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73 and still going strong
August 12, 2010, Thursday
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PROFESSOR Yu Shihou sums himself up in few words: "I'm a workaholic."
Every morning, Yu gets up at 8am and arrives his office in west Hangzhou at 9am. No noon break, neither afternoon tea. With only fast food and snacks, he works until 9pm.
That's a pretty typical day for Yu. Many young white-collar workers would find it hard to keep up the pace. But Yu has been working like this for most of his life, and now he's 73.
Yu is a professor of logistics in Zhejiang University. Usually a professor at his age would be taking it easy and enjoying life. But that's not Yu - his enjoyment is working. He teaches, gives lectures, writes books and is developing his own cultural business. He can always find something to work on, and once he begins, he cannot stop.
"Besides smoking, my only interest is working." says Yu.
Having taught in the logistics field for more than 30 years, Yu enjoys a good reputation in domestic logistics. When he reached mandatory retirement age in 2001, he was rehired by the Metro College of Zhejiang University. He has been teaching public speaking ("practical eloquence") since last October.
Yu also puts a lot of energy into publishing and has published more than 30 books on logistics. Now he plans to publish 100 books (probably pretty small) in the next two years.
That may sound a bit unrealistic, but Yu has already signed a contract to write a series of books on logistics with the Peking University Press. Fifteen of the books will come out in October.
"A publishing house seldom signs for 15 books with one author," says Yu, "and I'm very proud that I never asked the publishing house - they came to me."
Yu is doing all the important work himself, collecting information and writing. He is even doing some type-setting. Students act as assistants. "But in my opinion, if I do it, I do it best."
Several weeks ago he delivered a lecture in Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and began his remarks by saying: "My name is Yu Shihou and I'm 73."
Most listeners laughed, they thought he was joking. "Here we retire at 60 and you look so young. How can that be true?" he quoted one fellow as saying.
It seems that being a workaholic, or at least staying busy, has been very good for Yu. His voice is strong and clear, his eyes are sharp and wise.
"Most old people at my age just stay at home, but I can go about as often as young people," says Yu.
Lecturing is an important part of his daily work, and he earns at least 1,000 yuan (US$147), sometimes 10,000.
"But I don't do it for money. Money means little to me at my age. Actually, I do it because I enjoy the feeling of being listened to and respected when I lecture."
Yu's sense of achievement also comes from the cultural field where he promoted the importance of the famous Liangzhu Culture Site and persuaded the Ministry of Education to include reference in national textbooks.
"In this field, I sell ideas," says Yu.
He first got the idea when he learned at a business dinner that the Liangzhu civilization dating back 5,000 years was not included in national textbooks.
That got him started and he worked with various ministries, such as education, culture and publishing, to make sure that learning about a cradle of Chinese civilization is part of national compulsory education.
"Some people say that working is finishing jobs. When the job is done, the work is over. In fact, working is about wisdom, passion, faith and imagination," says Yu.
"Some people have beautiful ideas of the kind of work they want to do, but when they are faced with difficulties and doubts, they give up. I don't."While most people take it easy at age 73, Professor Yu Shihou keeps working away, teaching, lecturing, writing and now starting a culture business. He tells Pan Zheng, "Besides smoking, my only interest is working.
Every morning, Yu gets up at 8am and arrives his office in west Hangzhou at 9am. No noon break, neither afternoon tea. With only fast food and snacks, he works until 9pm.
That's a pretty typical day for Yu. Many young white-collar workers would find it hard to keep up the pace. But Yu has been working like this for most of his life, and now he's 73.
Yu is a professor of logistics in Zhejiang University. Usually a professor at his age would be taking it easy and enjoying life. But that's not Yu - his enjoyment is working. He teaches, gives lectures, writes books and is developing his own cultural business. He can always find something to work on, and once he begins, he cannot stop.
"Besides smoking, my only interest is working." says Yu.
Having taught in the logistics field for more than 30 years, Yu enjoys a good reputation in domestic logistics. When he reached mandatory retirement age in 2001, he was rehired by the Metro College of Zhejiang University. He has been teaching public speaking ("practical eloquence") since last October.
Yu also puts a lot of energy into publishing and has published more than 30 books on logistics. Now he plans to publish 100 books (probably pretty small) in the next two years.
That may sound a bit unrealistic, but Yu has already signed a contract to write a series of books on logistics with the Peking University Press. Fifteen of the books will come out in October.
"A publishing house seldom signs for 15 books with one author," says Yu, "and I'm very proud that I never asked the publishing house - they came to me."
Yu is doing all the important work himself, collecting information and writing. He is even doing some type-setting. Students act as assistants. "But in my opinion, if I do it, I do it best."
Several weeks ago he delivered a lecture in Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and began his remarks by saying: "My name is Yu Shihou and I'm 73."
Most listeners laughed, they thought he was joking. "Here we retire at 60 and you look so young. How can that be true?" he quoted one fellow as saying.
It seems that being a workaholic, or at least staying busy, has been very good for Yu. His voice is strong and clear, his eyes are sharp and wise.
"Most old people at my age just stay at home, but I can go about as often as young people," says Yu.
Lecturing is an important part of his daily work, and he earns at least 1,000 yuan (US$147), sometimes 10,000.
"But I don't do it for money. Money means little to me at my age. Actually, I do it because I enjoy the feeling of being listened to and respected when I lecture."
Yu's sense of achievement also comes from the cultural field where he promoted the importance of the famous Liangzhu Culture Site and persuaded the Ministry of Education to include reference in national textbooks.
"In this field, I sell ideas," says Yu.
He first got the idea when he learned at a business dinner that the Liangzhu civilization dating back 5,000 years was not included in national textbooks.
That got him started and he worked with various ministries, such as education, culture and publishing, to make sure that learning about a cradle of Chinese civilization is part of national compulsory education.
"Some people say that working is finishing jobs. When the job is done, the work is over. In fact, working is about wisdom, passion, faith and imagination," says Yu.
"Some people have beautiful ideas of the kind of work they want to do, but when they are faced with difficulties and doubts, they give up. I don't."While most people take it easy at age 73, Professor Yu Shihou keeps working away, teaching, lecturing, writing and now starting a culture business. He tells Pan Zheng, "Besides smoking, my only interest is working.
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