenchforoneortwohoursadaysincesheturnedsix.AndIadmitthatIhavebeenpreachingtomydaughterthesamethingthatwaspreachedtomebymyparents:Havethewilltocontinue;Havethewilltoconquer;ThewaytoCarnegieHallispractice,practice,practice!??IambeginningtowonderwhetherIamcompletelywrong!Shehasshownsometalentinpiano.ButIinsistthatsheneedstoworkhardertobecomeoutstanding.HowdoIknowtodaythatshemightnevermakeitnomatterhowhardshetries?AtwhatpointdoIrealizeandadmitenoughisenough?Well,Ithinkandhopethattheseeffortswillturnintosomethingforheroneday.Iffornothingelse,atleastitisfortheenhancementofhersoulandenrichmentofherlife.AlthoughIampressedbythisinternalconflictfromtimetotime,IconsistentlyremainpositivethatonedaymydaughterwillbehappythatImadeherdocertainthingsatanearlyage.Foronesimplereason:NotanysinglemomentinmylifeIblamemyparentsfor"forcing"metostudyorgivingmethe"will"totakeontoughchallenges.Infact,nomatterhowlittleorsmallIhaveachievedinlife,IfeelIoweitalltomyparents,whohadalwayspressedmetobecomesomethingwhileindulgingmetoletmebecomeanything.Consciouslyornot,IhavealwaysdemandedmydaughtertostudythepianobutIhavenevertoldhertobecomeapianist.Shehasbeentoallkindsofinspiringclassicalmusicconcerts;shehasmetafewgreatmusiciansinperson.Ifherstomachdoesnotcatchfire,Iwillnotbeabletomakeherbecomesomethingshedoesnotwantpassionately.Butmaybeshewilloneday.Presenceofmind!??Unlikemydaughterandmynephew,Inevergottochooseformusic.Butmyhero'sjourneytocollegeendedwithamajortriumph.TheinfamousNationalCollegeEntranceExaminationlastedthreedays.Istillrememberthedaywhenmyfathergotaphonecallfromtheschoolprincipalwhoinformedhimaboutmytestresults.Iscorednumberoneofallliberalartsstudentsgraduatingfromabout40ormorehighschoolsinthewholenorthernregionofHunan.Itwasshockingtoeverybodyincludingmyself.IthoughtIwasextremelylucky.Ihadbeenquitegoodinmyownclass,sometimesnumberone,sometimestwobutoccasionallyalsoexperiencednumberfiveortenforwhichIwastreatedwithseverepunishmentfrommyparents.Tobenumberoneamongalltheseschoolswasunimaginable.Ithadneverbeenmygoal!AyearlaterIreceivedaletterfromanofficialoftheprovincialeducationdepartmentwhoaskedmetowritetoyoungerstudentsaboutmysuccessstoryandkeyfindingsoflearning.IdeclinedbecauseIhadnothingtooffer.Asoftoday,IbelieveIgotluckyorsomeoneelsegotlesslucky.??Myfamilycelebratedthissuccessandforabriefmoment,ItrulybelievedthatIredeemedmynameof"greatness."Butthisgoodfeelingdidnotlastlong.SoonIwastobeginanotherquest.Andmostimportantlyitwastofindoutwhattoquest!Weweredividedaboutwhatuniversitytoselect.NowthatIscorednumberone,myfamilyfeltthatIwasaffordedthepossibilitytochoosewhateverIwanted.SinceIdidnotreallyknowwhatIwanted,theysuggestedIwentwithwhateverwaspopularortrend-settingorpromisingagreatfuture.Bythen,eveninmysmalltownforChinesestandard,peoplewereenthusiasticallytalkingabouttheimportanceofforeignlanguage,foreigninvestment,foreigntrade,allthoseforeignthingsthatweregoingtodecidethefutureofChinaandultimatelythatofourselves.Sooffwedecidedtogotoaso-calledkeyuniversityinBeijingtostudy"InternationalEconomicCooperation,"noneofthesethreewordshadeverexistedinmyvocabularyorenteredintomybrain,oranybody'sbraininmyfamily,upuntilthemomentIfilledtheapplicationform.??Lifehassincecontinuedtogivemeanincrediblejourney,thejourneythatstartedatthemomentIwasbornwithhopesof"greatness."DidIactuallyforgettomentionthat,whenIwasborn,myfatherwasworkingina"Re-educationCamp"duringtheCulturalRevolution?Yes,hewasthereworkinglonghoursinhardconditionsandlearninghowtosurviveseeminglyever-lastinghungryandhelplessdays.Hewashelplessbutnothopeless,forI,hisnew-borngavehimhope.Myparentsnevertalkedaboutthosedayswithbitterness.WhatIheardmostaboutthatperiodwasthedeepbondandsmalljoyssharedbymyparentsandtheirfriends.Somestoriessoundedsadattimesbutthestorytellersalwaysgaveasentimentalnostalgiathatmadeasadstorymorelikearainbowaftertherainthantherainitself.Themostoftentoldstorywasahappyoneabouttheluckybirthofmeandtwootherkidswhowerebornduringthesameperiodtomyfather'sfriends/campmates.Myfatherandoneofhistwofriendshadalreadytwosonsandwishedtohaveagirliftheywouldseetheirwifesoonagain.Theotherfriendhadalreadytwogirlsandwishedtohaveason.Theyallgottheirwishfulfilledinthesameyearasaresultofsomedowntimefromthecamp.Suchluckyguys!Italsogoeswithoutsayingthat,beforeIwasborn,Iwasalreadymatchedwiththeto-be-bornboyofmyfather'sbestfriendandweweregoingtohaveahappylifetogethereverafter.Incrediblysweet!??Thus,myjourneystartedinsuchabittersweetbackgroundinmymemory,muchmoresweetthanbitter,butdefinitelyflavorful.Itwaspavedwithnotonlyflowers,butalsohiddenthornsandtrickypuzzles.Eachstepwasuniqueinitsownwayandcollectivelyallstepsmadethejourneyamazinglycolorfulandirreplaceable.Idolookbackfromtimetotime,onlytofeelhoweverythinghaschangedwhilenothingreallyhas.IrememberdistinctlythedaywhenIleftmyparents'apartmentbuildingcomplexwhereIspentquitesomechildhoodyears.Myfather'sfirmsentavanwithadrivertotakemeandmyfamilytoChangsha,thecapitalcityofHunanProvince.Fromthere,mymomandoneofmybrotherswouldaccompanymeonthetrainthatwouldeventuallybringustoBeijingafter24hoursoftrainridethroughthevastplainsofcentralChina.??Iwas17yearsoldandmyheartwassingingbothsadandhappymelodiesatthesametime.AlongwithmeIhadafewpiecesofoldclothesandveryhumblebelongingsthatfadedveryquicklybothinrealcolorsandmymemory.Asoftoday,whatremainsinmyheadisthatdeepsenseofprideandtriumphblendedwithanxietyaboutthefutureandemptinessofthepast,theexcitementofabettertomorrowtobegained,thesadnessofafadingyesterdaynevertobefoundagain.Mybrother'swordsarestillechoingvividlyinmybrainasiftheywerespokenjustnowandhisvoicewasjustinchesaway,"Dearsister,takeagoodlookatthesebuildings,thesebricks,thestairs,thetrees,thesky,thegrass,us?eachoneofusthataccompaniedyourlifetothisday,takeagoodlookandadeepbreath,keepusclosetoyourheart,for,whenyoucomeback,lifewillneverbethesameagain.Nothingherewilleverbethesameagain.??"Andhewasright,thesametimehewaswrong.??Thewaytogreatness!Iquicklyseethatthiswillremainalifelongquest.Imayhavemissedmywaytobecomeagreatsinger.Imayhavemissedmywaytobecomeagreatwriter.Imayalsohavemissedmywaytobecomeagreatlawyer,agreateducator,agreatlinguist,orevenagreatpolitician.TodayIrealizethatIactuallystillhadallthoseoptionswideopenwhenIwasputintotheclasswithfocusonliberalarts25yearsago.However,Iseemtohavemanagedtosquanderallthosegloriousopportunities.Afteralongwayofupsanddowns,somehowIlandedintheUSincorporateworldbusymakingmoneyformyemployerandmyfamily.IthinkIhavealreadyexceededmyparents'expectationofgreatness.Forthelackofabetterbenchmarkofthegreatnessofallthosedifferentprofessions,maybemoneyisstillthebestdenominatortomeasurethemall.WhenIwasinhighschool,myfamilyoffivewaslivingonatotalmonthlyincomeofabout120RMB,or10USDattheblackmarketexchangeratethen.Inourwildestdream,nobodyincludingmyselfwouldhaveeverimaginedthekindofsalarythatIamgettingeverexistedonthisplanet.Doesn'tthisfactalonemakeonefeelgood?Ofcourse,ifyouwouldn'thavetospendmostofit(oncollegetuition,expensivehousing,etc.),itwouldmakeyouactuallyfeelreallygreat!??So,let'sagreethatIamsofarsuccessful.Whathelped?Wasitmystrategy,mywillorsimplymyluck???Iamoverwhelmedbymyownquestion.Thefirstthingthatcametomymindwasalltheluckthathadbeenshiningmyway,alreadybeforeIwasborn,andthefactthatIWASborn!SomuchluckpiledonmewhenIwasgrowingup.Itwasnotjustme.Itwasmywholegenerationofluckykidsthatwerebornattherighttimeattherightplace.WhenIwasabouttogotoschool,thecountrywasjustgettingclosetotheendofthegreatestnightmare.Grantedthatwedidnothaveeverything.Butwereallydidn'tknowalotofthingsevenexisted.Wedidn'tneedwhatwedidn'tknow."Things"almostnevermattered.Itonlymatteredthatwefeltthatthebadtimeswerebehindusandanewbrightjourneywasabouttobegin.Peoplewerehopefulandgrateful!Peoplewereexcitedabouteverylittlesuccessthatcametotheirway,aboutsomethingsmallthattheycouldaffordtobuy.Everythingwasaluxury.Tobreathefreelyonthestreetfeltlikealuxury.Thesunwasshininguponthewholenationandoneveryperson'sface.Theprideandmotivation.Thewillandthepossibilities.Theprospectsforgoldenharvests.Iwasjustluckytobeoneofthem.Iamfullyawarethattherewereplentyofotherluckykidsborninotherpartsoftheworldatthesametime.Buttothem,maybetheirluckwasnotobvious.Itwasmorethesameandequalandmaybeevenexpected.Itwastakenforgranted.ButnotwhenIwasgrowingup.Iwasandamstillgrateful,tobeborntomyparents,atthattime,inthatonceabusedyetstillbeautifulandbelovedsoil.??DidmyluckdefinewhoIamtoday?Iamalmostinclinedtosay"yes."OtherthanalwaysbelievingthatIwouldeventuallydowell,callitpositiveattitudeordetermination,Ican'tthinkofsomethingthatreallydifferentiatedmyselffrommychildhoodfriends,whowerebyandlargeequallyluckybutdidnotseemtodosowellbysomeconventionalwisdom.Mostofthemarealsohappy,settled,acceptingandenjoyingthewayoftheirlife.Whenwemeet,wesharethe99%wehaveincommoninlife.Whenoccasionallytheconversationaboutthe1%differencearises,webecomequietlyemotional,wefeelthedistancebetweenourpaths,andweshareanunspokensadnessbecauseofalostcommonpurpose,alostdreamthatisnotanymoretobetracedback.Onceuponatime,didn'tweallhavethosesimilardreamsoflife?Didn'twesharethosedreamsinamostsecretiveandinnocentwaywithourbestchildhoodfriends?Thedreamsmighthavehaddifferentdetailsincolorandform,butdidn'ttheyallprojectthesamekindofgreatness,thegreatnessthattranscendedoursmallbody,ourlanguagecapabilities,physicalstrengthandevenourimagination,thedreamsthatcrossedbordersandgenerations,thedreamsthatwerepassedontomebymyparentsandtothembytheirparents???Atthesamestartingpoint,webeganourjourneytogethertopursueourdreams.Eachandeveryoneofusdidslightlydifferentthingsoneachsingleday.Idon'tknowhowandwhenthosesmalldifferentstepsbegantotakemeapartfrommyfriends.BeforeIknowit,Ilostthemonmywayofseekinggreatness.Ihavenotfoundthegreatness,butIlostthem,notby99%,butbythat1%.??IamnotsayingthatIhavethat1%ofinspirationandtheydon't.Idon'thaveityet.??ButIamstilllookingforthe"Way,"andIamdeterminedtolookforaslongasIexist.Idon'tknowifmostofmyfriendsare.IknowIhavenotgivenupmyquest,evenafterthesemanyyearsofhappyandluckylife.??Istillwanttofindthemiraculous1%thatmighteventuallytakemetothatstillundefinedgreatness,whichisbeyondmytoday'simagination,beyondmyparents'biggestexpectations,beyondthethingsthatconfinemeandmycurrentthinking.MaybeIhavealreadyarrivedataslightlyhigherplatformtoobservethingsaroundmeandIhaveaviewthatisgranderthanbefore,butthemoreIobservetheworld,thelessclearlyIseemyselfinit.Infact,Ibegintoseemyselfgettingsmallerandbeingpushedbyotherobserversthatarerightfullydemandingtheirstage.IknowIwilleventuallyfindaperfectway.Iwillsettleforit,nomatterbigorsmall,thewaythatwilllinkthepathsofmypast,presentandfuture,thewaynottoanabsolutegreatnessthatistotallyimpossible,butthewaytobringmylifeinafullcircle,withpeaks,valleys,streams,fieldsandmaybeevendeserts.??ItwaswiththisdesireandthebeliefthatIwilleventuallyfindmy1%toleadtomyway,IappliedfortheEMBAProgramatColumbia.WhileIamwritingthissmallessay,thinkingofwhereIcamefromandhowIgothere,howcanIfeelanythingbutluckyandhonored!??ThejourneyofEMBAwillbeoverinafewmonths,butIknowIwillbeginthenextquestsoonafter,thequesttocontinuetolookforthat1%inspiration.IamluckythatIhavealwaysfoundawaytonurturemywillandIknowIwillalwayshavethewilltofindmyway.??Duringthecourseofthisstudy,IrealizehowthesetwoelementsfitintoaYin-Yangcycle.Thewayandthewill.Iseeit,Iwantitmore.Iwantit,Iseeitmore.Idon'tseeit,IseekmoreuntilIseeittowantit.????(Theend)XiangweiWrittenin2007-2008(?),Morristown,NJ你好，我是湘伟。有些故事偶尔会令人难过，但故事的叙述者总是带着一种怀旧似的伤感，似乎让一个悲伤的故事变成了暴雨后的彩虹，而不是暴雨本身。莫迪里阿尼油画作品到了文艺复兴时期，由于自然科学的发展，西方艺术家则运用自然科学的方法，主要是数理科学来探讨艺术美的规律。
