Ivy League-educated China woman, 34, quits rat race, makes Portugal move to clear toxicity caused by US career
- Attends prestigious Dartmouth College, studies at Harvard Business School
- Says chasing material success, societal expectations made life misery
A 34-year-old woman from China who graduated from top US universities and achieved material success has rejected her lifestyle and retired early to Europe.
Zhang Qian, who was born in Shanghai in 1990, grew up deeply influenced by the nationally famous Chinese Harvard graduate Liu Yiting.
Liu had graduated from secondary school in 1999 and was accepted into Harvard University on a full scholarship.
Her success story was told in a book by her parents, which sold more than two million copies in China.
Zhang said Liu had been her role model since she was 12.
“Liu made everyone around me with good grades see the possibility of receiving an undergraduate education in the US,” Zhang told the mainland media outlet Jiupai News.
After she graduated from secondary school, Zhang was accepted by Dartmouth College, one of Chinese students’ dream Ivy League schools.
At the age of 27, she began her graduate studies at Harvard Business School.
But Zhang said she was only happy for “10 minutes” after receiving the offer from Harvard, because it was more a case that not getting into the university would be a disgrace, rather than admission being her true desire.
Looking back, she said she realised how unhealthy that mentality was.
Zhang said she was addicted to chasing success as defined by society, even though she did not enjoy it deep down.
At the age of 31, she became the vice-president of a US company, earning US$400,000 a year, but resigned after a quarrel with her superior.
She then decided to move to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon and joined the FIRE, or financial independence, retire early, movement with her savings.
She said the sunshine and leisurely lifestyle in Portugal cured her trauma from the “toxic” years in America when the pressure of working hard to keep her visa had haunted her every day.
Zhang is now a social media influencer with 66,000 followers on Xiaohongshu, and her account name is @doushiliuyitingzengzimodanwulewo, which translates as “Liu Yiting and Zeng Zimo held me back”.
Zeng, who was accepted by Dartmouth College in 1992, was another role model for Chinese parents who wanted financial prosperity for their children.
However, Zhang confessed that it was not Liu and Zeng, but the social norms that value secular success over personal happiness that she felt prevented her from following her true path.
She said she voluntarily worked diligently at school, but many of her peers did not, and they hated Liu because their parents pushed them to study hard in a bid to emulate her success.
Earlier this year, 43-year-old Liu re-emerged in public discussions, with some saying that, despite being a financial professional in the US, she had not become as successful as expected.
Liu has not responded to the comments.
Zhang said she understood why Liu opted for a low-profile lifestyle now, saying it is because she also values freedom more than wealth.
