A Great Awakening

In the eighteenth century, in China during the Qing dynasty, the Emperor had decided to close the country from outside which is usually called “Close the Door Policy.” During that time, there was no business between Qing dynasty and other counties. It was like a deserted island where the people inside could not get out, nor could outside people enter. As time passed, in the late 1970s, President Deng Xiaoping started to execute an overall plan also known as Economic Opening. For China, it was like a Great Awakening for it was a milestone in economic history. Since the Economic Opening started, it inevitably affected hundreds and thousands of Chinese people’s lives as well as my family’s.

Because of Deng Xiaoping’s policy of Economic Opening, my father could continue his education in college. President Deng Xiaoping pointed out that the concept of Economic Opening could not perform without getting high quality education; therefore, the college entrance examination reopened since it was banned in the 1960s. When my father finished high school, he had to help my grandfather on the family farm. During that time, my father had to work at a rice paddy next to a quarry where people used explosives to break rocks. In addition, it must have been a rough time for him because he told me that a couple of times, he was almost blinded by the intense lights or hit by flying rocks. I can imagine that if my father did not go to college, he would still be working under these dangerous conditions.

With the continuous development of the plan of Economic Opening, my father as a professional could find a nice job with good pay. In the 1980s, everyone dreamed of getting a job from the government, but only a few of them could get job offers. Fortunately, my father got an offer from a state-owned enterprise in the capital city of Hunan. Since my father started working for the government, my mother and I could have a care-free life while other people were still floundering. Because my father made a decent income, my mother did not have to work, and she could develop her garden with her green-thumb. Moreover, mt father sent me to a better high school, so I could obtain a better education. All in all, the policy of Economic Opening has changed the lives of the entire family.

My father’s education was altered by the law of Economic Opening, and it also was a major turning point of my education. For these years, my family support me when I studied in college. Due to this reason, I had the chance to immigrate to the United Sates because my university approved that I met the certain conditions for the visa to the United Sates. Since this kind of visa is very demanding, students must study at one of the qualified universities. At the present, I am continuing my education at Harold Washington College in Chicago; hence, I could experience the different teaching methods that I never had in China. I’ve always been thinking how lucky I am to learn strong points from the two different education models to make up my weaknesses. In the future, I hope to transfer to a four-year university to gain more knowledge because I always believe that education can change people’s lives.

          To sum up, The Economic Opening, like a great awakening, profoundly affected the life of my whole family. Looking back in time, even though the arrogant Emperor closed the country’s door and China had slept for centuries, it woke up in the late 1970s. Since President Deng Xiaoping drew a circle on the map of coastal areas of China to start the plan of Economic Opening, people could rebuild the bridge of economy to outside world, and it literally changed people’s lives. Time is passing, and my father is retiring this year with a comfortable retirement. In addition, my mother always longed to have a small flower shop, and now she and my father have plenty time to achieve this dream. I will keep studying in college, and eventually my dreams will come true.  

before VS after （ the city of  Shen Zhen）