The Chinese high-school dropout and former duck farmer who became a doctor after 20 years’ trying
- Guizhou native did stints as duck farmer, builder and security guard
- But after years of study he got his doctorate this summer
A high-school dropout who taught himself while working to pay off family debts has made national headlines after graduating with a doctorate and landing a teaching job at a university in southern China.
Li Mingyong attributed his success to not being afraid to lose, and a determination to hit his target, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
The 41-year-old, born in a remote village in Meitan county, Guizhou province, had to quit school at age 16 – despite always being in the top three of his class – after family members fell ill and had to borrow money.
“I first worked as a construction worker, then I went back home to raise ducks and planted tobacco. I worked almost five years to pay off the family debts,” Li told the newspaper.
In 1999, Li worked as a security guard at Guizhou Education University and, influenced by the campus atmosphere, decided to resume his studies.
